Funding will help restore water quality and natural systems, and create sustainable water supplies in the Southern Water Use Caution Area
Governor Charlie Crist and Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp released their 2008-09 budget recommendations today, which included $25 million for the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s West-Central Florida Water Resource Action Plan (WRAP.)
The WRAP is a long-term water resource protection, restoration and water sustainability initiative developed by the District to address water resource concerns in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), which encompasses the southern eight counties of the District. Decades of over-pumping groundwater in the SWUCA has resulted in lowered aquifer levels leading to saltwater intrusion, reduced flows in the Peace River, and lowered lake levels.
The components of the WRAP include:
- The Central West Coast Surface Water Enhancement Initiative, which includes the Dona Bay/Cow Pen Slough, Shell Creek watershed and Upper Myakka/Flatford Swamp projects.
- The Facilitating Agriculture Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program, which is public/private agricultural best management practices cost-share reimbursement program.
- The Ridge Lakes Restoration Initiative to treat stormwater runoff in select Highlands and Polk county lakes.
- The Upper Peace River Watershed Restoration Initiative, which includes the Lake Hancock, Upper Peace River and Peace Creek Canal projects.
- The Central Florida Water Resource Development project, which will develop alternative water supplies to meet the long-term needs of Polk County and the surrounding area.
All of the projects focus on natural systems restoration, furthering flood protection, aquifer recharge, improved water quality, conservation, water use efficiency and water sustainability.
“Water is critical to our future and a large economic driver for both the region and the state,” said David Moore, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “The WRAP projects will provide significant environmental restoration as well as additional water supplies to meet the growing demands of the region.”
The District has a number of partners in the WRAP, including the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, Polk County as well as other local governments and the agricultural community. These regional partnerships are essential to meeting future water supply demands and protecting the region’s natural resources.
The District and project partners have invested more than $36 million toward the recovery effort; however the cost to complete the projects in the WRAP is anticipated to be approximately $1.8 billion over the next 17 years.