The Comprehensive Conservation and

Management Plan for Clearwater Harbor

and St. Joseph Sound

Goals of the CCMPTo conserve our remaining natural resources for future generations

To protect a valuable economic revenue stream

To organize management efforts to optimize resources

Kids fishing pics

Need For a CCMP Outside the boundary for both Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Tampa Bay SWIM Plan Critical habitat for Birds, Turtles, Manatee, and Fishes

Tremendous economic resource for the area

Will replace

Resource Management at Work

Pollutant loads have decreased due to improved stormwater and wastewater practices

Water quality in the estuary has been improving

Seagrass acreage has been increasing

Wastewater treatment

Regs

Maintaining WQ

More Work is Needed

Increased pressure on resources

Increasing regulatory burdens on local governments

Limited financial resources to protect a revenue generating asset

CCMP Objectives Focus on Estuary

Establish Historical Benchmarks

Develop Management Targets

Develop Action Plans to Protect and Restore

Co-ordinate Activities Throughout the Watershed

Goals

•Identify Critical Issues

•Identify Data Sources

Analysis

•Assess Relationships

•Define Management Targets

Actions

•Develop Action Plans

•Develop Implementation Strategy

Natural Resource Protection

Management Targets - Seagrass

Seagrasses are increasing!

Approaching historical acreage Basis for “Hold the Line” strategy for water quality

Acres Seagrass Aerial Extent Over Recent History

TARGET

TARGET

Split axis

TARGET

Water Quality Goal

Maintain conditions that resulted in increasing seagrass acreage – i.e. good water quality

Develop indicators to determine when water quality degradation is occurring

Water Quality Reporting Tool

Year Saint Joseph Sound

Clearwater Harbor North

Clearwater Harbor South

  Threshold=3.1 (µg/L)

Threshold=5.4 (µg/L)

Threshold=7.6 (µg/L)

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008   = Reference

2009   = Excursion

2010

Management Targets – Natural Lands

Mangroves - Protect remaining, focus restoration in Clearwater Harbor South

Salt Marsh – Protect remaining

Freshwater Wetlands – No more losses, restoration where practical – TMDL/ Ag Lands

Native Uplands- Protect remaining in managed lands

Add Pictures

Need for Continued Management

Regulatory pressures persist

Benefit of a unified plan of action

Demonstrated success using local data and expertise

More work to be done TMDLs/BMAPs

CCMP Action Plans Bay Habitats

Watershed Habitats

Water Quality

Estuarine Fauna

Sediment Management

Public Education

CCMP outlines specific actions to implement protection and restoration strategies

Action Plan Database

Central repository of information from past and current projects throughout the watershed

Coordination mechanism for projects throughout the County

Accounting mechanism for effort spent on environmental improvements

Potential application in EPA/FDEP - TMDL/BMAP process

Next Steps Maintain Technical Advisory Committee with

representatives from local governments

Stay flexible in approach – coordinated in action

Communicate

Leverage individual efforts for public engagement

Leverage unified approach –strength in numbers

Acknowledgements Pinellas County Department of Environment and Infrastructure

Southwest Florida Water Management District (Pinellas Anclote Basin Board)

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Cities of: Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Largo

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program (Audubon)

Other Slides

Other Water Quality Management Targets

Project Work FlowKickoff Meeting

I dentify/Obtain/Review Data

Data Analysis Plan

Conduct Analyses

Develop “State of the Resource”

Document

I dentify & Prioritize Potential Actions

Draft CCMP

Final CCMP

Define Critical Resources & Goals

TAC Input

TAC Input

TAC Input

TAC Input

Kickoff Meeting

I dentify/Obtain/Review Data

Data Analysis Plan

Conduct Analyses

Develop “State of the Resource”

Document

I dentify & Prioritize Potential Actions

Draft CCMP

Final CCMP

Define Critical Resources & Goals

TAC InputTAC Input

TAC InputTAC Input

TAC InputTAC Input

TAC InputTAC Input

September 2009

December 2011

Data and Information Gaps

Quantify economic value of CHSJS natural resources

Information sharing with Pasco County on Anclote River issues

Fisheries/Scallop/Oyster data could be enhanced

Quantify hard bottom habitat in the estuary

Stormwater pipes and outfall locations in electronic database

Database of stormwater maintenance activities