Special Projects

SPECIAL

   CHARLOTTE COUNTY v.
      SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
      Division of Administrative Hearings
      Final Order

BEGINNING OF FILE
FINAL ORDER
APPEARANCES
STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

FINDINGS OF FACT

I. Identification of Parties and Related Facts

II. Standing

A. General Statement
B. Pinellas Standing

III. District Regulatory Authority and Rule Development

A. Historical Perspectives

1. The District and Its Statutory Authority
2. History of the District's Water Use Permitting Program
3. District Evaluation of Water Use Permit Application

a. Conditions for Issuance
b. Permit Review Process
c. Performance Standards and Presumptions
d. The Water Use Design Aids and Levels of Analysis
e. Regional Models

4. Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels in the District

B. Geography, Hydrology and Water Use in the District

1. District Groundwater Basins and Aquifer Systems

a. General
b. Basins
c. Aquifers and Surface Water
d. Potentiometric Surfaces
e. Aquifer Characteristics

2. Water Use in the District

C. Effects of Groundwater Withdrawals in the District and the District's Efforts to Address Them

1. Overview
2. Saltwater Intrusion and Upconing
3. Development of Water Resource

a. WRAPS
b. WUCAs
c. NTB
d. Highlands Ridge
e. ETB

4. The SWUCA 

a. Declaration of the SWUCA
b. SWUCA Management Plan
c. Supplemental Investigations Report
d. Conclusions Regarding Scientific Investigations of the SWUCA

D. SWUCA Rules

1. Development
2. Proposed SWUCA Rules Overview

E. Procedural History of the Proposed Rules and Modifications

1. Background
2. Prior to Commencement of the Hearing
3. Modifications After the Hearing Commenced

a. April 14, 1995 Changes
b. November 3, 1995 Changes

4. Withdrawn Change after Conclusion of Hearing
5. Conclusion

IV. Existing Rules, Proposed Rules, and Agency Statements Concerning Minimum Water Levels and Flow Rates

A. Existing Rules Concerning Minimum Water Levels and Flow Rates - Rule 40D-8.041
B. Proposed Rules Establishing the SWUCA and the Minimum Aquifer Level - Proposed Rules 40D-2.801(3)(b)1., 40D-8.628 and BOR Section 4.3

1. Water Use in the SWUCA
2. The Need for Regulation
3. Saltwater Intrusion in the SWUCA
4. Unified Basin Regulation
5. Boundaries of the SWUCA

a. Areas Outside the Delineated SWUCA Boundary
b. Northern Boundary of the SWUCA
c. Inclusion of Areas Outside the Basin
d. Eastern Tampa Bay and Highlands Ridge

6. Minimum Aquifer Level for the SWUCA

a. Use of Potentiometric Surface as Basin for Regulation
b. Propriety of Using 1991 Potentiometric Surface as Minimum Level

(i) Background
(ii) Continued Saltwater Intrusion
(iii) Positive Seaward Gradient
(iv) "Safe" or "Sustainable" Yield
(v) Achievement of Minimum Level by a Specific Time
(vi) Conflict with Existing Rules and Water Quality Standards
(vii) Continued Issuance of Permits in the SWUCA
(viii) Impacts on Wetlands, Surface Water Levels, Stream Flows
(ix) Conclusion

C. District Methodology for Calculating and Applying the Minimum Level

1. USGS Maps
2. Conversion of USGS Maps to District Surface Grid
3. Use of Annual Averages
4. Five-Year Rolling Average
5. Use of One-Foot Increments

D. Achievement of Minimum Levels in the SWUCA, ETB and HR WUCAs Before New Withdrawals Considered

E. Issuance of New Permits Upon Achievement of Minimum Level

F. Implementation of Minimum Level Provisions

1. Allocating Water in Accordance with the Public Interest
2. Applications for Competing Uses
3. Comprehensive SWUCA Strategy
4. Ambiguities in Proposed Rules
5. Effect of Minimum Level on Actual Water Use
6. Impact on Rules on Small Businesses

G. Measures to Ensure Achievement Minimum Level
H. Use of Minimum Level to Reserve Water
I. Continued Issuance of Permits
J. Self-Destruct Clause
K. Proposed Repeal of Existing Provisions Regarding Withdrawals From Intermediate Aquifer - BOR Sections 4.5.2 and 7.2.8

V. Reallocation within the SWUCA-Proposed Rules 40D-2.331(3); 40D-2.801(3)(b)7

A. Background
B. The Proposed Reallocation Process

1. Reallocation Zones
2. Historically Unused Quantities
3. Reallocation Quantity

C. Effects of Redistribution
D. Opportunity for New Users
E. Effect on Actual Use and Permitted Quantities
F. Reallocation of Water-Banked Quantities

