Florida Administrative Code › 62 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 62 - Departmental › Chapter 62-330 - ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE PERMITTING › Section 62-330.501 - General Permit for Temporary Agricultural Activities within the South Florida Water Management District

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) A
				general permit is granted to any property owner for temporary agricultural
				activities within the South Florida Water Management District, provided all the
				following criteria are met.
(a) Agricultural
				activities shall be horticultural and limited to seasonal crops. Seasonal crops
				are harvested in one growing season, which shall not exceed one year.
(b) This permit is valid only for activities
				in existing improved or semi-improved pastures or fields that have been
				cultivated within the last five years. For purposes of this section, improved
				or semi-improved pastures are lands that have been cleared of native plants by
				mechanical means.
(c) For purposes
				of this section, the project area and scope is defined as both farmed and
				detention areas. In order to qualify for a permit under this section, the
				project area shall not exceed 320 contiguous acres.
(d) The project outfall structure must be
				located more than 1 mile from Outstanding Florida Waters.
(e) No works or farming activities shall
				occur within 50 feet of a wetland as defined in Section
				 373.019(27),
				F.S. If wetlands are located within the project area, a minimum 50-foot
				undisturbed buffer must be maintained around the wetland.
(f) Pump rates shall not exceed a volume of 2
				inches per day at a rate of 37.7 gallons per minute per acre of farmed area.
				Pump on/off elevations shall be within 2.5 feet of natural ground within the
				farmed area. All surface water discharges shall be into detention
				areas.
(g) Water levels in the
				detention areas shall not exceed a depth of 1.5 feet above natural ground
				within the detention area.
(h)
				Water quality and attenuation requirements shall be met by establishing
				detention areas at a minimum of fifteen percent of the farmed area.
(i) If wetlands are located within a
				detention area, then the control elevation of the detention area shall be set
				at the wetland edge elevation. If no wetlands are located within a detention
				area, then the control elevation shall be set at natural ground
				elevation.
(j) Control structures
				shall be sized according to the following list depending on the project size.
Project Size
Control Structure
0-25 acres
6'' riser and 12'' pipe equivalent
26-65 acres
12'' riser and 12'' pipe equivalent
66-105 acres
18'' riser and 18'' pipe equivalent
106-145 acres
24'' riser and 24'' pipe equivalent
146-185 acres
30'' riser and 30'' pipe equivalent
186-225 acres
36'' riser and 36'' pipe equivalent
226-265 acres
42'' riser and 42'' pipe equivalent
266-305 acres
48'' riser and 48'' pipe equivalent
306-320 acres
54'' riser and 54'' pipe equivalent
(k)
				The minimum setback between the project edge and the property boundary line
				shall be 50 feet for all projects.
(l) Discharges shall be to the existing
				pre-project surface water conveyance pathway. Existing sheetflow, if any, shall
				be maintained through the use of a spreader swale.
(m) Detention area dikes shall be constructed
				with a top elevation of 3.5 feet above the control elevation with a minimum 5
				foot top width and side slopes of two horizontal to one vertical.
(n) Internal farm ditches shall be no deeper
				than 3 feet below natural ground elevation (excluding sump areas for pump
				placement which shall not be deeper than 6 feet below natural ground
				elevation).
(o) External perimeter
				berms of the farmed areas shall not exceed 2 feet in height.
(p) Farming areas must be laid out in a
				manner that will not block or impede off-site flows.
(q) Access to the fields shall be
				accomplished by existing roads. Roads into or on the project are not part of
				this authorization.