Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 9:15 AM
527

Minimum flows establishment for the Braden River, Florida

J. B. T. Morales, M.H. Kelly, D. Leeper, and A. Munson. Ecologic Evaluation Section, Resource Projects Department, Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad Street (U.S. 41 South), Brooksville, FL 34604

Florida's water management districts are mandated to establish minimum flows/levels as part of their responsibility to permit consumptive water use and protect water resources from significant harm. Minimum flows are reported for the Braden River located in Manatee County. Realizing that flow regimes are necessary to protect the ecological functions of the river, we identified seasonal blocks corresponding to periods of low, medium and high flows over the entire period of record. Short-term minimum flow compliance standards were developed for each of the flows using a building block approach and applied to the USGS long-term gage at Linger Lodge. These compliance standards include prescribed flow reductions based on limiting potential changes in aquatic and wetland habitat availability that are associated with seasonal changes in flow. At low flow periods, we proposed 0.20 m3/s consistent with fish passage depth and wetted perimeter inflection points. Inundation analyses of woody instream habitats and Physical Habitat Simulation (PHABSIM) for five fish species and macroinvertebrates diversity suggested that only 11% of the natural daily flow is available during medium flow periods. During high flows, a stepped flow reduction of 19% and 10% of historic flows at 1.51 m3/s would assure inundation of various floodplain features.


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