The Blackwater River Watershed: Moving Toward a Sustainable Future - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Blackwater River Watershed: Moving Toward a Sustainable Future Hollie Hall Susanna Blair Soil and Water Science Department Geology Department A Collaboration of the University of Florida’s Conservation Clinic and Adaptive 1 Management of Water Resources IGERT

Outline I. Introduction II. Adaptive Management III. Biophysical Characteristics IV. Ecology V. Land Cover VI. Stakeholders VII. Water Use VIII. Water Quality IX. Recommendations

Introduction - This presentation stems from an intensive review of existing information including identification of: - Stakeholders & their concerns - Current & future land and water use - Unique ecosystems - Data quality & collection methodologies - Florida water quality assessment status - Today’s presentation focuses on: - Changes occurring in the Blackwater Watershed - Potential Water Quality Stressors - Water Quality Sampling - Management Recommendations

Adaptive Management Identify Management Goals Monitor the System Evaluate & Stakeholder Adapt the Plan Input Develop Management Evaluate Plans Management Effect Implement Management Plans

Blackwater River Watershed: Geographic Area - The geographic layout of the Blackwater River watershed in relation to the states of Florida and Georgia including: - Surface waters - Riparian wetlands - Today’s presentation focuses on: - Data analysis of from the Florida portion of the watershed Map made using data from FGDL, 2009

Blackwater River Watershed: Geophysical Characteristics • Hydrology – 3 main tributaries- Sweetwater Creek, Juniper Creek, and Coldwater Creek – USGS gauging station at Baker, Florida • Flooding common occurrence • ~7 drought stages over last 50 year

Blackwater River Watershed: Geophysical Characteristics • Geology – Dominated by find to coarse grain quartz sand – Mineral resources include; oil, natural gas, sand, gravel, and clay – Sandy river banks have proved to management hurdle due to excessive sedimentation in the river http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/habitat/threats/urban http://www.floridaadventuring.com/blackwater-river.html

Blackwater River Watershed: Black Water River Characteristics Urban Runoff Silviculture Septic Addition of Nutrient Decrease in pH organic debris enrichment after cultivation Increased sedimentation Increased water Increase in ? temperature after primary cultivation production Black water river- Decrease Change in habitat in D.O. LOW D.O LOW pH ? LOW nutrients

Blackwater River Watershed: Geophysical Characteristics • Ecology Seepage Slope community in Blackwater State Forest Wet flatwoods community on Eglin- slash pine Upland pine community in Blackwater State Forest Photos by Megan Brown

Blackwater River Watershed: Geophysical Characteristics Fish Habitat - The American Fisheries Society Endangered Species Committee has categorized Vulnerable or Threatened fish species in the Blackwater River watershed Common Name Species Name AFS Categorization Alabama Shad Alosa alabamae Threatened Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula Vulnerable Black Mouth Shiner Notropis melanostomus Threatened Blue Nose Shiner Pteronotropis welaka Vulnerable Florida Chub Macrhybopsis sp. cf. aestivalis Vulnerable Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrhinchus desotoi Threatened Iron Color Shiner Notropis chalybaeus Vulnerable Striped Bass Morone saxatilis Vulnerable

Blackwater River Watershed: Geophysical Characteristics Fish Habitat Current and historic fish habitat for vulnerable or threatened fish species Current – green Historic – red

Blackwater River Watershed: Land Cover Change Land Cover 1995 3 Largest Land Uses : - Coniferous Plantations Land Cover 2004 - Cropland and Pastureland - Forests Coniferous Upland Data from FGDL (2009)

Blackwater River Watershed: Land Cover Change Dominant Land Cover Types: Forest Data from FGDL (2009)

Blackwater River Watershed: Land Cover Change Minor Land Cover Types: Data from FGDL (2009)

Blackwater River Watershed: Stakeholders • The general public who own the majority of the land in the form of private land holdings and a state park (590 acres), a state forest (206,350 acres), a national forest and an air force base • Natural resources Economic - timber, sand, gravel, rangeland, Conservation/ tourism – ecotourism, recreation, and conservation, OFW , Florida Canoe Trail

