# Presentation: 504941

## Suwannee Basin Workshop 2004

- Final Session Summary
- Friday, September 24, 2004
- Cedar Key, Florida
- E. Raabe

## Information Management

**Presentations on information management, new techniques and models **
**watershed assessment**
**watershed atlas, **
**remote sensing, **
**GIS toolbox, **
**and USGS Earth Explorer **
**Next, final priority topic discussion and What’s Next?**

## Top Three Workshop Priorities

**1****st** Clearing house for data resources, data management and integration
**2****nd** Full Watershed Study and Data Collection across FL & GA
**3****rd** Integrated models: model water quality, water supply (MFL’s), and basin ecology

## 1st Priority: Clearing house 

**Availability and access**
**Real-time tracking**
**List of scientists and research**
**Know the user-community**
**Annual updates**

**Value, not hindrance, to scientists**
**Portal architecture (links)**
**Develop database architecture first**
**Need IT gurus**
**GIS database**

**Clearing house for data resources, data management, data integration, links, and GIS**

## 2nd Priority: Full Watershed Study

**Need consistent data collection effort**
**Full integration across Florida & Georgia**
**Suwannee is largest unregulated basin**
**Chance to do things right**
**Go to Georgia. Bring them in. How?**
**Boundary effort**

**Full Watershed Study and Data Collection across FL & GA**

## 3rd Priority: Integrated models

**Model changes to water supply, water quality, and ecological responses**
**Define MFL’s on scientific basis!**
**Do good science first (currently political)**
**Include variability in system**** **
**Event effects**
**Seasonal range**
**Late autumn flow is important to sturgeon**
**Need middle & upper basin data**

- Integrated models: model water quality, water supply (MFL’s), and basin ecology

## Additional priorities

- Water Quantity and Quality Issues
- Hydrologic Observatory
- Water use and availability; land use, change and diversions
- Surface/GW interactions; recharge, flow, residence time
- Spring-shed delineation and protection
- GW age-dating
- Microbial and geochemical source tracking
- Geologic control of permeability
- Riverine impacts to estuary; quality, quantity, salinity dynamics
- Full basin model - include GA in water flow and water quality
- Standardized and basin-wide water quality monitoring

## Additional Priorities continued

- Ecosystem and Habitat Issues
- Link: biota, hydrogeology, and water quality
- Link: Extreme events and ecology
- Habitat mapping
- Riverine impacts to estuary
- Biotic/Abiotic baseline data
- Adequate biotic monitoring basin-wide
- Benthic habitats in estuary
- Process-oriented research
- Define species interaction with habitat
- Habitat monitoring
- Habitat and river stage

## Additional Priorities continued

- Management and Modeling
- Land use and environmental affects
- Develop BMP’s and verify effectiveness
- Research and management master plan
- Human Health: contaminants and protection
- Ecosystem Restoration Plan
- Discuss/define “significant harm”
- Review existing models
- Integrated model for water quality, water supply and biota
- Develop management practices
- Timeline: natural and human history in basin
- GW protection: educate and enforce

## Discussion: What’s next?

**Basin-wide effort needs further development via science plan**
**focus groups for subtopics**
**Immediate need**
**Volunteers requested**
**Need to Address Big Questions:**
**How to implement Basin-wide effort with Georgia**
**Interdisciplinary, Inter-agency Collaboration and Funding**
**A Watershed Model with Broad application**
**Vision: Suwannee as a model for other river basins**

## What IS Next?

**CD-ROM of workshop proceedings**
**Workshop discussion summary in slideshows**
**Presentations and posters**
**List of participants**
**Science Plan**
**Volunteer Steering Committee**
**Request volunteers for subtopics**
**SBIA and Beyond!**
**To plan, activate, and implement **
**Next meeting proposed: June 2005 in Georgia**

## Science Plan Volunteer Steering Committee

- Subcommittees will be formed to address main science topics
- Tentative Members:
- Rodney DeHan, Florida Geological Survey
- Paul Lee, Florida Dept. Environmental Protection
- Lia Chasar, FAMU
- Randy Edwards, USF
- Bill Hu, FSU
- Willie Harris, UF,
- Robin Hallbourgh, Alachua County DEP
- Richard Lowrance, USDA-ARS
- Sam Upchurch, SDII-Global
- Kirk Webster, Suwannee River Water Management District
- Need reps from Georgia EPD, USGS in Georgia, and EPA
- Florida USGS: Brian Katz, Ellen Raabe

## Note of Appreciation to Participants

**Thank you for attending and participating in open discussions.  Current and future accomplishments reflect our combined efforts!**