The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) invites the public to a virtual meeting Thursday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the virtual meeting is to allow for public comment on recommended minimum flows for the Upper Peace River.
The Upper Peace River is the northernmost portion of the Peace River that begins at the junction of Saddle Creek and the Peace Creek Canal, just north of Bartow. It flows south through Polk County and into Hardee County, reaching Zolfo Springs before ultimately discharging into Charlotte Harbor. The Peace River has a number of large tributaries and is the primary river system in the Peace River Watershed.
Members of the public may join the meeting via Microsoft Teams through this link https://bit.ly/UPRMFLMeeting. The Google Chrome browser is recommended for best compatibility with Microsoft Teams. For telephone-only participation, dial 1-786-749-6127 and when prompted enter the conference ID: 582 314 917#.
Minimum flows are limits established by the District’s Governing Board, as required by state law, to protect flowing water bodies from significant harm caused by groundwater and surface water withdrawals. To support these recommendations, District scientists collect data, develop models, and perform detailed analyses. Their work is then evaluated by an independent peer review panel.
During the meeting, District staff will present the scientific and technical basis for the recommended minimum flows for the Upper Peace River. Recommended minimum flows for the Upper Peace River were summarized in draft reports and are available for review at WaterMatters.org/documents-and-reports.
All public comments are compiled and provided to the District’s Governing Board for its consideration when reviewing the recommended minimum flows. A virtual public comment card is open now through Aug. 18 for the public to submit comments to the District via the Upper Peace River webpage.
District staff anticipate presenting the recommended minimum flows for the Upper Peace River at the August Governing Board meeting, where the Governing Board may choose to initiate rulemaking for adoption of the minimum flows into District rules. Governing Board meetings are open to the public, and brief oral comments are permitted on meeting agenda items.
For more information regarding the recommended minimum flows, please contact Lei Yang, Chief Professional Engineer with the District’s Environmental Flows and Levels Section at (352) 269-5947. Written comments regarding the minimum flows are also welcome and can be submitted via mail or email no later than Aug. 18, to Lei Yang, Chief Professional Engineer at 2379 Broad St, Brooksville, FL 34604 or Lei.Yang@WaterMatters.org.