Seacoast Utility Authority Water Use Permit Steven Memberg

Seacoast Utility Authority Water Use Permit Steven Memberg, Section Leader Water Use Regulation Division, Water Supply Department January 26, 2009

Seacoast Utility Authority Loxahatchee River Seacoast Utility Service Area

Seacoast Utility Authority Utility Service Area includes: Palm Beach Gardens North Palm Beach Juno Beach Lake Park Unincorporated areas of PBC Hood Road Wellfield PBG Wellfield NPB Wellfield Burma Road Wellfield

Seacoast Utility Authority Originally permitted in 1976 Current Allocation Population 101, 664 (2005) Per Capita 190 Annual 19. 31 MGD Proposed Allocation Population 102, 423 (2012) Per Capita 190 Annual 19. 46 MGD

Consumptive Use Permit Rule Protections for the Loxahatchee Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) covers: Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River (G-92 to River Mile 6)

Consumptive Use Permit Rule Protections for the Loxahatchee Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) covers: Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River (G-92 to River Mile 6) Including tributaries: Kitching Creek Hobe Grove Ditch Cypress Creek

Consumptive Use Permit Rule Protections for the Loxahatchee Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) MFL violation occurs when an exceedance occurs more than once in a six year period. Flows over Lainhart Dam decline below 35 cfs for more than 20 consecutive days. Average daily salinity concentration on a 20 -day rolling average exceeds two parts per thousand at river mile 9. 2 Northwest Fork is not currently meeting the MFL, therefore rule requires implementation of a recovery strategy

Consumptive Use Permit Rule Protections for the Loxahatchee Recovery Strategy One component of recovery strategy is the implementation of the Regional Water Availability Rule “requested allocation will not cause a net increase in the volume or cause a change in the timing on a monthly basis of surface and ground water withdrawn from …the North Palm Beach County / Loxahatchee River Watershed Waterbodies over that resulting from the base case”

Seacoast Utility Authority Loxahatchee River Seacoast Utility Service Area Loxahatchee River Watershed Waterbodies

Seacoast Utility Authority Regional Water Availability Calibrated groundwater flow model Annual requested withdrawal of 8, 084 MG modeled to accommodate two operating plans: Prime Scenario – Hood Road Wellfield Alternate 1 – Palm Beach Gardens Wellfield Transient model using a 27 -month scenario simulating 1 -in-10 drought conditions

Seacoast Utility Authority

Staff Evaluation Regional Water Availability No net increase in the volume or change in timing on a monthly basis of surface and ground water withdrawn from the “Waterbodies” Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) No direct or indirect withdrawal from MFL body No contribution to existing MFL violations Other environmental considerations Drawdown impacts and mitigation for wetlands in the wellfields’ cone of influence are still under evaluation.