Science Plan in Support of Everglades Restoration Strategies

Transcription

1 Science Plan in Support of Everglades Restoration Strategies Larry Schwartz Ph.D., P.W.S. Principal Environmental Scientist Applied Sciences Bureau South Florida Water Management District Environmental Permitting Summer School July 2015 Orlando, FL

2 Background and Mandates Treatment performance research ENR Project Initial ENR design with EAV ATT STA target discharge criterion 50 ppb STA design now includes SAV STA area = 9,000 acres Overall STA performance STA outflow TP = 25 ppb (inflow = 152 ppb) STA area = 45,000 acres Everglades Forever Act (EFA) Mandated STA construction STA area = 4,000 acres Pursuant to EFA Established TP criterion for Everglades Protection Area = 10 ppb STA area = 40,000 acres SFWMD, FDEP, USDOI, & USEPA Restoration Strategies Regional WQ Plan Established STA TP discharge criteria Required Science Plan to optimize STA performance STA area = 57,000 acres 2

3 Restoration Strategies SFWMD, FDEP, USDOI, & USEPA reached agreement on a Restoration Strategies Regional Water Quality Plan Permits (EFA and NPDES) Established Water Quality Based Effluent Limits (WQBELs) for TP discharging from the STAs Two-part compliance test, takes effect after new facilities are constructed/operating TP 19 ppb annually TP 13 ppb (3 of 5 years) Consent Orders (EFA & NPDES) STA expansions and Flow Equalization Basins (FEBs) Science Plan to identify factors that collectively influence P reduction and treatment performance, particularly at low phosphorus concentrations <20 ppb TP Develop Operations Plans for FEBs and STAs to sustain low P outflow concentrations in STAs 3

4 Restoration Strategies Key Projects Western Flowpath C-139 FEB ~11,000 ac-ft C-139 Annex Restoration STA 5/6 Lake Okeechobee Central Flowpath STA-5/6 Earthwork ~800 acres Eastern Flowpath STA-1W Expansion ~6,500 acres A-1 FEB ~60,000 ac-ft WCA-3A STA-3/4 STA-2 Sub-Regional Source Controls L-8 FEB ~45,000 ac-ft STA 1W WCA-2A STA 1E WCA-1 Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Replacement Storage N 4

5 1994 Everglades Forever Act (EFA) Mandated Construction of STAs STA Area (acres) 1E 5,000 1W 6, ,500 3/4 16,300 5/6 13,700 Total 57,000 5

6 Phosphorus Treatment in STAs Emergent Vegetation EAV Submerged Aquatic Vegetation SAV Periphyton 6

7 Flow-weighted Mean TP (ppb) Inflow Water Volume (ac-ft x x 1000) 1000) STA Performance: InflowTP Conc. Outflow TP Conc. Inflow Water Volume A Water Year POR Inflow, flow-weighted mean TP = 137 ppb POR Outflow, flow-weighted mean TP = 34 ppb Outflow flow-weighted mean TP <20 ppb since

8 Science Plan Development Process Plan developed by multi-disciplinary team of over 45 SFWMD staff in collaboration with USEPA, USDOI, & FDEP Technical Representatives The Process Included: Evaluating P removal mechanisms in STAs and factors influencing these mechanisms Reviewed existing knowledge Determined information gaps Prioritized areas of investigation considering testability, feasibility, timeliness, and importance in reaching the WQBEL 6 key questions were identified by SFWMD s Science Plan Team Resulted in development of 9 Detailed Study Plans 8

9 Phosphorus Sources, Forms, Flux, & Transformation Processes in the STAs Study Objectives/Purpose Characterize P sources, speciation, cycling, and transport in STAs, and understand mechanisms and factors influencing P reduction in low P environment Compare results with Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) Formulate recommendations to enhance STA operation and management 9

10 Phosphorus Sources, Forms, Flux, & Transformation Processes in the STAs Progress Literature review and data mining underway Conducted baseline STA SAV surveys Implementing STA internal water quality, litter, floc, soil, and flux measurements Low altitude remote sensing vegetation trial analysis performed Organic P analytical method development underway Avian population surveys ongoing 10

11 Use of Soil Amendments/Management to Control P Flux Study Objective/Purpose Determine if flux of P from the soil in STAs can be reduced with soil amendments or management techniques such as soil inversion or adding a limerock cap 11

12 Use of Soil Amendments/Management to Control P Flux Progress Developed Draft Phase I report Completed literature review regarding soil amendments and management techniques Summarized previous findings relevant to controlling P flux in wetlands for these approaches Evaluating issues in order to determine if next phase in the STAs should be implemented GO/STOP Soil inversion in STA-1W expansion site under consideration Further development of experimental phase and full-scale implementation cost estimates 12

13 Periphyton-based Stormwater Treatment Area (PSTA): Performance, Design & Operational Factors Study Objective/Purpose Continue investigation of PSTA cell performance to determine design elements, operational factors, and biogeochemical characteristics that enable the PSTA cell to achieve ultra-low outflow TP levels 13

