patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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TAKING AGGRESSIVE ACTION TO
REMOVE INVASIVE BURMESE PYTHONS
To date, over 10,000 Burmese pythons have been removed
from the Everglades and the surrounding rural areas.
Pythons are non-native, invasive snakes that pose direct
threats to native wildlife. Pythons cause significant impacts
to native prey, such as marsh rabbits, deer, wading birds
and even alligators. Their aggressive predation negatively
impacts the food sources of native species including
panthers, raptors, alligators, and bobcats.
A Group of Wood Storks Wading in an STA at Sunset. (Photo by SFWMD)
SFWMD Python Elimination Specialist Donna Kalil. (Photo by SFWMD)
What are STAs?
Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) are large, constructed wetlands
with inflow and outflow structures for controlling water movement.
Aquatic plants in the STAs remove and store excess nutrients
(phosphorus) found in the stormwater runoff through growth and
accumulation of dead plant material in the layers of sediment. This
natural process cleanses the water before it is moved out of the STA
and into the Everglades or other water bodies.
BASIN MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN (BMAP)
UPDATES SHOW ONGOING PROGRESS
Progress continues on DEP BMAPs designed to implement nutrient
reductions established by the TMDLs for the Northern Everglades
watersheds (see figure 1 below). The 2021 Statewide Annual
Report on Total Maximum Daily Loads, Basin Management Action
Plans, Minimum Flows or Minimum Water Levels, and Recovery
or Prevention Strategies (STAR) details progress made through
December 31, 2021 on implementation of the NEEPP BMAPs.
BMAP Project Status
Project Status: Completed
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Number of Projects
Caloosahatchee Lake Okeechobee St. Lucie
Ongoing Underway Planned
Northern
Everglades
BMAPs
Pump Activated at Scott Water Farm, Feb 11, 2022. (Photo by SFWMD)
Project Successes
Water Storage Benefits in the Northern Everglades: During Water
Year 2022 (WY2022; May 1, 2021–April 30, 2022), 28 projects were
operational in the Northern Everglades watersheds, including
22 Dispersed Water Management (DWM) and six other regional
restoration projects that provide water storage benefits. Collectively,
these projects provided an estimated storage volume
of approximately 142,195 ac-ft across the region.
New Watershed Construction Projects Move Forward: In May
2022, the SFMWD Governing Board authorized entering into
contract negotiations for 14 projects under the Northern Everglades
Watersheds Water Retention and Nutrient Load Reduction Projects
Request for Proposals. This includes renewals for six DWM projects
and eight new projects with water storage and/or quality benefits
across the Northern Everglades watersheds.
Coordinating Agencies Collaborate on New Rapid
Assessment Process: To be more proactive in managing
specific water quality issues, the Coordinating Agencies’ Water
Quality Team has developed a new Rapid Assessment process
to quickly notify and share information when unusual events
occur based on field observations and/or lab data reviews.
The Coordinating Agencies are the SFWMD, DEP, and Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS).
With the team’s guidance, SFWMD also continues to conduct
basin-specific assessments within the Northern Everglades and
Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) priority areas to help
pinpoint key nutrient sources and recommend targeted actions
for further water quality and storage improvements.
New Local Projects Advance in the St. Lucie River Watershed:
In 2020, nine water quality improvement projects by local
governments were awarded state grant funds, which are being
administered via a Memorandum of Understanding between
SFWMD and St. Johns River Water Management District.
To date, design has been completed for all projects and
construction has been fully completed for three projects:
• City of Port St. Lucie’s Floresta Drive Baffle Box
• Sagamore Basin STAs
• North St. Lucie Water Control District’s 10-Mile Creek
Sediment Control Project
2023 SOUTH FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT – Highlights 14
Figure 1: BMAP Project Status
What is a Pump?
A Pump is a mechanical control structure that forces
the movement of water.
2023 SOUTH FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT – Highlights 15
LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATERSHED PROTECTION
PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
Advancing Watershed Construction Projects
El Maximo Ranch: A 7,000-acre treatment and attenuation
project began construction in August 2022 and is expected
to be operational in 2024.
Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area (STA):
3,350-acre treatment project at the confluence of the S-154 and
S-154C structures and the Kissimmee River. Design was initiated
in 2022, and construction is expected to commence in 2025.

