Hydrologic and Ecologic Impacts from the CERP Indian River Lagoon South Project Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger Senior Biologist US Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District November 15, 2016 AWRA Conference
Presentation Outline Indian River Lagoon South (IRL-S) Purpose and Status Plan Components C-44 Description REstoration, COordination and VERification (RECOVER) System-wide Science Monitoring and Assessment Performance Measures Adaptive Management 2
Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Estuary Productive Estuaries Home to more than 4,300 species of plants and animals Supports an annual economic contribution of more than $730 million Threatened Estuaries Altered water flow patterns Excessive rains require additional floodwater releases to the estuary from Lake Okeechobee Large volumes of stormwater runoff Altered salinity levels Impacts to the estuarine ecosystem Degraded water quality Stormwater runoff and Lake Okeechobee releases Pollutants enter the estuaries 3
St. Lucie Estuary Salinity 4
IRL-S Project Purpose Improve habitat quality in estuarine ecosystems Improve functional quality of wetland ecosystems Maintain or improve water supply for urban and agricultural use Maintain a healthy ecosystem that supports recreational and commercial interests Improve water quality Maintain existing level of flood control 5
IRL-S Project
IRL-S Phases Phase 1 Components C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area C-23/24 North Reservoir C-23/24 South Reservoir C-23/24 Stormwater Treatment Area C-25 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area Phase 2 Components Palmar Complex Natural Storage and Water Quality Area Allapattah Complex Natural Storage and Water Quality Area Cypress Creek / Trail Ridge Complex Natural Storage and Water Quality Area Northfork Natural Floodplain Restoration Muck Removal and Artificial Habitat Average annual habitat units 53,683 - Wetlands and Uplands; 4,053 - Riverine and Estuarine; 2,438 Floodplain 7
Four large reservoirs and stormwater treatment areas 130,000 acre-ft of new storage in about 13,000 acres of new reservoirs 35,000 acre-ft of new storage in about 8,800 acres of STAs > 200 metric tons of nutrients load reduction per year Phase 1 Benefits 8
Phase 2 Benefits Natural Storage and Treatment Areas 90,000 acres of wetlands 30,000 acre-ft of new water > 400 metric tons of nutrient loads reduction Muck Remediation for Artificial Habitat 7.9 million of cubic yards of muck 1,300 acres restored for oysters and aquatic vegetation to re-colonize Flood Plain Restoration Enhanced Water Management 9
C-44 Reservoir & Stormwater Treatment Area (RSTA) 3,400 acre reservoir water depth of 15 feet 50,600 acre-feet of storage 6,300 acre STA with emergent vegetation 1,100 cubic feet per second (cfs) capacity Pump station located four miles north of the C-44 Canal STATUS C-44 Reservoir under construction Construction scheduled to be completed in 2020 Up to two years of operational testing will follow construction completion SFWMD will operate facility for one year 10
REstoration, COordination and VERification (RECOVER) Why RECOVER? Science Behind CERP Planning (System-wide) Evaluation Assessment Communicates and coordinates the results of these evaluations and assessments Scientific support for decision-making Science will be the foundation of restoration. 2003 Programmatic Regulations 11
The Science Behind CERP Science Framework The Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) Organized around Conceptual Ecological Models (CEM s) Indicator Species Hypothesis Clusters Performance Measures Adaptive Management Feedback Loop Plan Projects Implement Projects Inform and Adapt 12
St. Lucie Key Indicators Flow/Salinity Water Quality Oysters Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Benthic Infauna
Oyster Hypothesis Cluster Driver Stressor Ecological Effect Attribute 14
Oyster Performance Measure Substrate Suitability Nutrient Reductions Flow/Salinity Envelope Oyster Distribution, Quantity and Health 3.5 IRL-S Implementation 3 2.5 Adaptive Management Entry Points Monitoring designed to assess the predictions or success of implementation over time Acres Live Beds 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 Time 15
St. Lucie - CERP Program vs. Project Performance Performance Measure Target Current IRL-S CEPP CERP >2000 cfs High Flow 0 months 174 months 157 months 121 months Oysters per acre -- 574,674 594,909 655,614 -- 90 Months 16
CERP Adaptive Management Prioritized Key Questions Related to CERP Implementation AM Strategies to Address Key Questions Management Options Matrices that Link RECOVER Monitoring to Current and Future CERP Projects 17
Key Questions and AM Strategies St. Lucie Estuary 1. Understand Water Quantity and Quality (Nutrients and Suspended Solids) effects on oyster larvae transport and recruitment Adaptive Management Strategies Oyster Performance measure Develop Particle Transport Model to inform placement of oyster cultch Monitoring and synthesis to understand water quality synergistic effects with salinity on oyster recruitment 18
Oyster Management Option Matrix Stressor/Attribute Metric Target Mgmt Action 1 Salinity 5-30 psu Change operations to meet flow requirements Substrate Water Quality Sedimentation Acres of suitable habitat Decrease TSS If salinity range is met, add concrete rubble Adjust flows to minimize sediment transport Mgmt Action 2 Add oyster cultch Reduce sediments loads from the watershed Mgmt Action 3 Dredge muck 19
Questions?