62-611.500. Standards Within Treatment and Receiving Wetlands

(1) The following water quality standards of Chapter 62-302, F.A.C., shall not apply in the treatment or receiving wetland: paragraph 62-302.500(2)(f), subsections 62-302.530(7), 62-302.530(11) and 62-302.530(31), F.A.C., the total coliform bacteria standard in paragraph 62-302.530(48)(a), subsections 62-302.530(62), 62-302.530(68) and 62-302.530(70), F.A.C. However, Outstanding Florida Water ambient water quality may not be lowered, as required in subsection 62-4.242(2), F.A.C.

(2) Levels of dissolved oxygen including daily and seasonal fluctuations shall be maintained to prevent violations of the biological quality standards contained in Rule 62-611.500, F.A.C.

(3) Wetland Biological Quality:

(a) The flora and fauna of the wetland shall not be changed to the extent that the ability of the wetland to function in the propagation and maintenance of healthy, well-balanced populations of fish and wildlife is impaired.

(b) Benthic Macroinvertebrates.

1. The Shannon-Weaver diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates shall not be reduced to less than 50% of background levels as measured using organisms retained by a U.S. Standard No. 30 sieve and collected and composited from either Hester-Dendy type artificial substrate samplers of 0.10 to 0.15 square meters each, incubated for a period of four weeks; or measured using organisms retained by a U.S. Standard No. 30 sieve and collected and composited from natural substrate samplers, such as benthic grabs or coring devices. If grabs or cores are to be taken, ponar-type samplers with minimum sampling areas of 225 square centimeters or coring devices with minimum sampling areas of 45 square centimeters shall be used. Any of these types of samplers can be used at each sampling station, but once a type of sampler is used at a station it must always be used at that station. The minimum number of samples necessary at a given station shall be that number needed to be 90% certain of being within 15% of the mean diversity of the population.

2. Once a determination of the needed number of samples is made for a station, that number of samples shall continue to be used at the station.

3. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index shall be as defined in Rule 62-302.200, F.A.C.

(c) Fish.

In a wetland with fish populations, an analysis of covariance shall be conducted annually, by species, using water depth as a covariant and biomass as a dependent variable. Where significant (0.15) changes from baseline data in biomass occur the permittee shall determine the cause of this change. Where significant changes occur that cannot be statistically attributed to factors other than the discharge, it shall constitute a violation of this section if the biomass of sport and commercial or of forage fish decreases by at least 10%. Where significant changes occur that cannot be statistically attributed to factors other than the discharge, it shall also constitute a violation of this section if the biomass of rough fish increases by at least 25% unless the ratio of sport and commercial fish to rough fish is maintained. All data shall be collected at times when standing water is present in the wetland. If sampling at any station yields no fish for four consecutive quarters when water is present, the fish sampling at that station can be eliminated. Standardized samples shall be collected using an electroshocking device along a series of evenly spaced transects in the wetland, or using a Wegener Ring, with a minimum sampling area of 0.8 m2 , thrown at 30 meter intervals along a series of evenly spaced transects in the wetland; or any other similar method approved by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and the Department. Any fish kills observed during any monitoring shall be reported to the Department immediately.

(d) Vegetation.

1. The importance value of each plant species occupying the canopy and subcanopy strata, as defined in subsection 62-301.400(1), F.A.C., shall be determined at each station and averaged over the entire wetland. The importance value of any of the most common species in the canopy and subcanopy at any station shall not be reduced by more than 50% excluding the following species: (1) Casuarina spp. (Australian pine), (2) Melaleuca quinquenervia (punk tree), (3) Sapium sebiferum (popcorn tree), and (4) Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper). In addition, the average importance value for all stations of any of the most common plant species occupying the canopy or subcanopy stratum, excluding those species listed in this paragraph, shall not be reduced by more than 25%. The most common plant species shall be defined as those species present during the baseline monitoring program within the canopy and subcanopy that have a relative importance value of at least 15%.

2. The minimum number of quadrats shall be that number needed to provide 90% certainty of being within 15% of the mean number of species of the population. Once the minimum number of quadrats is determined, the quadrats shall be permanently located for continued use at the station. The minimum quadrat size shall be 100 m2 for canopy vegetation and 50 m2 for subcanopy vegetation.

3. Reductions in the importance value or average importance value of a plant species resulting from management operations authorized by the Department or events such as fire or a hurricane shall not constitute a violation.

(4) Substances in concentrations which are chronically toxic to humans, animals, or plants, or provide adverse physiological or behavioral response in humans or animals, shall not be present.

(5) The standards set forth in the following rule shall not apply in a hydrologically altered wetland: subsection 62-611.500(2) and paragraphs (3)(b) through (d), F.A.C. A hydrologically altered wetland shall be monitored as specified in Rule 62-611.700, F.A.C., in accordance with methodologies approved by the Department. The applicant must demonstrate that the discharge of reclaimed water to the hydrologically altered wetland will maintain or increase the dominance of plant species listed in Rule 62-301.400, F.A.C., and the wetland biological quality. Whether the discharge will maintain or increase the wetland biological quality will be evaluated in accordance with monitoring requirements set forth in subsection 62-611.500(3), F.A.C.

Specific Authority 403.061, 373.414(4) FS. Law Implemented 403.051, 403.061, 403.085, 403.086, 403.087, 403.088, 373.414(4) FS. History– New 11-27-89, Formerly 17-611.500.