continued mobile car & pet washes u.s. postage · our waterways. below are some ... to help...

Winter Park WaterwaysLAKES DIVISION401 S. Park Ave.

Winter Park, FL 32789 2016NOVEMBER

featured

Lake Temple

When we hire professionals to provide services for us, we expect them to know the rules related to their business and todo the job properly. But unless we check, how do we know for sure? Since a lot of the work we pay to have done for ustakes place while we’re away, or out from under our eyes, it is important to make sure the people we hire know how to protectour waterways. Below are some examples of services that have been problematic in the past, and questions you can askto help determine if the company you’re about to give your money to is doing what it takes to protect our lakes.

Lawn care providersThe most common pollution source related to lawn care is the blowing of leaves, grass clippings and dirt into the street (ordown a stormwater inlet). Leaves and debris are not the only lawn care related threat to our lakes, however. Additionalpollution sources include fertilizers and pesticides that are used improperly. Make it your business to know how your lawncare provider runs theirs.

PaintersThe cleaning of paint brushes and other paint covered equipment on pavedsurfaces allows potentially harmful chemicals to run off into the stormwatersystem and our waterways. Even water based paints labeled as “non-toxic”can cause massive turbidity plumes that can kill aquatic plants and animals.

» Paint should neverbe washed on paved surfaces. Non-toxic, water based paints can bewashed in grassy areas where the wash water cannot run off.

» Solvent oroil based paints should never be cleaned on the ground, paved orotherwise. All solvents, like paint thinner, must be retained. When thesolvents are no longer usable, they must be disposed of at an approvedhazardous material handling facility.

» If your lawn care provideruses any pesticides, they are required by law to be licensed by theFlorida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).Using any pesticide in way not consistent with the product’s label isa violation of federal law.

» Exceeding thelabeled application rate for any fertilizer is not only a violation offederal law, it’s a waste of your money. Excess fertilizer can’t beabsorbed by the plants and will often get washed into ourstormwater system in the next rain event.

Help eliminate illicit discharges ~ stop paying to pollute our lakes!

Even an interior painting project can lead towater pollution if not done properly.

Selecting quality service providers can preventpollution from entering our lakes.

Cattails (Typha domingensis and T. latifolia)Cattails are one of the few native, aquatic plants that frequently cause ecological problems similar tothose caused by invasive, exotic species. The two native species that occur in central Florida, Typhadomingensis and T. latifolia, are capable of rapidly expanding along shorelines and can grow in water oversix feet deep. Their strap like leaf blades can reach eight feet above the water allowing them to crowd outother plants. The characteristic, brown “cat tail” is actually the plant’s flower spike and is made up ofthousands of tiny, densely packed flowers. The upper portion contains the male flowers and the lowerportion the female flowers which produce the numerous seedsthat will eventually be spread by the wind allowing the species tocolonize new territory.

When cattails become established in a lake, they tend to displaceother vegetation, sometimes to the point that no other speciespersist around the shoreline. Certain birds and other wildlife usecattails for nesting and cover, but cattails are not the preferredhabitat for many of them. They use it because it’s what’s availableto them at the time. Some species cannot adapt to the breakdownin the food chain that results when the natural variety invegetation disappears. Lakes that are dominated by cattails, can’tsupport the variety of wildlife that lakes with more diverseshoreline vegetation can.

Cattails produce a large amount of leaf litter during the year whichcan create significant muck deposits in the areas where theygrow. They are also known to form tussocks (see Tussock articlein this issue) which can drift around the lake blocking accesspoints and impeding boat traffic. For all of these reasons, the cityencourages residents to replace cattails with more desirablespecies such as softstem bulrush or duck potato.

illustration provided byIFAS Center for Aquatic Plants,

University of Florida, Gainesville, 1990

Lake Temple

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

PRE-SORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. PostagePAIDOrlando

Permit No. 1979

Lake-related inquiries 407-599-3599

Non-stormwater discharges 407-599-3233 or 407-599-3599

Stormwater/erosion inquiries 407-599-3233

Nuisance Alligator Hotline 866-392-4286(Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission)

Department of Environmental Protection Division of Law Enforcement 877-2SAVE-FL (Report environmental crimes such as unlawful disposal of hazardous waste.) wireless phone #DEP Im

Featured this month…

Stats > size : 3.1 acres drainage basin : 10 acres average depth : 6 feet (approx.)

OHW elevation : 66.6 feet (NAVD)

Water quality > impacts : stormwater runoff & internal nutrient cycling (from sediment)

> clarity : slight improving trend (1998-2015)

General > water table lake : level dependent on groundwater elevation from rainfall :no permanent inflows : outfall in high water condition is through a culvert toHowell Branch Creek

> management efforts : aeration system installed in 2009, periodic treatment ofnuisance vegetation

continued above featured this month

Help eliminate illicit discharges continued

Mobile car & pet washesPollution problems associated with mobile washing services are generally related to the discharge of dirtywater and detergents into the street where they can easily make their way to our lakes. Other potentialpollutants include insecticidal or medicinal shampoos used in pet grooming and solvents used in carcleaning. This industry is relatively new and is not well regulated in most parts of the country. What you needto know:

» If the answer to this question is “no”, then there are a few thingsyou need to consider to avoid the release of pollutants to our lakes. Cars and pets should be washedon grass or other pervious surfaces if the wash water is not being collected. Water containing pesticideresidue (flea shampoo, etc.) should never be discharged to the ground.

