CWIPC Minutes 05/06/2016 May 6, 2016
MINUTES OF THE COLLIER COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Naples, Florida, May 6, 2016
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Collier County Watershed Improvement Program
Committee in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this
date at 9:00 AM in a REGULAR SESSION at the Career Source Building, Conference
Room 1, 750 South Fifth Street, Immokalee, FL with the following persons present:
Chairman: Jocelyn Nageon De Lestang
Vice Chairman: Dennis Vasey
Gregg Strakaluse
Chadd Chustz (Excused)
Brent Bachelder
Jeff Carter
(Vacancy)
ALSO PRESENT: Jerry Kurtz, Stormwater Planning— Staff Liaison
Gary McAlpin, Director, Coastal Zone Management
Robert Wiley, Principal Project Manager
Tabitha Stadler, Stormwater Planning
Any persons in need of the verbatim record of the meeting may request a copy of the audio recording
from the Collier County Growth Management Department—Contact Mr.Evy Ybaceta at 239-252-2400.
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COMPREHENSIVE
WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CWIP)
TECHNICAL ADVISORY AD HOC
COMMITTEE MEETING
Friday, May 6, 2016
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
CareerSource Building, Conference Room 1
750 South Fifth Street, Immokalee, FL 34142
1. Roll Call
2. Agenda Approval — committee action requested
3. Approval of Minutes — committee action requested
4. Staff Announcements — Jerry Kurtz, Collier County Government
5. Workshop/Discussion Session —Tabitha Stadler, Collier County
a. Overview of the Immokalee Community
Interim Operations Manager Christie Betancourt, Immokalee Community
Redevelopment Agency (20 minutes)
b. Overview of the Immokalee Water and Sewer District
Executive Director Eva Deyo, Immokalee Water and Sewer District (20
minutes)
c. Lake Trafford Restoration Project: Historical Context, Post-dredge
Water Quality Evaluation, and Management Team
Senior Engineer Joe Schmidt, Big Cypress Basin South Florida Water
Management District (20 minutes)
d. Lake Trafford Watershed Study
Water Resources Professor Dr. Sanjay Shukla, University of South Florida
(20 minutes)
Break(15 minutes)
e. Regional Water Quality Monitoring
Principal Environmental Specialist Rhonda Watkins, Collier County
Pollution Control (20 minutes)
f. Pepper Ranch Overview and Restoration
Coordinator Alex Sulecki, Conservation Collier (20 minutes)
g. Overview of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Research Director Dr. Shawn Clem, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (15
minutes)
h. Recommendations Discussion —Tabitha Stadler (15 minutes)
6. Member and Citizen Comments
7. Old Business
a. RESTORE update — Gary McAlpin, Collier County (20 minutes)
8. New Business
9. Set or announce next meeting date
10. Adjournment
NOTE: All public speakers will be limited to three (3) minutes unless the
Chairman grants permission for additional time. Individuals selected to speak on
behalf of an organization or group may be allotted 5 minutes to speak on an item
if so recognized by the chairman. Persons wishing to have written or graphic
materials included in the CWIP agenda packets must submit said material a
minimum of 10 days prior to the meeting.
NOTE: All meetings will be publicly noticed in the W. Harmon Turner Building
(Building F) and provided to the County Public Information Department for
distribution. Please contact Gerald Kurtz, Stormwater Principal Project Manager,
at Gerald Ku rtz[a�colliergov.net for additional information.
NOTE: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing
assistance to participate in any of these proceedings should contact Gerald
Kurtz, Principal Project Manager at GeraldKurtzcolliergov.net at least 48 hours
before the meeting.
May 6, 2016
1. Call to order
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am and a quorum was established.
2. Approval of Agenda—Committee Action Requested
Mr. Vasey moved to approve the Agenda. Second by Mr.Strakaluse. Carried unanimously 5-0.
3. Approval of Minutes—Committee Action Requested
February 26, 2016 Minutes
Mr. Strakaluse moved to approve the minutes of the February 26,2016 meeting as presented.
Second by Mr. Vasey. Carried unanimously 5—0.
4. Staff Announcements—Jerry Kurtz, Collier County Government
Mr. Kurtz noted the goals for the undertaking are to develop recommendations for consideration by the
County through data analysis and input from Stakeholders and the public.
