# Plan Submittals

ConInfo:
Kelli Levy,  Section Manager, Watershed Management, Pinellas County Department of Environment and Infrastructure,  klevy@pinellascounty.org

Desription:
The Adopt-A-Pond program partners Pinellas County Watershed Management staff with citizens living on stormwater retention ponds to educate them on the purpose and function of their ponds.  The program then assists them with restoration and rehabilitation of their ponds to restore functionality and create habitat.

Partners:
Keep Pinellas Beautiful partners with the County on the clean up portion of pond projects

Quantify Env Results:
Results will be measured in number of citizens educated and engaged in the restoration process and the number of ponds restored.

Eco Benefits Text:
Restored ponds will function better and provide better stormwater treatment.  Habitat will be improved and created by removing exotic plants and installing native plants, increasing the benefit to local wildlife.    Receiving waters will benefit by receiving a higher level of treated water.  Participants in the program receive the benefit of assistance with the clean up and restoration of their stormwater ponds, and

Habitat:
There are hundreds of ageing stormwater retention ponds in Pinellas County. Each pond that is adopted will have increased habitat through the removal of exotics and the installation of native plant species.

Pollutant Red:
Evidence of pollutant load reduction will be seen in water quality samples taken in receiving waters.

Living Resoruces:
Water Quality in receiving waters will be enhanced through improved stormwater treatment

Resilience:
The Adopt-A-Pond program will provide education to communities living on stormwater ponds.  This program brings citizens together for clean up and planting events which foster a greater sense of community involvement and a greater level of understanding of the connections between personal behavior and our environment.  Participants are given their own page on the Pinellas County Water Atlas where they can enter their own data and submit pictures of activities which increases a sense of ownership and involvement.


Title:
Comprehensive Management & Resiliency Plans for Pinellas County Coastal Parks and Conservation Areas: Ft. De Soto, Sand Key, Fred Howard, Boca Ciega, War Veterans’, Philippe and Wall Springs County Parks.

Desription:
The Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan requires the development of comprehensive management plans for each of the County’s regional resource-based parks, which are distributed throughout peninsular Pinellas County; many along the coastline. These parks are not only integral to regional and local biodiversity; they are also the backbone of the County’s recreation and tourism-based economy. Pinellas County’s expansive inventory of coastal parks (including numerous beach access sites) was acquired due to more than thirty years of systematic, locally (citizen)-supported funding referenda specific to acquiring environmental lands. In order to protect these irreplaceable assets from the often competing human and ecologic interests of a built-out urban county, a need for park-specific assessments, management strategies, and resiliency plans was identified. This includes a need for accurate identification of critical habitats and dependant species, a determination of park carrying capacities, and the development of specific and consistent management strategies designed to protect and preserve the unique assets of each individual park from human and land use-related impacts (e.g., oil spills, red tide, activity-based recreational activities, etc.) and environmental (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, etc.) threats. This comprehensive management and resiliency plan is needed to also identify where restoration and maintenance of critical habitat for listed flora and fauna is crucial in each coastal park.

Partners:
Tampa Bay Watch, Friends of Ft. De Soto Park, Friends of Howard Park, others. Letters of support available upon request

Quantify Env Results:
These management plans will aid in environmental sustainability and community resiliency by protecting, preserving and conserving the natural resources within multiple coastal regional parks. They will provide for continuity and consistency of planning and management and will improve hazard response and mitigation.

Eco Benefits Text:
The protection of the natural resources in the coastal parks will ensure future ecotourism for the region; a large economic driver in Pinellas and adjacent counties. These parks provide beach fronts, access to recreational and commercial fishing, boating, nature observation, picnicking, birding, camping, kayaking and a wide variety of other activities that all bring visitors to the region. The ecosystem services provided by the coastal habitat are invaluable (Ex: the mangrove habitat is invaluable for the fisheries industries; beaches for nesting sea turtles, etc).

Living Resoruces:
None directly improved. Many may be prevented from being negatively impacted by site inappropriate human use.

Resilience:
Will provided for consistency in management strategies for coastal regional parks, resulting in protection of natural resources and community resiliency. Will identify and specify coastal hazard mitigation plans for individual regional coastal parks; resulting in risk reduction and improved disaster preparation. Will provide transparency for environmental services, creating economic incentive to protect resources.

Added Justification:
Supported by Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan;


ConInfo:
Charles Mangio, Program Coordinator – 3095 114th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL. 33716 – 727-464-7544 – cmangio@pinellascounty.org

Submitting Organization:
Pinellas County, Division of Solid Waste

Title:
Pinellas County Near Shore Artificial Reef Construction Project

Desription:
Construct three artificial reefs within the “three nautical mile line” off the Coast of Pinellas County using a combination of donated and purchased materials. The reefs will be sited near entrance channels to allow for easy access.

