A cooperatively funded project between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Sarasota County will develop a computer model to determine how much pollution is entering the countys surface waters.
The model will estimate how much pollution will result from proposed land development designs, estimate the effectiveness of projects, and relate pollutant loads to water quality. This model will help the District and the county with efforts to improve the water quality in all of Sarasota County including coastal watersheds, barrier islands, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and the Myakka River.
The computer model will estimate how much pollution is entering the estuaries and causing impaired water quality, which is measured in part by color, chlorophyll and total suspended solids. Project managers hope the model will be able to separate the manmade cause of pollution from those resulting from natural events like weather.
The model produced from this project will be used to compare pre- and post land development scenarios using different arrays of stormwater best management practices and other elements that impact pollutant loads, allowing managers the ability to demonstrate the effects of different regulatory scenarios. The Technical Advisory Committee of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program will review the model design and outputs.
The multi-year funded study is expected to cost $1.7 million, with funding being divided between the District and Sarasota County. The District’s funding comes from its Manasota Basin Board and its Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program. The Basin Board and SWIM each budgeted $218,531 in FY 2006 and have budgeted $218,112 in the proposed FY 2007 budget.