S^ SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

IN RE:

PINELLAS COUNTY )
CONSUMPTIVE USE PERMIT )
APPLICATION NO -7-naQi )
FOR RENEWAL OF CUP No. 7500032 ) ORDER NO. 78-25
EAST LAKE ROAD WELL FIELD )
PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA )


ORDER GRANTING PERMIT PURSUANT TO
HEARING BEFORE GOVERNING BOARD

This Matter came on to be heard by the Governing Board of Southwest

Florida Water Management District at a Public Hearing on April 4, 1978. Said

Public Hearing, being duly and properly noticed, was conducted at District Head-

quarters, 5060 U. S. Highway 41 South, Brooksville, Florida, and all parties hereto

were present or given the opportunity to be present, and, together with the general

public, were given an opportunity to present testimony and evidence. The Board,

having reviewed the application and all documents in the File of Record, having

heard testimony, and having received and examined all documentary evidence, makes

the following

FINDINGS OF FACT:

1. Applicant, Pinellas County, owns, leases or controls lands and water

rights in and to lands consisting of 5,861 acres in parts of Sections 26, 27, 34
and 35, Township 27S, Range 16E, Pinellas County, Florida, and has developed a well

field thereon consisting of eight (8) production wells and other related facilities

to produce a portion of the total public water supply needs of the Pinellas County
Water System. The well field is known as the East Lake Road Well Field.

2. During 1975 and 1976, through various Public Hearings before the

Board and other legal proceedings, the matter of a Consumptive Use Permit was duly

considered, debated, proposed, modified and ultimately approved by the Governing

Board in final modified form by Order No. 76-44 on December 1, 1976, and issued

upon authority of such Order as Consumptive Use Permit No. 7500032.

3. By Consumptive Use Permit No. 7500032, the Applicant was authorized
to make a maximum combined average annual withdrawal of 3 million gallons of water

per day, with a maximum combined withdrawal rate not to exceed 5 million gallons
during a single day. Of the total permitted quantity, 2.3 million gallons per day

(annual average) at a maximum withdrawal rate of 5 million gallons per day was es-
tablished as the Applicant's legal existing use. The quantity of 0.7 million gallons



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per day (annual average) increase was and is considered new use.

4. Consumptive Use Permit No. 7500032 was conditioned upon implementation

of a monitoring program as set forth in paragraph 10 of the permit. The monitor

program was designed to evaluate the effects of well field withdrawals upon the water

resource of the area and particularly water quality trends indicated by chloride and

conductivity levels in selected monitor wells. It was anticipated that evaluation

of monitoring data may dictate that regulation of the well field be altered, and the

permit was issued with an expiration date of February 18, 1978.

5. Pursuant to Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 16J, Florida

Administrative Code, Applicant applied on January 31, 1978, (Application No. 27804391)

to the Southwest Florida Water Management District for renewal of Consumptive Use

Permit No. 7500032 to authorize the Applicant to continue to make an average annual

withdrawal of 3 million gallons of water per day, with a maximum withdrawal rate not

to exceed 5 million gallons during any single day, from the East Lake Road Well Field.

No increase over previously permitted quantities has been requested. The expiration

date of Consumptive Use Permit No. 7500032 was extended by Order No. 78-10 of this

Board to allow time for evaluation of the application for renewal, and Public Hearing

upon the application for renewal was set for April 4, 1978, by Order No. 78-13 of

this Board.

6. Monitoring data submitted by the Applicant has been reviewed by Staff.

This data indicates that no significant adverse regional trends in lateral salt water

intrusion have occurred during 1976 and 1977 as a consequence of withdrawals from

this well field by Applicant. Some vertical intrusion is indicated by chloride

increases that have occurred in the well field monitor wells, but such increases are

not so significant as to require immediate action. Nevertheless, the period of record

is short and an additional data collection period should be provided for, and the

composite data then fully reviewed in connection with consideration for future

permitting of this well field. A data collection period to December 31, 1980, shall

be provided for, and a renewal permit for this well field shall expire on that date.