Location:
Pinellas County Gulf Coast – State waters

Responsible:
Pinellas County, Division of Solid Waste

Eco Benefits Text:
):  A socio-economic impact study, completed in 2009, revealed that artificial reefs generate nearly $76 million in net economic impacts and help support 858 full and part-time jobs. This project will help maintain these benefits by providing additional reefs with easier access for recreational and commercial use and for scientific research.

Jobs Text:
These reefs will help maintain or enhance opportunities for the 858 full and part time jobs referenced in the socio economic impact study.

Living Resoruces:
The artificial reefs will be sited in sandy bottom locations away from natural hard bottom locations. These artificial reefs will create new and lasting hard-bottom locations that will provide essential fish habitat for  a wide variety of reef fish, hard and soft corals, sponges, invertebrates, and algae.

Resilience:
The artificial reefs are important community assets that are used continuously by researches for wide variety of studies designed to monitor the health of the marine ecosystems. 

The artificial reefs are also in important recreational destination for local residents as well as visitors, all of who help feed the local economy.

Added Justification:
All of the donated materials used for this project will be credited toward the state-wide recycling goal of 75%.


ConInfo:
Paul Carlson, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, paul.carlson@myfwc.com

Submitting Organization:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission/FWRI

Title:
Seagrass Restoration and Forage Resource Enhancement for Wintering Manatees in Eastern Tampa Bay

Desription:
The proposed project would enhance seagrass restoration and forage resources for manatees wintering at the TECO power plant in eastern Tampa Bay.  FWC manatee tagging data show that most of the 300+ manatees wintering at the power plant feed in shallow grass beds located north (The Kitchen) and southwest (Apollo Beach) of the power plant.  Based on studies conducted by Ron Phillips in the 1960’s, these seagrass beds were likely dominated by climax species- Thalassia and Syringodium.  However, decades of poor water quality eliminated Thalassia and Syringodium, and these grass beds now contain only sparse Halodule.  At present, even though there is almost 1500 acres of potential seagrass habitat available in these two locations, the areal extent and biomass of Halodule are insufficient to meet the forage needs of the wintering manatees causing them to forage farther away from the power plant in cold water, risking hypothermia and death.  

We can accomplish two goals- restoring climax seagrass species and enhancing forage resources for wintering manatees by transplanting Thalassia and Syringodium in these two locations.  However, because of the current grazing pressure, it will be necessary to exclude manatees from transplant areas during each winter while the seagrass is becoming established.  We propose to enclose five plots at Apollo Beach, each measuring 25 x 25 meters and to plant Thalassia, Syringodium, and a mix of both species in each plot.  The plots will be arranged in a checkerboard pattern to allow the transplant patches to expand and coalesce.  

In the first year of the project, we will assemble the project partners to agree on design parameters and materials and to apply for and receive permits.  There are no billable costs anticipated for the first year.  If we receive permits and the details of project design are agreed upon, we will transplant seagrass, construct exclosures, and begin monitoring the transplant plots and adjacent control plots in year 2.  Exclosures will be installed in fall (October) and removed each spring (April). We will monitor and maintain the plots through year 3, and, if seagrass expansion meets our expectations, we will plant an additional 10 plots in year 4 (5 in Apollo Beach and 5 at the Kitchen) and monitor all plots in years 4, 5, and 6.  At the end of the project, the exclosures and required navigation markers will be removed completely.

Location:
Eastern Tampa Bay- The Kitchen and Apollo Beach

Partners:
(possible)- TBEP, Save the Manatee Club, other divisions of FWC, Tampa Bay Watch

Status-all:
Conceptual- No permit applications have been submitted.  In addition to FDEP-ERP, a navigation permit from FWC will definitely be required.

Quantify Env Results:
Environmental benefits of this project are easy to quantify:  Number of transplants surviving and changes in the areal coverage of seagrass over time.  These will be measured by aerial photography and by sampling in-water.

Eco Benefits Text:
Using the range of ecosystem service values ($5,000-$20,000 per acre/yr) for seagrasses and a restored area of fifteen acres of seagrass, we project a minimum economic benefit of $75,000 per year. At that rate, the project will pay for itself in five years.  The actual area restored is likely to be much greater.

Jobs Text:
We anticipate approximately 10 seasonal positions for seagrass transplanting in the summers of years 2 and 4.