VI. Challenges to Conditions of Issuance and Basis of Review

A. Existing Rules and Basis of Review - General Issues

1. Consistency with State Water Policy and Requirement to Meet Each Condition Individually
2. Cumulative Impact
3. Two-Prong vs. Three-Prong Test
4. Incorporation by Reference
5. Use of General Terms
6. Use of Presumptions
7. Regulation Without Minimum Flows and Levels
8. Modification of Existing Uses
9. Mitigation
10. Property Boundaries

B. Environmental Impacts - Rules 40D-2.301(1)(b) and (c)

1. Overview
2. Environmental Presumptions - Generally
3. Wetlands Presumption - BOR Section 4.2.A.5

a. Background
b. District Monitoring of Wetlands Impacts
c. Development of the Wetlands Presumption
d. Use of Models in Applying the Presumption
e. Conclusion

4. Lakes Presumption

a. Background
b. Regulating Lake Withdrawals
c. Development of the Lakes Presumptions
d. BOR Section 4.2.B.2.a. - One Foot Maximum Cumulative Drawdown
e. BOR Section 4.2.B.2d - 30 day maximum withdrawal
f. BOR Section 4.2.B.2.c. - Lake- infringing Wetlands - Water Table Presumption
g. Conclusion

5. Stressed Lakes

a. NTB
b. SWUCA

6. Impacts on Streams - BOR Section 4.2.C.2.295

a. Background
b. Purpose of the Ten Percent Stream Flow Presumption
c. Development of the Ten Percent Flow Guideline
d. Challenges to District's Scientific Analysis

i. Use of Salinity Gradient
ii. Use of Regression Analysis
iii. Requirements of Up-River Freshwater Portions of a Stream
iv. Site-Specific Differences
v. Conclusion

e. Method of Calculating the 10 percent Presumptive Threshold
f. Conclusion

C. Miscellaneous Provisions

1. Inducement of Pollution - Rule 40D- 2.301(1)(g) and BOR Section 4.6
2. Catch-all Provisions - Rule 40D-2.301 (1)(n) and BOR Section 4.13
3. Monitoring Requirements-BOR Section 5.0
4. Environmental Monitoring Criteria - BOR Section 5.8
5. MIA Saltwater Intrusion - Rule 40D- 2.301(1)(f) and BOR Section 4.5

D. Use of the Lowest Quality Water - Rule 40D-2.301(1)(e) and BOR Section 4.4
E. Impacts to Offsite Land Uses

1. Rule 40D-2.301(1)(h) and BOR Section 4.7.333
2. Rule 40D-2.381(3)(m) (mitigate environmental impacts and offsite land uses)

F. Interference With Existing Legal Withdrawals -Rule 40D-2.301(1)(i) and BOR Section 4.8

1. Generally
2. Development of the Presumptions
3. Mitigation of Impacts to Existing Legal Uses - Rule 40D-2.381(3)(I)

G. Utilization of Local Resources - Rule 40D- 2.301(1)(j), F.A.C
H. Augmentation - BOR Section 4.12.2 and BOR Section 7.3.4
I. Miscellaneous Provisions

1. BOR Section 1.6 - Application Review Process
2. BOR Section 6.2 Special Permit Conditions 

VII. Existing Rules, Proposed Rules, and Agency Statements Which Uniquely Affect Public Water Supply Providers

A. Introduction and Background

1. Standing
2. Additional Conditions and/or Modifications of Permits

B. Per Capita Use Restrictions

1. Background
2. Development and Application of NTB PCURs
3. Development and Application of SWUCA PCURs
4. PCURs and Planning
5. Differences Among Utilities
6. Enforcements
7. Annual Reports

C. Water Conserving Rate Structure

1. Enforcement and Reporting
2. Types of Rate Structures
3. Impingement on Public Service Commission and County Commission Rate-Making Authority

D. Proposed BOR Section 3.6
E. Water Audits - BOR Section 7.3.1.3 and proposed BOR Section 3.6
F. Proposed BOR Section 3.6 (WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE SWUCA)
G. Reuse - BOR Section 4.11, BOR Section 7.3.6.2 and proposed BOR Sections 3.1 (Alternative Sources within the SWUCA - Reuse Goal) and 3.6

1. Background
2. Existing and Proposed Rule Provisions
3. State Water Policy and Reuse Coordinating Committee
4. Reuse Goals
5. Beneficial Reuse
6. Statutory Authority for BOR Section 4.11.399
7. Standing
8. Conclusion

