Florida Administrative Code › 40 - WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS › 40C - St. Johns River Water Management District › Chapter 40C-2 - PERMITTING OF CONSUMPTIVE USES OF WATER › Section 40C-2.042 - General Permit by Rule

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
A general consumptive use permit by rule is hereby
				  established for consumptive uses of water listed below that do not meet or
				  exceed any permitting threshold under subsection
				   40C-2.041(1),
				  F.A.C., except as provided in subsections
				   40C-2.042(8), (9), (10), (11), (12) and
				  (13), F.A.C. However, this rule shall not
				  apply to domestic uses of water by individuals, i.e., water used for the
				  household purposes of drinking, bathing, cooking or sanitation. Persons using
				  or proposing to use water in a manner not authorized under this rule, must
				  obtain a permit pursuant to Chapter 40C-2, F.A.C.
(1) The Governing Board hereby grants a
				general permit to each person located within the District to use, withdraw or
				divert water to irrigate agricultural crops, nursery plants, cemeteries, golf
				courses and recreational areas such as playgrounds, football, baseball, and
				soccer fields, provided the irrigation does not occur between the hours of
				10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily, and provided the amount of water used is
				limited to only that necessary for efficient utilization. For purposes of this
				subsection, agricultural crops and nursery plants are limited to those grown on
				lands classified by the property appraiser as agricultural lands under Section
				 193.461, F.S. (2016). All water
				use under this subsection shall be subject to the following exceptions:
(a) Irrigation using a micro-spray,
				micro-jet, drip, or bubbler irrigation system is allowed anytime.
(b) The use of water for irrigation from a
				reclaimed water system is allowed anytime. For the purpose of this paragraph, a
				reclaimed water system includes systems in which the primary source is
				reclaimed water, which may or may not be supplemented by water from another
				source during peak demand periods.
(c) The use of recycled water from wet
				detention treatment ponds for irrigation is allowed anytime provided the ponds
				are not augmented from any ground or off-site surface water, or public supply
				sources.
(d) Irrigation is allowed
				at any time of day for one 30-day period following planting of agricultural
				crops or nursery stock, provided that the irrigation is limited to the minimum
				amount necessary for crop or plant establishment. Irrigation of newly planted,
				seeded or sprigged cemeteries, golf course greens, tees, fairways and primary
				roughs, and recreational areas such as playgrounds, football, baseball and
				soccer fields is allowed at any time of day for one 60-day period. An entire
				irrigation zone may be watered under this paragraph only if new plantings or
				landscaping comprise at least 50 percent of that zone. If new plantings or
				landscaping comprise less than 50 percent of an irrigation zone, only the new
				plantings or lanscaping can be watered under this paragraph.
(e) Watering in of chemicals, including
				insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides, and herbicides when required
				by law, the manufacturer, or best management practices is allowed any time of
				day within 24 hours of application. Watering in of chemicals shall not exceed
				1/4 inch of water per application except as otherwise required by law, the
				manufacturer, or best management practices.
(f) Irrigation systems may be operated any
				time of day for maintenance and repair purposes not to exceed 20 minutes per
				hour per irrigation zone.
(g)
				Irrigation of agricultural crops by seepage systems which regulate off-site
				discharges through the use of water control structures is allowed anytime,
				provided the discharge does not overtop the control structure by more than
				one-half inch, there is no discharge between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. unless
				associated with a storm event, and the structure is well maintained.
(h) The use of water to protect agricultural
				crops and nursery plants, except ferns, from frost or freeze damage is allowed
				when freezing temperatures or frost are predicted by an official weather
				forecasting service.
(i) The use of
				water to protect ferns from frost or freeze damage is allowed when the "wet
				bulb" temperature, as measured by a "wet bulb" thermometer at the site of
				application, is 34 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Freeze protection must cease
				when temperatures rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
(j) The use of water to protect agricultural
				crops, nursery plants and golf course turf from heat stress damage is allowed
				anytime, provided the watering does not exceed ten minutes per hour per
				irrigation zone.
(k) Irrigation of
				agricultural crops by traveling volume guns which require manual repositioning
				is allowed anytime.
(l) Irrigation
				using a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle is allowed
				anytime.
(m) Discharge of water
				from a water-to-air air conditioning unit or other water dependent cooling
				system constructed before August 14, 2014, is not limited by this
				permit.