Habitat:
Approximately 5 acres of habitat will be restored directly, but we anticipate, with coalescence of transplant plots, the total area will be closer to 15 acres.

Pollutant Red:
Although pollutant reduction is not the primary purpose of this project, increased seagrass biomass and habitat complexity has been shown to be effective in trapping fine grained sediment particles which preferentially adsorb metals and organic compounds.  Retention of fine sediment will also enhance water clarity

Living Resoruces:
As noted for habitat estimates above, approximately 15 acres of seagrass will be restored, but we hope that this transplanted areas will expand and coalesce over time.

Resilience:
Restoring climax seagrass species will provide greater resilience, especially for common water-quality-degrading events like El Ninos.  Halodule is a successional seagrass species, and it does not have sufficient reserves to survive El Nino events.  Thalassia and Syringodium, on the other hand, have larger rhizomes, and their carbohydrate reserves allow them to survive during moderate periods of poor water clarity.


Title:
Seminole Boat Ramp Rehabilitation and Facility Enhancement

Desription:
This project will rehabilitate the boat ramp, provide stormwater treatment for the boat ramp parking lot, and create restroom facilities.

Location:
198 Seminole Street, Clearwater, Florida 33755

Quantify Env Results:
The parking lot at the boat ramp does not have any stormwater treatment; this project will treat stormwater either by a pond or a nutrient treatment box prior to discharge in to Clearwater Harbor. The current restrooms at the boat ramp are portable toilets and are located in the parking lot. The facility needs a permanent restroom to ensure an accidental discharge does not occur.

Eco Benefits Text:
This is heavily used boat ramp and should provide restrooms for the public.

Living Resoruces:
Untreated stormwater will receive a type of treatment before it is discharged into Clearwater Harbor.

Added Justification:
Seminole Boat Ramp is located west of Alternate US 19 and north of downtown Clearwater on Clearwater Harbor, which is segment of the Intercoastal waterway


Desription:
The sewer system expansion project provide sanitary sewer access to over 3,900 properties.

Partners:
The City will need to coordinate with Pinellas County; many properties will be annexed into the City. Pinellas County may also be an additional funding partner.

Quantify Env Results:
The properties would be provided access to sanitary sewer that are currently using septic tanks. In some cases, these septic tanks are old, leak, and have not had inspections registered with the county after their installation. By allowing these properties to connect to the sanitary sewer systems, water quality will improve because leaky septic tanks are not flowing into creeks, wetlands, and storm drains.

Eco Benefits Text:
Additional funding may allow the city to cover the entire cost of taking the septic tanks offline, including paying the resident’s portion of the cost which is property closing the septic tank and the line from the home to the curb.

Living Resoruces:
By taking septic tanks offline, not only is the water quality of the receiving watershed improved, water quality in area beaches are less likely to be threatened with closure.

Added Justification:
Septic tanks are in all watersheds throughout the City, including watersheds that drain to Old Tampa Bay and Clearwater Harbor.


Title:
Stevenson Creek Estuary Mangrove Planting Project

Desription:
This project consists of planting mangroves in three areas within Stevenson Creek Estuary.

Partners:
The City is working with the US Army Corps of Engineers to dredge Stevenson Creek; the planting project will occur after the dredge project is complete.

Status-all:
Design and permitting is complete. Planting can begin when the dredge project is complete.

Habitat:
Approximately 3.5 acres of mangrove habitat will be created.

Living Resoruces:
More mangroves to the estuary will provide additional foraging and cover opportunities for fish and wildlife.


ConInfo:
Felicia Leonard, Administrative Support Manager, City of Clearwater

Title:
Alligator Creek Blueway and Paddling Trail

Desription:
This project will make improvements to Alligator Creek and some of the channels within the Alligator Creek watershed to provide access for canoes and kayaks. Improvements may include widening some channels, replacing small pipes with box culverts or bridges, and providing launch and turnaround areas.

Location:
Alligator Creek and Alligator Creek Watershed

Status-all:
Design and permitting has not yet begun. Project scope is currently under development.

Quantify Env Results:
Padding trails provide an excellent opportunity for the community to see a watershed first hand.

Eco Benefits Text:
This project would also probably increase floodplain storage in the Alligator Creek Watershed. With current flooding issues throughout the watershed, this project would be a benefit to properties in the entire area, not just ones adjacent to the creek. Increases in floodplain storage would probably also include increases in the wetlands within the watershed.

Added Justification:
The paddling trail could start from different locations including Lake Chautauqua or Sunset Point Road near Belcher Road. It is anticipated that the trail would end in Tampa Bay beyond Alligator Lake.


