The purpose and effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to revise the established minimum surface water levels for Lake Como, Banana Lake, Little Lake Como, and Lake Trone in Putnam County.

 

WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS

St. Johns River Water Management District

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

40C-8.031              Minimum Surface Water Levels and Flows and Groundwater Levels

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect of the proposed rule amendment will be to revise the established minimum surface water levels for Lake Como, Banana Lake, Little Lake Como, and Lake Trone in Putnam County.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule would revise the established minimum surface water levels for Lake Como, Banana Lake, Little Lake Como, and Lake Trone pursuant to the mandate of Section 373.042, Florida Statutes. Each revised surface water level has an associated duration and return interval.  The terms herein are already defined in Chapter 40C-8, F.A.C. As with all minimum surface water levels established by the District, if adopted, the minimum surface water levels in this rule amendment would be used as a basis for imposing limitations on withdrawals of groundwater and surface water in the consumptive use permit regulatory process and for reviewing proposed surface water management systems in the environmental resource permit regulatory process.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: The District has determined that this rule will not have an impact on small business and will not increase regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 within one year. A SERC has not been prepared by the agency.

The District has completed for the Governor’s Office of Fiscal Accountability and Regulatory Reform (OFARR) the “Is a SERC Required?” form and prepared a summary of the proposed rule amendments, which are both available upon request. Based on the completed “Is a SERC Required?” form and summary and the analysis performed by the District in preparing and completing those documents, the proposed rule amendments are not expected to require legislative ratification pursuant to subsection 120.541(3), F.S.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding the statement of estimated regulatory costs, or to provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 373.044, 373.113 FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 373.042, 373.0421 FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: During the regularly scheduled Governing Board Meeting on December 9, 2014, which begins immediately following the Regulatory Committee Meeting that begins at 11:00 a.m.

PLACE: St. Johns River Water Management District Headquarters, Executive Building, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida 32177

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Wendy Gaylord, Rules Coordinator, Office of General Counsel, St. Johns River Water Management District, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida 32177-2529, [phone], email: [e-mail].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

40C-8.031 Minimum Surface Water Levels and Flows and Groundwater Levels.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) The following minimum surface water levels are established:

System Name	County	Minimum Level	Level (ft NGVD)	Level (ft NAVD)	Hydroperiod Category	Duration (days)	Return Interval (years)
(a) through (d) No change.
(e) Banana	Putnam	Frequent High	37.7 38.0	36.8  37.1	Seasonally Flooded	30	3
		Average	36.7 36.2	35.8  35.2	Typically Saturated	180	1.7
		Frequent Low	33.7 34.4	32.8  33.5	Semipermanently Flooded	120	5
(f) through (s) No change.
(t) Como	Putnam	Frequent High	37.7 38.0	36.8  37.0	Seasonally Flooded	30	3
		Average	36.7 36.2	35.8  35.2	Typically Saturated	180	1.7
		Frequent Low	33.7 34.4	32.8  33.4	Semipermanently Flooded	120	5
(u) Como, Little Lake	Putnam	Frequent High	37.7 38.0	36.8  37.0	Seasonally Flooded	30	3
		Average	34.6 36.6	33.7  35.6	Typically Saturated	180	1.7
		Frequent Low	32.6 35.2	31.7  34.2	Semipermanently Flooded	120	5
(v) through (tttt) No change.
(uuuu) Trone	Putnam	Frequent High	37.1 37.5	36.2 36.6	Seasonally Flooded	30	3
		Average	35.4 35.7	34.5  34.8	Typically Saturated	180	1.7
		Frequent Low	32.8 34.3	31.9  33.4	Semipermanently Flooded	120	5
(vvvv) through (ccccc) No change.

(5) through (6)  No change.

Rulemaking Authority 373.044, 373.113 FS. Law Implemented 373.042, 373.0421, 373.103, 373.415 FS. History–New 9-16-92, Amended 8-17-94, 6-8-95, 1-17-96, 8-20-96, 10-20-96, 11-4-98, 6-27-00, 2-13-01, 3-19-02, 5-12-03, 11-10-03, 1-12-04, 2-1-06, 12-3-06, 5-10-07, 5-24-07, 1-11-10, 8-22-13, 4-3-14,__________.

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE:  Karen Ferguson, Assistant General Counsel, St. Johns River Water Management District, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida 32177-2529, [phone] and Mary Ellen Winkler, Sr. Assistant General Counsel, St. Johns River Water Management District, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida 32177-2529, [phone]

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: July 8, 2014

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: September 29, 2014