5. Workshop Discussion Session
a. Overview of the Immokalee Community
Interim Operations Manager Christie Betancourt, Immokalee Community Redevelopment Agency
Ms. Betancourt presented a Power Point presentation on the Community Redevelopment Agency's
(CRA)mission and accomplishments highlighting the history and demographics of the entity
established in 2000 by the Board of County Commissioners with a life limit of thirty years.
• The CRA has invested$7 million implementing six projects identified in the Immokalee
Stormwater Master Plan, two of which, Colorado Avenue sidewalk improvements and
Immokalee Stormwater improvements Phase II(Immokalee Drive and N 16`h Street)have
been completed.
• The South Florida Water Management District has been supportive of the CRA's mission to
improve the water quality and flow rates of the storm water throughout Immokalee
contributing$200K to the design of the drainage improvement project.
• Some of the agency's current priorities include an Economic Development Plan to expand
incentives for business development in Immokalee,infrastructure improvements for County
and State roads, increase tourism,expand medical services and coordinate with the FHREO
and Federal Promise zone to maximize obtaining grants.
She also reviewed the Immokalee Municipal Service Taxing Unit(MSTU)and highlighted projects
under consideration including drainage improvements,sidewalk construction, road improvements
landscape beautification, decorative lighting, burial of power lines,underground utility storm water
management and pedestrian lighting
The following was noted by Ms. Betancourt during Committee discussions:
• The current population projection is 29K with an additional 1.5 million visitors annually to
the Casino. Future projections are difficult as agricultural growers are exiting the area so
efforts are being undertaken to attract other industries.
• She has initiated an effort to identify the number of visitors to the race track at Immokalee
airport.
• The CRA is not involved in the proposed ATV Park at the airport property.
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May 6,2016
• The goal of the stormwater projects was to reduce flooding in the area,not water quality
oriented.
• Funds are being budgeted for Immokalee projects in the Annual Update and Inventory
Report(AUIR)process.
b. Overview of the Immokalee Water and Sewer District
Executive Director Eva Deyo, Immokalee Water and Sewer District
Ms. Deyo's presented a Power Point Presentation noting
• Immokalee Utilities was a non-profit created in the 1960's to provide water service and fire
protection to Immokalee.
• In 1978 the assets were turned over to Immokalee Water and Sewer District for the purpose
of providing the services and the District operates and maintains the systems as an
Independent Special District of the State of Florida.
• Boundaries—in 2005 the State Legislature expanded its boundaries to 108 square miles.
• Population in the area is 29,363 expanding to 36,415 during harvesting season.
• Meter connections total six thousand, five hundred of which are commercial.
• Water System—three water plants with an interconnected distribution system with over 100
miles of water lines.
• Most residents do not irrigate their lawns; average water use per resident in 2015 was 7,000
gallons per month.
• The Wastewater Treatment Plant and associated collection system was constructed in 1982
and upgraded in 2013.
• The Lower Tamiami Aquifer provides 1,515 million gallons of water a year with 16 total
wells(Permit expires 2031).
• The Seminole Casino Immokalee,originally serviced by its own plant, came back on line
when upgrades were implemented to the Seminole Casino Hotel.
• The Immokalee Water& Sewer District was just awarded a$17,134,000 loan and
$4,063,000 grant from USDA Rural Development to replace Asbestos Cement(AC)and
Undersized Water Lines in Immokalee.
• The District will need to supply$13,000 of its own money towards the project.
The following was noted during Committee discussions:
• The Seminole Casino's reconnection to the system did not increase usage as one of the
system largest users, Gulf Coast Linens,had gone out of business.
• The system utilizes three holding ponds and if it is raining it goes to deep injection. A
discharge structure site collects spray and it is routed to the marsh if not raining and at this
point there are no plans for ASR wells.
• There permit is effective until 2013 and there are no plans to increase or revise the permit for
the amount of water permitted.
• Lake Trafford is not intended for an alternate source of water.
• The agriculture users rely on drilled wells for their system.
• The system provides sewer service for all but two users in the city.
c. Lake Trafford Restoration Project: Historical Context, Post-dredge Water Quality
Evaluation,and Management Team
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May 6,2016
Senior Engineer Joe Schmidt, Big Cypress Basin South Florida Water Management District
Mr. Schmidt's Power Point presentation provided historical context, charts,graphs and conclusions
to the founding and project works of the Lake Trafford(a natural depression lake within the greater
Corkscrew Watershed)Restoration Project.