Title:
Annexation and Improvement of County Ponds (Lake Carol and Lake Louise) Adjacent to Kapok Park

Desription:
This project would include the annexation of two Pinellas County-owned ponds adjacent to Kapok Park and improvements to both of them. Improvements would include invasive vegetation removal and the addition of wetland plants at pond margins.

Location:
One pond is just south of Glen Oak Avenue. The other pond is between Lake Vista Drive and Grand View Avenue.

Partners:
Annexation of pond would require approval and coordination by Pinellas County

Status-all:
This project does not require permitting. Design has not started. Pinellas County has not been approached with this proposal

Quantify Env Results:
Lake Carol and Lake Louise often have issues with water quality because of the runoff from the neighborhood. Improvements would include invasive vegetation removal and wetland plantings, but also education to adjacent homeowners.

Eco Benefits Text:
Healthy ponds would increase property values of the adjacent residences.

Added Justification:
Lake Carol and Lake Louise are in the Alligator Creek Watershed, which flows into Old Tampa Bay


Title:
Clearwater Beach Dune Restoration and Relocation

Desription:
This project restores sand dunes that have been disturbed by development and maintenance activities and relocates sand dunes that have become safety issues. Dune restoration will occur from south of Bay Esplanade to the south end of Beachwalk.

Pollutant Red:
By restoring and relocating some of the sand dunes on Clearwater Beach, less sand will blow into the storm system.

Resilience:
The restoration and relocation of sand dunes will make them more stable and able to protect the barrier island better from erosion caused by storms and wind.

Added Justification:
The dunes are unstable and beach grass does not grow evenly on many of them. A new configuration may make the dunes more stable


Title:
Cooper’s Point Restoration and Access Improvement Project

Desription:
The project will remove silt from mangrove channels, remove invasive vegetation, improve wetland flushing, provide wetland plantings such as mangroves and appropriate herbaceous species, and provide access to the peninsula via the mainland.

Location:
3411 Gulf to Bay Boulevard, Clearwater, Florida

Partners:
Pinellas County is a partial owner of the peninsula and would require their approval. Many community organizations support this project and would be involved in the restoration of mangrove channels.

Status-all:
Preliminary project scope has been developed. Design and permitting processes have not yet begun

Quantify Env Results:
The project would improve flushing in the mangrove forests and provide access to the property from Bayshore Park on Bayshore Boulevard.

Eco Benefits Text:
At least one community partner would coordinate kayak ecotours through the restored mangrove tunnels.

Habitat:
Cooper’s Point Preserved (including water within Cooper Bayou) is approximately 160 acres.

Living Resoruces:
Cooper’s Point is within Old Tampa Bay. Improvement to habitats at this preserve will improve water quality in Old Tampa Bay.


ConInfo:
Roger Beatty, Engineering Specialist, City of Clearwater

Desription:
This project includes replacing a failing pipe along Druid Road and redesign of Lake Julia.

Status-all:
Design and permitting has not yet begun. Project scope is being developed at this time.

Quantify Env Results:
Lake Julia is a wider section of Allen’s Creek and suffers from erosion and sedimentation. A re-design of this area, which could include gabions, sediment boxes, and/or additional wetland plantings, may improve erosion and sedimentation in this area.


Title:
Old Gateway Neighborhood Stormwater Improvements

Desription:
This project will replace old and failing pipes and in some cases increase stormwater capacity to alleviate flooding. The project will also include the installation of four nutrient separator boxes.

Location:
The Old Gateway Neighborhood is located between Court Street and Cleveland Street and Hillcrest and Missouri Avenue.

Status-all:
Design and permitting has not yet begun. Project scope is being developed.

Quantify Env Results:
Stormwater from this neighborhood drains directly into Stevenson Creek. The addition of the nutrient separator boxes will provide essential water quality treatment where there is currently none.

Added Justification:
Old Gateway Neighborhood is in the Stevenson Creek Watershed, which flows into Clearwater Harbor


Desription:
This project will allow the elimination of an alum injection system. Prospect Lake will be extended to the south. Littoral shelf and additional wetland plantings will also be included in this project.

Location:
Prospect Avenue, Clearwater, Florida 33756

Status-all:
Design and permitting for this project are complete. The project will go out for bid in January 2013.

Eco Benefits Text:
Prospect Lake is designed to be a region stormwater pond, providing stormwater treatment for almost 100 acres near downtown Clearwater. Expansion of this pond will provide additional treatment making redevelopment easier in the special Prospect Lake district.


