Freeze Protection Water Permitting To Change
September 13, 2010 Last January, for the first time in recorded history, temperatures in eastern Hillsborough County dropped below 34°F for 11 consecutive days. As a result, area farmers pumped large quantities of groundwater to protect their crops. This combined pumping dropped the aquifer level 60 feet and caused more than 750 temporarily dry wells for neighboring homeowners. Although pumping groundwater for freeze protection is a best management practice for strawberry, citrus and other industries and was authorized by their water use permits, farmers were responsible for fixing hundreds of dry wells.
To address concerns related to this event, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) held a public workshop and a series of technical work sessions to receive feedback from key stakeholders. The information gathered at these meetings helped SWFWMD staff develop recommendations to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future. These recommendations were presented at a public hearing this week in Plant City. The agency hopes to have new rules in place by winter.
For growers, the bottom line is freeze protection as they knew it will be changing. Here are a few of the suggested changes:
- Expanding special well construction standards for the Dover area
The District’s Governing Board approved rule making to expand the Dover Special Well Construction Area to reduce the likelihood that homeowners will experience well failures during prolonged freeze events. Well construction standards in this area require wells to be dug deeper than typical residential wells. All new wells constructed within the area will now be required to meet additional casing depth standards.
- Enhancing communication for freeze events
District communication before, during, and after freeze events will include reminder letters to permit holders at the beginning of the cold season. Media alerts to all local media and an automated phone call to residents advising them to turn off their well pumps will also occur when aquifer levels are expected to drop below a level that will impact wells. In addition, the SWFWMD’s website will continue to contain the most up-to-date information during freeze events, and permit holders will receive timely communication from the District when mitigation is required.
- Creating a water use caution area in the Dover/Plant City area
SWFWMD will create a water-use caution area and set a minimum aquifer level in the Dover/Plant City area. A water-use caution area is designated where water resources are or will become critical in the next 20 years. The district will develop regulatory strategies in the new water-use caution area that will limit groundwater pumpage.
- Creating a new process for allocating dry well complaints
SWFWMD has designed a new process for determining which permit holder is responsible for dry well complaints during freeze events. This process will result in a more equitable approach to assign each permittee a relative responsibility based on the volume of groundwater they are permitted to use for crop protection.
- Expanding the FARMS Program and increasing incentives for alternative frost/freeze protection methods
SWFWMD will increase its share of costs for projects that reduce groundwater pumping for frost/freeze protection in the Dover/Plant City area. The increase will be part of the District’s Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS, Program. FARMS is a cost-share program to reduce groundwater use through water conservation best management practices in agricultural operations.
- Expanding the data collection network for freeze events
The district will expand its data collection network for freeze events by drilling additional monitoring wells. In addition, the district will expand its Automated Meter Reading Program by providing funding for equipment and installation to monitor all permitted wells with frost-freeze quantities in the Dover/Plant City area. This will provide accurate real-time meter readings and freeze temperatures.
Click here to read the draft work plan.
Source: SWFWMD news release