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Use • Designated Usage Florida – Class III water body Alabama – Fish and Wildlife usage • Water Consumption Florida – not well constrained Alabama – water use in 1995 (million gallons per day)

Blackwater River Watershed: Potential Stressors to Water Quality Potential sources of contamination to the Blackwater River:  Permitted Point Discharges  Nonpoint Sources of Pollution  Road building  Urban/storm water runoff  Septic Systems  Silviculture/Timber  Sedimentation  Nutrients  Dissolved Oxygen  Harmful Bacteria Source: FLDEP Water Quality Assessment Report Nassau-St. Marys 2007

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality • Alabama - According to the Alabama Management Plan for the Blackwater River, from its source to the Florida-Georgia state line is not impaired and therefore has no established TMDL’s. • Florida - In 1998 Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) made a partial assessment of water quality in the 104 water body segments making up the Blackwater River watershed. - In 1998 several Blackwater River water body segments were added to the 303(d) List of Parameters of Concern. - As of 2006 only about half assessed. Seven of the assessed are impaired due to fecal coliform and Mercury.

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality (con’t) In 2001 T.M.D.Ls were established for fecal coliforms in 7 water bodies; Downstream Segment, Big Cold Water Creek, Big Juniper Creek, Blackwater River, East Fork Big Cold Water Creek, Manning Creek, and West Fork Big Cold Water Creek. The T.M.D.L. concentration for fecal coliform is 200 colonies per 100ml of water, while the load of coliforms varies for each river segment.

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality Assessment Status - Blackwater River = 104 water body segments Incomplete water quality assessment = 65 water body segments - Data source: FDEP 2007

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Point Sources Permitted Point Sources of Pollution Location of Waste Water and Hazardous Waste Permits around Milton www.echo.epa.gov

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Septic Systems o Collects & separates, partially decomposes household sewage & wastewater before releasing it into the soil. o Improper maintenance or installation of septic tanks can result in the discharge of bacteria, organic matter & nutrients into the environment. o Sandy soils such as those in the Blackwater River watershed allow for rapid flow of waste through the soil. o Hundreds of septic systems are present in the watershed. o Each of these systems is a potential source of fecal coliforms. 22

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources • Data gathered from the STORET database • 6 F.D.E.P. sampling sites were chosen on each of the main tributaries for long term data trends • D.O., Phosphorous, Nitrogen, Turbidity, Total Suspended Solids, Specific Conductivity, Fecal Coliforms, Entercoccus Group Bacteria Florida Fish and Wildlife 1984 - 2000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection 1994 - 2009 Florida Lake Watch

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Dissolved Oxygen The F.D.E.P. rule for • Class III waterways, is that DO should not be below 5 mg/L

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Phosphorous According the F.D.E.P. Criteria for Surface Water Quality water bodies must be protected from further enrichment if they have P concentrations less than 0.04 mg/L (40 ppb)

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Nitrogen According the F.D.E.P. Criteria for Surface Water Quality water bodies must be protected from further enrichment if they have nitrogen concentrations below 0.3 mg/l (300 ppb).

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Total Suspended Solids <20 mg/L = clear >150 mg/L = dirty Why are there water body segments on planning list for T.S.S.?

Blackwater River Watershed: Water Quality – Non-Point Sources Fecal Coliforms T.M.D.L = 200 counts/100ml

Blackwater River Watershed Water Quality: EPA Proposed Rules • EPA Proposed Nutrient Criteria – Criteria for instream values regionally based – Blackwater river in the Panhandle region

Blackwater River Watershed: Sedimentation o Can cause the breakdown in the aquatic food chain as sediment suffocates small organisms living in the streambed and decrease spawning areas due to sediment infilling. o Natural rates of sedimentation disrupted by historic anthropogenic activities. o It is not known to what extent that disruption is impacting the system today. o Little information exists about base line or individual reach sediment loads within the basin. 30