Most Impacted Area Stakeholder Workgroup

Drawdowns in aquifer levels in the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), due primarily to groundwater withdrawals, are affecting rates of saltwater intrusion into the Upper Floridan aquifer along the coast, especially in the Most Impacted Area (MIA), an area of about 708 square miles located along the coast of southern Hillsborough, Manatee and northwestern Sarasota counties. A minimum aquifer level was set to reduce the rate of intrusion.

Although overall groundwater use from the Upper Floridan aquifer in the SWUCA has been reduced by more than the targeted goal of 50 million gallons daily, the minimum aquifer level has not been met. The District has formed a stakeholder workgroup to evaluate and recommend adjustments to the strategies in the SWUCA Recovery Strategy intended to meet the minimum aquifer level for the MIA. Information from the stakeholder workgroup meetings will be used to craft proposals for the District Governing Board to consider.

MIA and Ridge Lakes Stakeholder Outreach Response and Results »

Invited Stakeholder Workgroup

  • District Governing Board, Michael Babb, Vice Chair
  • Sarasota Audubon Society, Julie Byrne, Member at Large
  • City of Bradenton, Claude Tankersley, Director of Public Works & Utilities
  • City of Palmetto, Allen Tusing, Director of Public Works
  • City of Sarasota, Tom Barwin, City Manager
  • ECOSWF, Becky Ayech, President
  • Farm Bureau, Curt Williams, Assistant Director, Government Affairs
  • Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Jessica Stempien, Environmental Manager
  • Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Brandon Ivey, Water Reuse Coordinator
  • Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Joe Haberfeld, P.G., Administrator, Aquifer Protection Program
  • Florida Citrus Mutual, Michael W. Sparks, Executive VP, CEO
  • Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group, Terry Eastley, Senior Environmental Specialist
  • Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Kerry Kates, Director, Water & Natural Resources
  • Florida Power and Light, Eric Shea, Senior Environmental Specialist
  • Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Ted Campbell, Executive Director
  • Florida Turfgrass Association, Mac Carraway, Board Member
  • Hillsborough County, George B. Cassady, Utilities Operations Director
  • Manatee County, Mark Simpson, Water Division Manager
  • Mosaic, Subrata Bandyopadhyay, Senior Environmental Compliance Manager
  • Myakka River Management Coordinating Council, Jono Miller, Chair
  • Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, Pat Lehman, Executive Director
  • Peace River Valley Citrus Growers, Barbara Carlton, Executive Director
  • Sarasota County, Dave Cash, Interim Public Utilities Director
  • Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Bob Simons, Braden River Utilities Manager
  • Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers, Scott Pierce, Past President
  • TECO, Stan Kroh, Land and Waters Program Manager