14 Periphyton-based Stormwater Treatment Area (PSTA): Performance, Design & Operational Factors Progress Water quality monitoring and analysis Inflow, outflow, and within the cell Remote Phosphorus Analyzer (RPA) - 3 hour intervals Analysis of influence of seepage Updated PSTA Cell water budget Completed analysis of PSTA Cell water budget Conducted pulse tests to determine influence of higher flows and loading Completed preliminary analysis of PSTA Cell Remote Preparing interim report to determine path forward for feasibility evaluation 14

15 Evaluate the Use of Alternative Vegetation Occurring in Low P Environments to Achieve Low P STA Discharge Study Objective/Purpose Evaluate nutrient removal efficacy of vegetation that occurs under very low P conditions in STAs and examine major processes and mechanisms underlying P cycling at very low P conditions in STAs 15

16 Evaluate the Use of Alternative Vegetation Occurring in Low P Environments to Achieve Low P STA Discharge Progress Mesocosm results presented in 2015 SFER Compiling additional literature on vegetation in low P environments Establish preliminary path forward for study: Evaluate the role that rooted Floating Aquatic Vegetation (FAV) mixed with Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) may provide to further lower STA TP outflow concentrations 16

17 Impacts of Deep Water Inundation Pulses on Cattail Sustainability Study Objectives/Purpose Evaluate the influence of deep water pulsing on cattails Provide recommendations for STA and FEB operations 17

18 Impacts of Deep Water Inundation Pulses on Cattail Sustainability Progress Comprehensive literature review Initiated collection of baseline data for in situ study in STA-1W (Cell 2A) and STA-3/4 (Cell 2A) Cattail cover, density, health Performed wave test to characterize vegetation (cattail) resistance in STA-1W Cell 2A Performed period of record (POR) hydrologic data analysis in support of the experimental design for ½ acre test cells 18

19 Development of Operational Guidance for FEB and STA Regional Operational Plans Study Objective/Purpose Develop modeling tools and operational protocols for FEBs/STAs to manage storage and flows and minimize STA outflow P concentrations 19

20 Development of Operational Guidance for FEB and STA Regional Operational Plans Progress Completed hydraulic field testing in STA-1W, STA-2, and STA- 3/4 and data analyses and developing vegetative resistance values for STAs Completed user guide for hydraulic field testing Refining imodel optimization tool for Optimization Framework Developing preliminary operation plans for A-1 and L-8 FEBs 20

21 Evaluation of the Influence of Canal Conveyance Features on STA and FEB Inflow and Outflow TP Concentrations Study Objectives/Purpose Determine whether P concentrations change when conveyed through STA inflow and outflow canals Evaluate P concentration in sediments and seepage to and from canals 21

22 Evaluation of the Influence of Canal Conveyance Features on STA and FEB Inflow and Outflow TP Concentrations Progress Evaluation of data for selected STA inflow and outflow canals Literature review data query canal as-builts canal inspection Performed analyses for STA-1W inflow basin canal and discharge canal Water quality concentration analysis Annual wet/dry season and monthly mass balance Storm-event based mass balance for different parameters Correlation analysis for several parameters Completed STA-1 inflow basin canal evaluation 22

23 Sampling Methods for Total Phosphorus Study Objective/Purpose Determine which sampling regime/ method provides most accurate representation of TP As grab samples and auto-samplers used for compliance sampling show significant differences 23

24 Sampling Methods for Total Phosphorus Progress Monitoring completed G390B - inflow to PSTA at STA-3/4 G310 - discharge from STA-1W Evaluating preliminary results regarding modifications to sampling practices 24

25 STA Water and Phosphorus Budget Improvements Study Objectives/Purpose Water and P budgets are an important tool for understanding STA performance Need to determine sources of error in water budgets and evaluate methods to reduce the error Develop improved water budgets for STA cells in a phased approach for a test case (STA-3/4 Cells 3A and 3B) and subsequently at other locations to meet Science Plan needs Inflow Rainfall ET Outflow Seepage Residual = Outflow + Seepage + ET + D Storage Inflow Rainfall 25

26 STA Water and Phosphorus Budget Improvements Progress Completed work on improved flow ratings for POR for STA-1E structures (STA-3/4 & STA-2 structures completed) Continued to improve Water Budget Tool, including the ability to incorporate seepage estimates for all cells in STA-2 & STA-3/4 Preliminary seepage coefficients estimated for STA-2 & STA-3/4 Finalized Test Case Report (STA-3/4 Cells 3A and 3B) Inflow Rainfall ET Outflow Seepage 26

27 Summary Restoration Strategies Science Plan Developed to optimize STA treatment performance to meet WQBEL Nine initial studies in various stages of implementation Science Plan updates and subsequent results will be presented in the annual SFER 27