TAKING AGGRESSIVE ACTION TO

REMOVE INVASIVE BURMESE PYTHONS

To date, over 10,000 Burmese pythons have been removed

from the Everglades and the surrounding rural areas.

Pythons are non-native, invasive snakes that pose direct

threats to native wildlife. Pythons cause significant impacts

to native prey, such as marsh rabbits, deer, wading birds

and even alligators. Their aggressive predation negatively

impacts the food sources of native species including

panthers, raptors, alligators, and bobcats.

A Group of Wood Storks Wading in an STA at Sunset. (Photo by SFWMD)

SFWMD Python Elimination Specialist Donna Kalil. (Photo by SFWMD)

What are STAs?

Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) are large, constructed wetlands

with inflow and outflow structures for controlling water movement.

Aquatic plants in the STAs remove and store excess nutrients

(phosphorus) found in the stormwater runoff through growth and

accumulation of dead plant material in the layers of sediment. This

natural process cleanses the water before it is moved out of the STA

and into the Everglades or other water bodies.

BASIN MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN (BMAP)

UPDATES SHOW ONGOING PROGRESS

Progress continues on DEP BMAPs designed to implement nutrient

reductions established by the TMDLs for the Northern Everglades

watersheds (see figure 1 below). The 2021 Statewide Annual

Report on Total Maximum Daily Loads, Basin Management Action

Plans, Minimum Flows or Minimum Water Levels, and Recovery

or Prevention Strategies (STAR) details progress made through

December 31, 2021 on implementation of the NEEPP BMAPs.

BMAP Project Status

Project Status: Completed

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Number of Projects

Caloosahatchee Lake Okeechobee St. Lucie

Ongoing Underway Planned

Northern

Everglades

BMAPs

Pump Activated at Scott Water Farm, Feb 11, 2022. (Photo by SFWMD)

Project Successes

Water Storage Benefits in the Northern Everglades: During Water

Year 2022 (WY2022; May 1, 2021–April 30, 2022), 28 projects were

operational in the Northern Everglades watersheds, including

22 Dispersed Water Management (DWM) and six other regional

restoration projects that provide water storage benefits. Collectively,

these projects provided an estimated storage volume

of approximately 142,195 ac-ft across the region.

New Watershed Construction Projects Move Forward: In May

2022, the SFMWD Governing Board authorized entering into

contract negotiations for 14 projects under the Northern Everglades

Watersheds Water Retention and Nutrient Load Reduction Projects

Request for Proposals. This includes renewals for six DWM projects

and eight new projects with water storage and/or quality benefits

across the Northern Everglades watersheds.

Coordinating Agencies Collaborate on New Rapid

Assessment Process: To be more proactive in managing

specific water quality issues, the Coordinating Agencies’ Water

Quality Team has developed a new Rapid Assessment process

to quickly notify and share information when unusual events

occur based on field observations and/or lab data reviews.

The Coordinating Agencies are the SFWMD, DEP, and Florida

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS).

With the team’s guidance, SFWMD also continues to conduct

basin-specific assessments within the Northern Everglades and

Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) priority areas to help

pinpoint key nutrient sources and recommend targeted actions

for further water quality and storage improvements.

New Local Projects Advance in the St. Lucie River Watershed:

In 2020, nine water quality improvement projects by local

governments were awarded state grant funds, which are being

administered via a Memorandum of Understanding between

SFWMD and St. Johns River Water Management District.

To date, design has been completed for all projects and

construction has been fully completed for three projects:

• City of Port St. Lucie’s Floresta Drive Baffle Box

• Sagamore Basin STAs

• North St. Lucie Water Control District’s 10-Mile Creek

Sediment Control Project

2023 SOUTH FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT – Highlights 14

Figure 1: BMAP Project Status

What is a Pump?

A Pump is a mechanical control structure that forces

the movement of water.

2023 SOUTH FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT – Highlights 15

LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATERSHED PROTECTION

PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

Advancing Watershed Construction Projects

El Maximo Ranch: A 7,000-acre treatment and attenuation

project began construction in August 2022 and is expected

to be operational in 2024.

Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area (STA):

3,350-acre treatment project at the confluence of the S-154 and

S-154C structures and the Kissimmee River. Design was initiated

in 2022, and construction is expected to commence in 2025.