H. Desalination - BOR Sections 7.3.6.4 and proposed BOR Section 3.1

1. Background
2. Current and Proposed Provisions
3. Feasibility
4. Cost
5. Brine Disposal and Other Permitting Issues
6. Site-specific Issues

I. Proposed BOR Section 3.1 (REPORTING ALTERNATIVE SOURCE QUANTITIES WITHIN THE SWUCA)

VIII. Challenges to Other Existing Rules

A. Rules Concerning Modification and/or Revocation of Permits - Rules 40D-2.331(3) and 40D-2.341

1. Modification
2. Revocation

B. Standard Permit Conditions Rule 40D-2.381(3)
C. Modification of Existing Permits in the NTB - Rule 40D-2.801(3)(c)3
D. Water Shortage Declarations - Rule 40D-2.511.423

1. In General
2. Rules 40D-2.801(2)(e) and (f)

IX. Challenges of Non-Rule Agency Statements

A. Inverse Presumptions
B. The Water Use Design Aids - Section C-1 of the District's Water Use Permit  Information Manual

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

I. Standing
II. Burden of Proof
III. Rulemaking Authority and Statutory Framework 

A. Rulemaking Authority
B. History of Water Use Law
C. Florida Water Resources Act of 1972
D. Chapter 373 - General Overview
E. State Water Policy and Water Use Plan
F. Minimum Flows and Levels
G. Water Use Permitting

1. Three-prong Test
2. Application of the Three-prong Test to Renewal of Converted Common Law Uses

IV. Existing Rules, Proposed Rules, and Agency Statements Concerning Minimum Water Levels and Flow Rates

A. Existing Rule 40D-8.041
B. Proposed Rules Concerning Minimun Water Levels and Flow Rates - Proposed Rule 40D-8.628 and BOR Section 4.3

1. Overview
2. SWUCA Boundaries

a. Highlands Ridge
b. Hillsborough Triangle and Polk County Nub

3. Use of the 1991 Potentiometric Surface as the Minimum Level
4. Methodology for Deriving the 1991 Potentiometric Surface
5. Method of Applying the Minimum Level to Subareas
6. Procedure for Authorizing New Ground-Water Withdrawals after the Minimun Level Requirements Are Met
7. Application of the Minimum Level on Renewal

a. Generally
b. Competing Applications
c. "Determinations" in proposed Rule 40D-2.301(2)

8. Self-destruct clause

C. Repeal of Existing Standard Permit  Conditions Requiring Compliance with Minimum Levels
D. Repeal of Limitations on Withdrawals from the Intermediate Aquifer in the MIA

V. Reallocation
VI. Challenges to Existing and Proposed Conditions of Issuance: Rule 40D-2.301(1), F.A.C

A. General

1. Consideration of Cumulative Impact
2. Regulation Without Minimum Levels
3. Incorporation by Reference
4. Section 373.2235, Florida Statutes
5. Use of Presumptions

B. Rules Relating to Adverse Environmental Impacts

1. Wetlands
2. Impact on Lakes

a. BOR Section 4.2.B.2

3. Stressed Lakes - BOR Section 7.3.5.1 (NTB WUCA) and proposed BOR Section 4.2.3.d(2) (SWUCA)
4. Streams - BOR Section 4.2.C.2
5. BOR Section 4.5 (MIA Salt Water Intrusion)

C. Use of the Lowest Quality Water - Rule 40D-2.301(1)(e), F.A.C. and BOR Section 4.4..559
D. Impacts to Offsite Land Uses - Rule 40D- 2.301(1)(h) and BOR Section 4.7
E. Interference with Existing Legal Withdrawals Rule 40D-2.301(1)(i) and BOR Section 4.8
F. Mitigate Impacts to Existing Legal Uses - Rule 40D-2.381(3)(1), F.A.C.
G. Utilization of Local Resources - Rule 40D-2.01(1)(j) and BOR Section 4.9

VII. Existing Rules, Proposed Rules and Agency Statements Uniquely Affecting Public Water Suppliers

A. Per Capita Use
B. & C. Water Conserving Rate Structure and Customer Billing Practices
D. Water Audits (addressed in Findings of Fact)
E. Wholesale Customers
F. Reuse
G. Desalination
H. Reporting Alternative Sources

VIII. Challenges to Other Existing Rules

A. Rules Concerning Modification and/or Revocation of Permits
B. Water Shortage Declarations

IX. Challenges to Non-rule Agency Statements

A. General Overview
B. Inverse Presumptions
C. The "Water Use Design Aids," Section C-1 of the District's Water Use Permit Information Manual

1. Whether it is feasible or practicable to adopt Part C-1 of the Design Aids as a rule

ORDERED AND CONCLUDED
ENDNOTES
COPIES FURNISHED
JUDICIAL REVIEW