• Redisposed nutrient accumulation and recurrent algal blooms and fish kills during the mid
1990's led to an effort by local citizens to establish the Lake Trafford Restoration Task Force
ultimately leading to development of the Lake Trafford Restoration Project by USACE.
• The purpose of the project was to improve water quality and ecosystem functions through
removal of nutrient-rich organic sediments(muck)from lake-bottom.
• The project originally proposed in 2000 as an USACE-SFWMD partnership preceded
independently with SFWMD in 2004.
• The project was completed in 2010 at a cost of$21 million.
Conclusions
• Measurable water quality improvements appear to be a result of the Lake Trafford
Restoration Project.
• Statistically significant decrease in total nitrogen concentrations.
• Statistically significant differences between pre-dredge and post-dredge periods(lower
concentrations of nutrients).
• Post-dredge concentrations of chlorophyll are similar to pre-dredge concentrations.
• High phosphorous concentrations are associated with major tropical events.
In summary the project objectives were met, sediments were removed and water quality is improved.
The task force views the restoration project as the first step in a larger restoration effort. The Lake
Trafford task force will develop a work plan that continues restoration efforts to bridge the gap until
Dr. Shukla's/University of Florida's Watershed Study results are available.
The following was noted during Committee discussions:
• The intent of the project was to return the Lake to its natural pre 1900 level and probably it
increased in depth.
• The only water quality monitoring occurs at the basin.
• It may be beneficial to interview those who have resided in the area for generations to
garnish information on the historic condition of the lake.
d. Lake Trafford Watershed Study
Water Resources Professor Dr. Sanjay Shukla, University of Florida
Dr. Shukla reported Lake Trafford land is in the watershed area. The Power Point presentation
focuses on the Total Maximum Daily Load(TMDL)—what is required to maintain adequate water
quality standards.
• Major categories are water and land use with objectives including:
> Improve the watershed boundary and water nutrient fluxes.
> Hydrological monitoring of water quality.
• Long term plan:
> Maintaining the load and addressing the problem of high nutrient flow.
> Development and implementation of management strategies.
> Determine if the existing watershed boundary needs to be changed.
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May 6,2016
• Load reduction target is 60% - 80%with approximately 33%of the watershed wetland area
and 35%crop land.
• On collection of all available data, historical data and new data regarding water flow,
determination will be made if watershed boundary needs to change.
• The CREW does not interact with Lake Trafford; however there is evidence part of the lake
flows into CREW.
• Additional wells have been installed and he noted the watershed area may extend south of
Immokalee Road.
The following was noted during Committee discussions:
• Investigations are underway to determine any areas to be added or removed from the
watershed
• The purpose of the Committee is to identify any sources of nutrients entering the system and
recommend solutions.
• There is a source of aerial photos dating back to the 1940's.
e. Regional Water Quality Monitoring
Principal Environmental Specialist Rhonda Watkins, Collier County Pollution Control
Ms. Watkins presented a Power Point noting Regional Water Quality Monitoring is a NELAC
certified laboratory for over 75 drinking water and non-drinking water analysis with FDEP certified
sampling teams and services internal and external clients.
Sampling Programs
• Surface water and groundwater trends on a monthly or seasonal basis.
• Lake Trafford and Lely Area Stormwater Improvement Project monthly.
• Sediment monitoring and pesticides groundwater every five years.
Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads
• 27 impairments in 18 WBIDs(72 WBIDs total).
Three Water Bodies with TMDLs
• Lake Trafford
➢ TMDL set in 2008;will be reassessed in 2017.
➢ FGCU has a grant to conduct an FDEP groundwater seepage study and nutrient budget
for the lake.
• Gordon River Extension
• Cocohatchee River
Basin Management Action Plan for the Everglades West Coast Basin
The FDEP is conducting samplings in Cow Slough, Immokalee Basin, Corkscrew Swamp,Camp
Keais,Silver Strand and Pepper Ranch.
• Silver Strand is slated for TMDL analysis.
• The Board of County Commissioners directed continued monitoring of Pepper Ranch.
• Lake Trafford restoration was approved prior to the DEP's involvement.
• Water quality concerns in the area include the presence of nutrients, dissolved oxygen,fecal
coliform,biochemical oxygen demand,turbidity/total suspended solids,etc.
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May 6,2016
The following was noted during Committee discussions:
• A program is available for agricultural users to test soil for phosphorous levels and remedy
accordingly.