Applicant should apply for renewal during the third calendar quarter of 1980, and all

available data, in addition to data submitted by Applicant, shall be reviewed and

evaluated at that time to the end that this Board will be fully advised regarding

the effects of withdrawals from this well field upon the regional and areal water

resources.



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7. The existing monitoring program which provides only that the Applicant

assess the significance of chloride or conductivity levels exceeding established

maximums in certain monitor wells is not satisfactory in light of indications of

vertical intrusion at the well field. Regulation by limitation of allowable chloride

levels in production wells has proven to be a more effective method of protection

of the water resources. The Staff has developed a revised monitoring program as

conditions 10(a), 10(b), and 10(c) of a proposed renewal Consumptive Use Permit

No. 27804391, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1. The number of salt

water zones to be monitored has been reduced from 23 to 7, which upon completion of

required reconstruction will provide effective monitoring system specific to this

well field. Sampling and analysis is required of the Applicant quarterly rather

than monthly, and the results of the analysis upon submission will be evaluated

by District Staff rather than the Applicant. The additional condition requiring

monthly analysis of chloride samples from all 8 production wells, and quarterly re-

porting to the District of the results, is a reasonable condition and will not be

unduly burdensome upon the Applicant. The maximum allowable chloride limits on

each production well (set forth as Chloride Cap.) allows a reasonable range of

tolerance above existing chloride ranges in each well. Should any chloride cap

be exceeded, the Governing Board shall be advised and the Board may, upon due notice

and hearing, take whatever action is necessary or advisable to protect the water

resources of the area, including modification of or reduced withdrawals under the

permit.

8. The total withdrawal of 3 million gallons per day (annual average) is

consumptively used off site of the well field for public water supply through the

Pinellas County Water System. This quantity is to be withdrawn from 5,861 acres

of land owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the Applicant.

9. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the rate of flow of a stream or

other watercourse to be lowered below the minimum rate of flow established by the Board.

10. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the level of the potentiometric

surface to be lowered below any regulatory level established by the Southwest Florida

Water Management District.

11. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the level of the surface of

water to be lowered below the minimum level established by the Board.

12. There is inadequate data to establish that the proposed withdrawals



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will- not significantly induce salt water encroachment. The salt water monitor program

upon which the proposed renewal permit is conditioned will provide early warning

of salt water intrusion. So long as Applicant fully complies with conditions

10(a), 10(b) and 10(c) of the proposed renewal permit, the proposed withdrawals

will not significantly induce salt water encroachment.

13. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the water table to be lowered

so that the lake stages or vegetation will be adversely and significantly affected on

lands other than those owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the Applicant.

14. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the level of the potentiometric

surface under lands not owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the Applicant to be

lowered more than five feet (5').

15. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the level of the water table

under lands not owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the Applicant to be

lowered more than three feet (3').

16. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the level of the surface

of water in any lake or other impoundment to be lowered more than one foot (1')

unless the lake or impoundment is wholly owned, leased or otherwise controlled by

the Applicant.

17. The proposed withdrawal will not cause the potentiometric surface

to be lowered below sea level.

In accordance with the foregoing, and in consideration of applicable laws

and regulations, the Board makes the following

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:

1. The Applicant has established that the consumptive use sought to

be continued by renewal:

a) is a reasonable-beneficial use;

b) is consistent with the public interest; and

c) will not interfere with any legal use of water

existing at the time of the application.

2. The consumptive use is in compliance with the requirements of

Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 16J, Florida Administrative Code.

Wherefore, upon consideration, it is

ORDERED
1. That the Executive Director of Southwest Florida Water Management
District or a duly delegated member of his Staff, is authorized and directed to


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issue a Consumptive Use Permit pursuant to the above numbered application in
substantially the form, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
Exhibit 1, attached hereto.


SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
DATE: April 4, 1978

DERRILL S. McATEER, CHAIRMAN

"o / ///X'.

THOMAS M. VAN DER VEER, SECRETARY
SEAL: / i i



3/22/78 dmb






























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