AN ANALYSIS OF STORMWATER
INPUTS
TO THE APALACHICOLA BAY
by
Grady L. Marchman, P.E., MLT(ASCP)
Apalachicola Bay
is responsible for approximately 90% of Florida's oyster harvest and a
significant portion of the blue crab and shrimp harvests. It also provides
nursery areas for finfish, crabs, and shrimp. The bay has been designated
an Outstanding Florida Water, a State Aquatic Preserve, and an International
Biosphere Reserve. Nonpoint source pollution from urban areas and increasing
development represents a problem that may be more devastating than more
distant or regional sources of pollution originating upstream in the riverine
watershed. The District has examined the impacts of urban stormwater runoff
on the bay by monitoring and characterizing the quality and quantity of
runoff from the communities, and has applied a computer simulation model
to evaluate the stormwater status of the City of Apalachicola. The study
provides guidance and information necessary to develop and implement an
integrated nonpoint source management plan for the municipal areas along
the bay. This study has identified several stormwater-related problem
areas. Coliform contamination throughout the bay, originating from the
Apalachicola River and from the communities located on the bay appears
to be a real and dangerous threat to the seafood industry and local economy
of the area. Sources appear to be both human and nonhuman in origin. Increased
levels of typical stormwater contaminants such as turbidity, total suspended
solids, coliforms, nutrients, and some metals including copper, zinc and
lead, are indicated with increased levels of development. Serious flooding
problems within the City of Apalachicola are due to clogged, undersized,
and deteriorating conveyance systems and a lack of rate controls. While
cleaning and repair of existing pipes could offer some level of immediate
relief, even under ideal conditions the system remains undersized to carry
anticipated flows. The study also suggests a number of solutions, which
could have an immediate improvement in water quality.
This report
is in Adobe Acrobat 4.0 format. A free reader for Adobe Acrobat
can be downloaded from Adobe.
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