By Jonathan Webber
Conservation Campaign Manager
Published August 25, 2011
This article is from ĢAv Florida
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After repeated violations of long-term phosphorus levels in the , ĢAv has released recommendations to stop the further increase of this pollutant in one of Florida's special places. and learn how ĢAv is working to protect our water supply for people and the environment.
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- Dedicate resources towards a stronger Best Management Practice (BMP) monitoring and enforcement effort. Pursue BMP rule changes to require more accountability and consistency of BMP implementation by individual farms.
- Reconsider the current regime of Everglades Agricultural Area-wide averaged compliance in favor of compliance by individual farm or sub-basin. In the alternative, the 25% reduction below baseline compliance threshold should be raised significantly.
- Enact BMP rule changes to increase reliance upon and requirements for the most effective BMP strategies, such as “Sediment Control” BMPs that require more intense management of on-farm ditches and canals and “Water Management” BMPs that retain water on farms and reduce discharges.
- Emphasize Source Control strategies that create smaller impoundments spread throughout “hot spots” and “problem basins” such as S5-A to retain waters with higher phosphorus loads in those basins for a head start on treatment before the water reaches Stormwater Treatment Areas.
For more information, please our latest fact sheet.
