Photo courtesy of Scott Jackson, PhotosFlorida. com Sarah Kalinoski, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance OYSTER LAKE RESTORATION PROJECT
OVERVIEW What? Where? Who?
COASTAL DUNE LAKES Walton County, Florida
Found within about 2 miles of the coast Shallow and irregularly shaped Lake-water is generally colored (e.g., tea or black colored) due to dissolved organic matter Globally rare and critically imperiled Photo courtesy of Moon Creek Studios
In Walton County, water levels fluctuate substantially due to transitory interchanges with the Gulf of Mexico Lake-water composed of both fresh and saltwater that comes from tributaries, groundwater seepage (uplands and Gulf), rainfall, exchange with the Gulf, and coastal storm surges Photos courtesy of Scott Jackson, PhotosFlorida. com
Eastern Lake Outfall, 2007 SoWal.com
Tremendously impacted by storm activity (frequency, strength, duration) Slightly acidic, hard water with high mineral content Salinity levels vary greatly, depending on local rainfall and storms Generally oligotrophic to mesotrophic low to medium nutrient levels Critical source of freshwater for wildlife Photo courtesy of Moon Creek Studios
A BRIEF HISTORY Oyster Lake Walton County, FL
1941 Oyster Lake Walton County, FL Photo provided by Aerial Photography: FLORIDA A State University System of Florida PALMM Project, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/digital/collections/flap/
S = Sweep Distance D = Separation Distance
1949 Oyster Lake Walton County, FL Photo provided by Aerial Photography: FLORIDA A State University System of Florida PALMM Project, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/digital/collections/flap/
2005 Oyster Lake Walton County, FL
OUTFALL County Highway 30A
PROJECT COMPONENTS Scientific monitoring Construction Exoticinvasive Project Educational signage
CONSTRUCTION 1. Lake Causeway Remove road and replace with pedestrian bridge 2. Seahorse Circle Remove undersized culvert and replace with vehicular bridge 3. Outfall Remove 30A culvert and replace with bridge; driveway bridge
SCIENTIFIC MONITORING Pre & Post: Water Quality Analysis (CBA, FL LakeWatch) Sediment Study (CBA, LSU) Plant Survey (FL LakeWatch) Bathymetric Mapping (FL LakeWatch) Fish & aquatic invertebrate collection (USFWS, FWCC, FDEP)
FUNDING PARTNERS Northwest Florida Water Management District (Florida Forever): Construction 5-Star Restoration Challenge Grant: Invasives education and treatment, native re-vegetation US Fish & Wildlife Fish Passage Program Construction (outfall) 3 Rivers Resource Conservation & Development Council Scientific monitoring, signage, invasives education and treatment US Fish & Wildlife Coastal Program Invasives treatment, native re-vegetation
PROJECT PARTNERS
BATHYMETRIC MAPS 2007 2009
PLANT SURVEYS 2007 2009
EXOTIC-INVASIVE PROJECT High school students learned about invasive exotic plants, then identified and mapped them around the lake Maps created from student data were used for permit applications to treat invasives
EXOTIC-INVASIVE PROJECT Species Chinese tallow trees Torpedo grass Alligator weed Cuban bulrush Cogon grass? Maintenance Control Program Initial treatment: Fall 2008 Follow-up: 2009, 2011, 2012 Photo courtesy of BASF Re-vegetation with native plants October 2009, May 2010
EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE...
... WHERE DID IT GO?!?
TAKE 2!
LAKE CAUSEWAY Road removal and replacement with footbridge SEAHORSE CIRCLE Replacement of undersized culvert with vehicular bridge
OUTFALL County Highway 30A Driveway, north of 30A
OUTFALL Driveway bridge
COMPLICATIONS: Neighbors & Lawsuits
HEMBY to the east OUTFALL i n the middle BOUSHY to the west
HEMBY ARMORING Temporary permit issued by FDEP in 2004 following Hurricane Ivan
ABBREVIATED TIMELINE: 1997 to 1999: Following Hurricane Opal (1995), there are efforts to permit outfall channelization with concrete walls (involving the County, Hembys, and sometimes Robins). Army Corps denies the permit application in 1999. 1992: Hembys purchase property April 2004: FL Forever contract issued Sept 2004: Hurrican Ivan; Temporary armoring permit issued to Hembys Dec 2004: Temporary permit expires 2007: Boushys purchase property Feb 2008: Temporary permit issued to Boushys May 2007: Hemby case decided in favor of Walton County Nov 2013: Outfall project (permitted by FDEP Sept 2012) goes to bid? Nov 2008: Court of Appeals overturns lower court ruling in favor of Hemby/Drake 2011: Settlement agreement
QUESTIONS? Sarah Kalinoski, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance of Northwest Florida State College kalinoss@nwfsc.edu 850-200-4175