The SFWMD Governing Board last week increased the minimum flow and level to the Caloosahatchee River from 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 400 cfs to further protect the estuary.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board last week voted to increase the minimum flow and level (MFL) established by rule for the Caloosahatchee River to further protect the estuary during dry periods. The updated MFL rule increases the minimum water flow required to prevent harm to the estuary in SFWMD's water management rules. The flow called for in the rule will increase from 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 400 cfs.
"I am not a scientist; so, thankfully, I have what I consider to be the best scientists in the world advising this Governing Board that 400 cfs is the right amount to protect the Caloosahatchee," said SFWMD Governing Board Member Jaime Weisinger. "The peer-reviewed science presented shows that this is the minimum amount of fresh water needed during the dry season to help maintain seagrasses, oysters and other life in the estuary."
SFWMD's evaluation of the MFL rule for the Caloosahatchee River has taken place over the past eight years. The Governing Board funded 11 scientific studies of the river in 2010. In 2016, the results of those studies were presented to the public at a two-day public science symposium in Fort Myers. The minimum flow greatly differs from a restorative flow. Restorative flow is the amount of fresh water necessary to improve the existing conditions to restore ecological features that existed previously. The minimum flow is established as the threshold amount of fresh water needed before the estuary could experience significant harm. A violation of the 400 cfs MFL could result in ecological impacts in the Caloosahatchee River, taking as long as two years to recover.
Last year a panel of five independent scientists with 158 years of combined experience conducted three days of intensive independent scientific review of the recommended rule changes. This arduous review included public workshops and tours of the estuary, river and watershed. The independent panel concluded in its peer review report that SFWMD had "crafted a well-documented set of field and laboratory studies and modeling efforts to establish MFL levels for the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary."
"The approach used by SFWMD to re-evaluate the MFL for the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary was scientifically sound and made use of the best available data, monitoring and modeling," wrote Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Associate Professor of Marine Biology Jennifer Pollack, one of the scientists on the five-member panel.
This compilation of scientific studies, monitoring, modeling, technical evaluations, peer review and public input represents the best available scientific information to revise the Caloosahatchee MFL.
For more information, visit SFWMD's website at www.sfwmd.gov.
