Title
Amendment 4 to the Paynes Prairie Partnership Agreement (B)
Explanation
The City, SJRWMD, FDEP, and Alachua County entered into an agreement on April 9, 1997 to perform an extensive study on water related issues effecting Paynes Prairie. The objective of the study is to determine the cause of undesirable vegetation that occurs in various portions of Paynes Prairie. The factors that will be assessed are changes in burning regimes, changes in hydrologic regimes, increased nutrient levels, sedimentation, and land use changes including agricultural practices. The City is responsible for a portion of the stormwater that flows onto Paynes Prairie and also owns and operates the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant that discharges to Paynes Prairie via Sweetwater Branch. The results of this study effort will ultimately be used to evaluate management alternatives for Paynes Prairie, which may include modifications to the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant and/or stormwater management improvements.
The work included in the study consists of a vegetative study and a water and nutrient balance for Sweetwater Branch and Bivens Arm as they flow into Paynes Prairie as well as monitoring water quality and quantity in Little Hatchet Creek, Hogtown Creek, Newnans Lake, Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake.
The study has taken longer than anticipated due primarily to extreme high water levels on Paynes Prairie during 1998 and 1999. Although water quality and quantity data has been collected, the vegetative analysis has been in abeyance. The vegetative portion of the study has been resumed, and the field work should be complete by mid 2001. In order to complete the study, the partners have been asked to extend the contract completion date to September 30, 2002 and contribute additional funding. The total cost increase associated with this amendment is approximately $70,000, with approximately $33,000 coming from the City and the remainder coming from other pa...
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