February 25-26, 2009

Background - 2005 Wakulla Peer Group Report - pdf version (large file)

This is the report around which the last major Wakulla Springs Workshop was centered.

Draft Report on the February 25-26th Workshop

Commissioners Bob Rackleff, Leon County, Lynn Artz, Wakulla County and Debbie Lightsey, City of Tallahassee each sign the Wakulla Spring Memorandum of Understanding at the Recent Workshop. Commissioners Cliff Thaell, Leon County, Akin Akinyemi, Leon County and Alan Brock, Wakulla County look on from behind.

SPONSORS

 

 

Wakulla Spring Restoration Workshop
Antique Car Museum, Tallahassee
February 25 and 26, 2009

Objectives:
" To develop solutions to restore the health of Wakulla Spring by reducing pollutants in the groundwater; and
" To bring local governments together to discuss and commit to exploring solutions and finding opportunities to reduce wastewater impacts.

Wednesday, February 25,

8:00 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks: 1000 Friends of Florida- Charles Pattison

City of Tallahassee - Commissioner Debbie Lightsey
Leon County - Commissioner Bryan Desloge, Chairman
Wakulla County - Commissioner Howard Kessler, Chairman

8:30 a.m. Science Overview:
Moderator: Jim Stevenson - Wakulla Spring Basin Working Group

• Hydrology of the Wakulla Springshed
  Dr. Todd Kincaid - H2H Associates
  
• Nitrate Sources of the Wakulla Springshed
  Hal Davis - U.S. Geological Survey
  
• Septic Tanks and Groundwater Quality in the Wakulla Spring Basin
  Dr. Brian Katz - U.S. Geological Survey

9:40 a.m. DEP Regulatory Update:
Wakulla Spring TMDL & Proposed Nitrate Standard for Springs
Jan Mandrup-Poulsen - Department of Environmental Protection

10:30 a.m. Session 1: Land Use Planning
Moderator: Wendy Grey - Wendy Grey Land Use Planning

• Comprehensive Plan Policies for Springs Protection
  Wayne Tedder - Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department
  
• Wakulla County-A History of Protection; A Future of Partnership
  Lindsay Stevens, Wakulla County
  
• Low Impact Development
  Eric Livingston - Department of Environmental Protection
  

Case Studies:

• Southside Development of Regional Impact
  Jorge Gonzalez - St Joe Corporation
  
• Longleaf Plantation: A Sustainable Community
  Bob Routa - Attorney - N.G. Wade Investment Company

12:00 p.m. Lunch - Florida Springs Task Force Award Presentation

Luncheon Speaker - Water Sustainability and the Future of Florida
Cynthia Barnett - Senior writer, Florida Trend magazine

1:30 p.m. Session 2: Wastewater Management:
Moderator: John Buss - City of Tallahassee

• Progress Report: City of Tallahassee Advanced Wastewater Treatment Program
  Jim Oskowis - City of Tallahassee
  
• Successes, Concerns and Opportunities
  Jack Leppert - Friends of Wakulla Spring
  
• The Role of Package Treatment Plants
  Sharon Sawicki - Department of Environmental Protection
  
• Designing Wastewater Reuse to Protect the Environment
  Erich Marzolf - St Johns River Water Management District

3:30 p.m. Session 3: Septic Tanks:
Moderator: Scott Henderson - Green Utility Districts, LLC

• Septic Systems: Form and Function
  Eberhard Roeder - Department of Health
  
• The Nitrogen Cycle, Septic Tanks and Karst Terrain
  Jeff Chanton - Florida State University
  
• Meeting the Requirements of Performance Based System Ordinances
  Anthony Gaudio - Florida Onsite Wastewater Association
  
• Evolving Changes - Involving and Educating Homeowners
  Patti Sanzone, Department of Environmental Protection

5:00 p.m. Adjourn

Thursday, February 26

8:00 a.m. Session 4: Septic Systems: Management:
Moderator: Julie Harrington - Florida State University - Center for Economic Forecasting & Analysis

• Proposed Onsite Sewage Disposal Requirements within the Primary Springs Protection Zone, Leon County

  Alex Mahon - Leon County Health Department

• Septic Management Options for Low Population Counties
  

  Pad Juarez - Wakulla County Health Department

• Management of Decentralized Wastewater Systems

  Pio Lombardo, P.E. - Lombardo Associates, Inc.

• Centralized Management of Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure: Experiences in Mobile, Alabama
  

  Kevin D. White, Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of South Alabama

• Systems Management and Property Rights

  Ron Piasecki- Friends of Wakulla Spring

• Creating an Effective Septic Tank Management Authority
  

  Bob Sheets-Government Services Group

10:30 a.m. Recommended Actions and Discussion:

• Land Use Planning: Wendy Grey
  
• Wastewater Management: John Buss
  
• Septic Tanks: Scott Henderson
  
• Septic Systems Management: Julie Harrington

11:45 a.m. Wrap Up and Inter-local Commitment pdf of the Memorandum of Agreement
Jim Stevenson - Wakulla Spring Basin Working Group

 

Below - Map of Individual Septic Systems in the Springshed- Showing areas of Concentration or Density

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Workshop Readings and Preparations Material

1. Liquid Assets is a public media and outreach initiative that seeks to inform the nation about the critical role that our water infrastructure plays in protecting public health and promoting economic prosperity
2. OSTDS and Decentralized Systems Wastewater Treatment Program Phase I Report", January, 2007
3. OSTDS and Decentralized Systems Wastewater Treatment Program Phase II Report", January, 2007
4. Summary and Synthesis of the Available Literature on the Effects of Nutrients on Spring Organisms and Systems
5. Lombardo Associates, Inc.
6. Green Utility Districts, LLC

 

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WEB SITES OF INTEREST

1. http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm - Wakulla Springs - Florida Parks
2. http://www.wakullasprings.org/ - Friends of Wakulla
3. http://www.wkpp.org/ - Woodville Karst Plain Project Page of the Global Underwater Explorers
4. http://www.hazlett-kincaid.com/FGS/ - H2H Associates LLC - Karst Projects Research
5. http://www.tlc.wateratlas.usf.edu/ - Tallahassee - Leon County Water Atlas
6. Wakulla Springs, A Giant Among Us
7. http://www.ichetucknee.info - Ichetucknee Working Group
8. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/programs/hydrogeology/hydro_wkshp/WakullaPeerReportFinal.pdf - 2005 Wakulla Springs Workshop
9. http://www.tfn.net/springs/ - Springs Fever: A Field & Recreation Guide to 500 Florida Springs, 2nd Edition by Joe Follman and Richard Buchanan
10. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/labs/cgi-bin/reports/search.asp - FDEP Searchable Bureau Audits and Reports - Springs and TMDL audits available
    
11. http://www.floridasprings.org/ - FDEP, Florida's Springs, Protecting Natural Gems
12. http://www.thiswaytothe.net/springs/ - Greg Johnson's Florida Springs Database
13. http://www.cafwn.org/ - Capital Area Flood Warning Network
14. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/programs/aquatic.htm - FDEP's Florida's Aquatic Preserves
15. http://nerrs.noaa.gov/ - The National Estuarine Research Reserve System
16. http://www.floridahabitat.org - Wildlife Planning and Management Page