• There is not an increase in cost and water is aerated with chlorination and ammonia;they do
not use scrubbers.
f. Pepper Ranch Overview and Restoration
Coordinator Alex Sulecki, Conservation Collier
Ms. Sulecki presented a Power Point on Pepper Ranch Preserve,a 2,512 acre wetland habitat,
acquired by Collier County in 2009 and bordered by Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed
(CREW), Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Caracara Prairie Preserve highlighting:
• Pepper Ranch is managed by Collier Conservation.
• Pepper Ranch applied for an Aquatic Habitat Restoration Enhancement Subsection grant
(AHRES)for hydrologic restoration design,planning permitting and partial construction
management.
• Pepper Ranch water flows to Crew Marsh,not Lake Trafford,and has eleven monitoring
wells to collect data.
• Phase I involves data collection and design of the current hydrology. Program goals include:
> Develop modeling to determine source of problems.
> Restoration design focusing on reducing runoff to the lake and increasing the hydro
period of on-site wetlands.
• Cattle's grazing does not pose a significant environmental impact and is beneficial to
controlling growth of"exotics."
• A prescribed controlled burn is being considered as part of the management plan and would
be conducted prior to removal of cattle.
• The ranch currently is home to two adults and two kittens panthers.
g. Overview of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Research Director Dr. Shawn Clem, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Dr. Clem presented a Power Point show on the 13,000 acre Corkscrew Sanctuary and Audubon
Florida Western Everglades Research Center noting 100,000 visitors visit annually. She highlighted
projects at the Sanctuary as follows:
Ecological Changes Occurring:
• Wood Storks
➢ Historically the largest nesting colony in the United States there has been no nesting in 8
of the last 10 years. Nesting is relocating to the coastal areas of Georgia.
• Population change is contributed to hydrological changes and land use resulting in habitat
loss and lack of food available.
• Hydrology(water levels and rainfall since 1950's).
• Birds and other wildlife impacts.
Wetland Restoration Monitoring
• Short Hydro period Wetlands
• Mitigation vs. lower cost alternatives.
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May 6, 2016
• Quantify ecological change—hydrology, vegetation, birds and mammals.
• Restoration experiment that incorporates different restoration efforts/cost&cattle impact
(WTSP)
Panther Island Mitigation Bank
• Panther Island is being expanded with conversion of agricultural fields back to wetlands.
• The goal of the research program is data analysis and recommendations that can be applied
through CREW, the Western Everglades and other parts of the Greater Everglades
Ecosystem.
It was noted there is a Woodstork Management Plan specific to SW Florida including
recommendations on specific changes to help the SW Florida population.
h. Recommendations Discussion—Tabitha Stadler
Ms. Stadler strategized the Committee's goals noting an executive summary with recommendations
should be provided to the Board of County Commissioners by the end of 2016. She highlighted:
• The project focuses on intentions of watershed management and stormwater as well as the
CRA, water and sewer services,plants, animals and quality of life.
• Recommendations in the final report should be anchored by general regional watershed site
and all regions should be covered.
• In addition to stormwater projects, watershed management also uses other tools such as
education,research and monitoring and land management restoration and these categories
may be considered for action.
• Recommendations should be addressed in a manageable way adaptable to community use.
She requested the Committee provide feedback on moving forward to the recommendation phase.
6. Member and Citizen Comments
Mr. De Lestang reported the Committee's mission is to investigate the stormwater aspect as a carrier
for all nutrients, where they end up and the impact the rest of the watershed has on Lake Trafford as
well as TMDL future obligations. They will provide data for the decision makers and assist in guiding
their decision on projects to support.
The Committee requested each presenter provide a list of their "short and long term concerns"and
the inter-relationship of the items to stormwater issues addressed in the meeting.
7. Old Business
a. RESTORE update—Gary McAlpin, Collier County
The Committee scheduled Mr. McAlpin's update on Restore Funds for the June meeting.
8. New Business
None
9. Set or announce next meeting date
The next meeting date is June 10, 2016 from 1 —5 PM.
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May 6,2016
There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by the
order of the Chair at 12:51 PM.
COMPREHENSIV WATERSHED
IMPROVEM N ' 'AV RAM COMMITTEE
,/ /
Chairman,/ o e Nageon De Lestang
These Minn"-were approved by the Committee on o. '/ic (L-' ,2016 as presented ,or as
amended 1'.
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