3) Minutes of the July 8, 2013 meeting. 4) Agenda Additions, Deletions or Corrections. 5) The 2013 CHNEP Shoreline Survey Update - Lisa Beever

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1 AGENDA ESTERO BAY AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT Monday, September 9, :30 a.m. SWFRPC Offices 1926 Victoria Avenue Fort Myers, Florida 1) Call to Order 2) Attendance 3) Minutes of the July 8, 2013 meeting 4) Agenda Additions, Deletions or Corrections 5) The 2013 CHNEP Shoreline Survey Update - Lisa Beever 6) Estimate of the Ecosystem Services of Existing Conservation 2020 Lands in Lee County Florida - Jim Beever 7) Letter on Bonita Springs DR/GR Study 8) CHNEP POG Grant and Patagonia Foundation Grant 9) Caloosahatchee River Flows and Pollution 10) UF/IFAS Fertilizer Statements 11) Budget 12) Emerging Issues: 13) Announcements 14) Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda 15) Next Meeting, Time, Place, Agenda Items 16) EBABM: Monday, October 14, :30 a. m. 17) IAS: September 30, :30 p.m. 18) Adjournment 1

2 DRAFT August 12, 2013 Lee County Commission 2115 Second Street Fort Myers, FL Re: Funding for Lee Tran The Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM) is a non-regulatory advisory body whose charge is to make comments and recommendations for the management of Estero Bay and its watershed. The ABM is dedicated to the preservation and sustained productivity of this natural resource. The membership of the ABM includes local, state, and federal government officials, and representatives of special interest groups such as developers, civic associations, builders, environmental groups, chambers of commerce and marine trade associations, and citizen representatives. We are writing in support of continuing the funding for Lee Tran, especially route 60 that supports the Estero Bay watershed. We also urge you to demand that FGCU continue, and expand, the expectation to support public transportation as outlined in the fourth amendment to the campus development agreement between the Florida Board of Education and Lee County. Public Transportation is critical to a blossoming and sustainable community. Its effective implementation and support significantly reduces need for road infrastructure and supports smart growth principles by providing affordable and convenient alternatives to single-occupancy transportation. Not only does route 60 provide paratransit access, it also provides a mechanism for consumers and employees to travel to businesses in the Estero Bay Watershed. Reduction of roadway expansion by providing an alternative to single- use transportation prevents further degradation to the watershed. As prices of fuels continue to rise, and new residents join our community, an effective public transportation system can be a significant asset. The economic future of Lee County is dependent on maintaining a healthy environment that will continue to attract tourists and future residents. Public transportation is a significant piece of the puzzle that assures a sustainable future critical to maintaining our community as a desirable place to visit and work. Please let us know how we can assist you in making this necessity clear to all of your constituents. Sincerely, ESTERO BAY AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT Lisa Beever Chairperson cc. President Wilson Bradshaw and Steve Magiera, VP of Administration and Accounting, FGCU DRAFT

3 Senator Joe Negron 3500 SW Corporate Parkway, Suite 204 Palm City, FL Subject: Including the Caloosahatchee River in Discussions of Lake Okeechobee Releases Dear Senator Negron: The Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM) is a non-regulatory advisory body whose charge is to make comments and recommendations for the management of Estero Bay and its watershed. The ABM is dedicated to the preservation and sustained productivity of this natural resource. The membership of the ABM includes local, state, and federal government officials, and representatives of special interest groups such as developers, civic associations, builders, environmental groups, chambers of commerce and marine trade associations, and citizen representatives. The Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM) is writing to request that discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee Estuary be included in the deliberations for the Senate Select Committee on Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee. As with the St. Lucie Estuary, the recent critically high discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee Estuary are causing widespread adverse impacts to the health of our river and estuaries and the economies that depend on them. Current discharge have extended into eastern Sand Carlos Bay, Matanzas Pass, and Western Estero Bay as well as other valuable estuaries. The Caloosahatchee Estuary, downstream from S-79 and its receiving waters in San Carlos Bay, Matlacha Pass, Estero Bay and Pine Island Sound, are a major sustainable economic engine for southwest Florida. Scientific data and analysis documents a significant number of detrimental consequences to essential components of our local estuaries and natural systems associated with the high discharges from Lake Okeechobee. These detrimental consequences include: Federally endangered Smalltooth Sawfish have been pushed out of their preferred nursery habitat in the Caloosahatchee Estuary for the first time in the 8 year duration of state fishery monitoring programs. Optimal Smalltooth sawfish nursery and juvenile habitat includes river mouths with shallow shorelines in a ppt salinity range. Total nitrogen concentrations measured led to a total nitrogen load exceeding the TMDL for the Tidal Caloosahatchee within 10 days, which require local stakeholders and Lee County to spend over $1 billion over the next 4 years to meet the cumulative TMDL obligations. Oysters restored as partnership projects between citizens, local organizations and Florida Gulf Coast University, as well as native oyster beds, have died as a result of extended periods of freshwater flows with inadequate salinities to support oyster survival.

4 Seagrass bed locations and health have been lost in the upper river and reduced in the receiving estuaries, reducing habitat for juvenile recreationally important fish species and food source for federally endangered West Indian Manatee. Blue crab viability for both recreational and commercial catch has been reduced and in some areas eliminated. High nutrient levels which contribute to undesirable and harmful phytoplankton and macroalgae blooms. Bloom are currently occurring in Cape Coral and are expected elsewhere. These are blooms which may result in die-offs of fish and wildlife as well as large beach stranding events. Increases in Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) along coastlines result in highly colored turbid waters on sandy beaches which negatively impacts tourism based economies and local and State revenues. In some communities 90% of the lodging providers have received cancellation notices due to perceived water quality problems with beaches and estuaries. Because of the destructive impacts of the high discharges from Lake Okeechobee on aquatic and associated ecosystems, EBABM strongly recommends inclusion of adverse impacts to the Caloosahatchee Estuary along with the St. Lucie Estuary by the Senate Select Committee. Discussions of potential solutions should include consideration of immediate and long term implementation of a broad scope of efforts to restore natural hydrology within the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuary watersheds including: Appropriate state funding for Northern Everglades projects and Payment for Environmental Services. Pass and fund the Federal Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) at the Federal level. Implement dispersed storage in the maximum number of project alternatives and locations as soon as possible, including the C-43 West Reservoir. Implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) which allow reestablishment of natural hydrology. Implement emergency water storage on lands in the EAA and in the Kissimmee Basin and immediate adoption of deviations in lake schedules to allow additional storage. Acquire additional conservation lands for dispersed storage, include those used for sugar production. Implement the Southwest Florida Comprehensive Watershed Plan.

5 Develop new plans to increase southward conveyance of water through agricultural lands to the Everglades south of Lake Okeechobee restoring some of the original hydrologic connections rather than repair the Hoover Dike in its old out-dated design. Convey comprehensive and accurate scientific information regarding impacts of the high releases on the health of estuaries to the public. If you have any questions, or need additional information, please contact me at (239) Ext 235 or Sincerely, Lisa B. Beever, Chair Estero Bay Agency On Bay Management cc: CHNEP Legislative Delegation Senate Select Committee members Jonathan Lewis, City of North Port