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mullet, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, crevalle jack, gray snapper, common snook,
and tarpon) as species that are present in the Bay and which some economic and/or
ecological importance, interviewees have suggested the need for the MFL rule
development process to consider the following species:
ÿ Roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja)
ÿ West Indian Manatee, crocodiles and other species that are present within the
project area and which are protected under federal and/or state protected
species regulations
ÿ Johnson’s Seagrass (Halophila johnsonii)
ÿ Shoal grass (Halodule wrightii)
ÿ Grass Shrimp (Caridean shrimp, several species)
ÿ Goldspotted killifish (Floridichthys carpio)
ÿ Opossum pipefish (Microphis brachyurus lineatus)
Several interviewees suggested that it would be advantageous if indicator species for each
region of the Bay could be identified and selected to include both sessile and mobile
organisms. The project team concurs with this recommendation and will likely use the
presence/absence of such a combination as a tool in evaluating alternative approaches for
MFL development.
The project team acknowledges that the scope of work for the "Freshwater Flow and
Ecological Relationships in Biscayne Bay" project identifies that the western boundary of
the project is the western shoreline of Biscayne Bay. Based upon the results of the team's
review of applicable literature and interviews with experts, it is the opinion of the project
team that the District should consider modifying this boundary to include areas where
floral and faunal assemblages of environmental significance are located to the west of the
shoreline (i.e., the vegetation zone located between the western shoreline and the L-31
Canal, including the area referred to the “white zone”). The rationale for this addition is
that the natural resources within this area could be adversely affected by reductions in
freshwater flows. If areas west of the shoreline are to be included within the project area,
several additional floral and faunal species should be considered as potential indicators of
estuarine health and/or indicators of significant harm. These include:
ÿ black needlerush (Juncus roemarianus) and spike rush (Eleocharis spp.)
ÿ Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicensis)
ÿ Land crabs (Cardisoma guanhumi)
ÿ Forage fish species assemblages
8. Several interviewees have expressed their concerns that, in their opinion, it would be
erroneous to attempt to establish an MFL rule for Biscayne Bay that is based solely on
the water quality parameter of salinity. Previously-conducted water quality studies (e.g.,
Meeder & Boyer, 2001) have suggested that non-salinity water quality parameters (i.e.,
ammonia) have caused adverse ecological impacts on benthic communities in the Bay,
and, in some specific areas, these discharges may be as much responsible for
degradations as the extreme fluctuations in salinity. The project team acknowledges that
addressing water quality parameters other than salinity is outside the team’s scope of
work, and it is our understanding that the District will address water quality issues in the
MFL Plan.
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9. FWS personnel suggest the need to give thoughtful consideration to the individual life
histories of each species that inhabits Biscayne Bay and which is designated as
‘endangered’ or ‘threatened’ (e.g., west Indian manatee, American crocodile, Johnson’s
seagrass, Smalltooth sawfish). FWS is currently developing biological opinions
regarding the impacts to each of the federally-listed species that may result from
construction and operation of CERP projects. The project team agrees that potential
impacts to listed species should be identified as a criterion during the evaluation of
alternative approaches for MFL development.
10. The adopted Manatee Protection Plan (MPP) developed by Miami-Dade DERM
documents the use of the mouths of canals as refugia by manatees during the winter
months. Although water temperature data are lacking at these sites, it is likely that the
combination of lower salinity water and temperatures that are thought to be several
degrees warmer than bay waters makes these areas attractive to manatees during the
winter. DERM recommends that development of the MFL rule consider that reductions
in flow volumes at this time of year could have a negative affect on this listed species, but
acknowledge that it may be difficult to identify the specific thresholds at which
significant harm to manatees would be reached. The project team acknowledges that the
water temperature element of this impact may be outside the scope of the team’s work,
but that it must be considered and addressed as part of the MFL rule.
11. SJRWM has relied heavily on soil conditions as the key indicator in their development of
MFL criteria for the many lakes and ponds in their region where MFL rules have now
been developed.
12. Several interviewees acknowledged that Chapter 373 FS gives WMDs the authority to
consider situations in which the receiving waters are currently in a degraded state as a
result of alterations in surface water flow. It has been urged that, in establishing the
MFL rule for BB, the current ecological conditions should not be considered as baseline,
and that there is the opportunity to adopt an MFL strategy that simultaneously identifies
minimum flows to maintain existing systems, and uses the CERP, RECOVER and the
Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Program as the long-term recovery plan for Biscayne
Bay. It was noted that various WMDs (including SFWMD in the Loxahatchee River)
have identified restoration/recovery plans within the MFL rule adopted for some
individual water bodies. It was suggested that the Ishman et. al. study of the presence of
foraminiferans and ostracodes in benthic samples could be helpful in identifying target
conditions. Also, the SWFWMD has developed a plan to test various MFLs for the
Lower Hillsborough River (LHR) in a situation similar to many of the canals to BB. The
LHR has a dam on it for a drinking water reservoir for the City of Tampa, and in recent
years has had approximately 200 days a year of “no-flow” conditions, interspersed with
flood flow discharges necessary to relieve stress on the dam.
13. In consideration of the various studies and research that are currently underway and the
CERP projects that are being designed to improve water quality conditions in Biscayne
Bay, several interviewees recommended that the rule specifically inc lude processes for
re-evaluating the MFL on a more frequent than usual basis.
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14. Some interviewees suggested that it would be erroneous to attempt to develop the MFL
for Biscayne Bay without considering subsurface inflows, which may have significant
effects in the nearshore areas in some regions of the Bay. Research is currently under
way in this regard by graduate students at Florida International University. The results
of the monitoring of seepage wells in westerly areas of the Bay are expected to be
available prior to the development of the MFL rule for Biscayne Bay, and the team
anticipates recommending to the District that these results be obtained and reviewed and
changes be considered to the MFL rule, if warranted.
15. FDEP’s Office of Water Quality is involved in an on-going study/monitoring effort
focusing on benthic macro-invertebrates and SAV along several fixed transects that
extend from the western shore of the Bay eastward to the edge of impact at locations