» Taking the wash water from your house and dumping it downa storm drain somewhere else isn’t the answer you want to hear. Ideally, the prospective company willhave documentation of contracts or invoices for dumping their dirty water at an appropriate treatmentfacility. Wash water without chemicals (other than soap) may be land spread in areas where there won’tbe any runoff to waterways or paved surfaces.

» Chemicalslike pesticides and solvents typically have specific and strict label requirements that dictate whereand how these products must be disposed of and how much may be discharged at one time. Violationof the label requirements is a violation of state and/or federal law, depending on the product. If yourservice provider seems unaware of these issues, you may want to look elsewhere.

WaterwaysNL-2016-11.qxp_WaterwaysNL-2016-11 11/15/16 1:14 PM Page 1

featured

Lake Temple

PRE-SORTEDSTANDARD

Permit No. 1979

» Take the keys Leaving the keys in the boat orwatercraft will allow anyone that wants to leave withyour boat easy access to do so. If you want to leaveyour keys in the boathouse, add a lock box with acombination lock so that only you can get to the keys.Every layer of complication for a thief, is an additionallayer of security.

» Lock the doors This one may seem obvious, butensure that when you leave the boathouse (or otherstructure) you lock the doors. If you leave the doorsunlocked thieves and vandals areable to enter with no effort. If youtend to forget to lock the door on aregular basis, or don’t want to keepup with another set of keys, you caninstall a keypad lock that locks whenthe door closes. This is an automaticway to provide additional security tothe boathouse, as well as the boat.

» Use lockers and storage chestsStore personal items such as lifejackets or spare boat parts into alocking storage chest. It not onlykeeps the area clean and tidy butdeters potential thieves.

Lakeside & boathouse security tips contributed by Officer John Reynolds, Winter Park Police DepartmentThe residents of our city spend a considerable amount of thought, time, and money on the security of their home. Whilepeople in nearly all communities share the desire to secure their property; the people of Winter Park are blessed tolive around a beautiful chain of lakes. Lakeside living provides extraordinary pleasure and year-round beauty but canpresent additional concerns when planning for security. Fortunately, many of the same tools and tips used to secureyour residence can be extended to your lakeside property and belongings.

Most people recognize the importance of lighting in the security of their home. Lighting is integrated into the landscapeof the front yards not only to beautify the property, but to discourage those looking for a little privacy as they break intoa home. As with the front yard, lighting in the rear of the home is also vital to securing your property. This is especiallytrue for homes on a lake or waterway. The waterway serves as a secondary access point to the property. Thieves candrive boats and other water vehicles up to the unlit property, using darkness as their cover. Lighting technology hasmade great strides in recent years. Motion activated, solar powered lights can be purchased at a relatively low cost.This lighting option frees the customer from an extensive wiring project or needing to remember to turn the lights onand off as the sun sets and rises.

Another waterfront security option that can be an extension to the main property is a monitored security system whichis an excellent choice because of its relative low cost, and the savings it provides from many home insurance policies.If your home has a monitored security system, consider contacting your service provider and ask to have additionalmonitors and cameras installed in your boathouse, or other waterfront areas.

In addition to lighting and security systems, several other low or no cost security enhancements are…

Tussocks…what are they & what can be done? Tussocks are essentially masses of floating plants and or sedimentsthat can freely drift within a water body, often driven by prevailing windor currents. Tussocks can range in size from a few square feet tomassive islands occupying hundreds of acres and supporting maturetrees. There are several ways that tussocks can form. The mostcommon is when rooted plants drop biomass, in the form of leaves andstems, that remains attached to the plant. Buildup continues until anew, floating substrate develops. New growth begins rooting in thefloating mass of decomposing plant material. The process continuesand the floating plant stand continues to expand into open water areas.Wind, waves or other physical disturbances can cause pieces of thesefloating mats to dislodge, forming the floating islands. Two invasivespecies in Florida, Cuban bulrush (Oxycaryum cubense) and torpedograss (Panicum repens) are known for forming tussocks in this manner.

Another way that tussocks can form is when rooted plants aredislodged and float to the surface. In mucky areas, significant amountsof the sediments may pop up with the plants and remain attached tothe root system. The original plants can continue to grow and otherspecies may also become established. Lily pads are known to formtussocks this way,particularly during highwater conditions in areaswhere the plants aregrowing in a muckysubstrate.

A less common means oftussock formation iswhen a lake with amoderate amount ofmuck sediment over ahard sand bottomexperiences a prolongeddrought. The exposedmuck layer becomes consolidated from the loss of water and plantsbecome established, their roots further binding the sediment. When thelake eventually refills, the plant covered muck layer may be buoyantenough that all or part of it floats to the surface.

The most effective and economical way to control tussocks is to preventtheir formation through proactive plant management. Eradicatinginvasive species that are known tussock builders and minimizing thecoverage in mucky areas of species known to float and form them areways to reduce the likelihood of tussock formation. Once tussocksform, options are limited to treating them chemically or physicallyremoving them from the lake. Chemical treatment is the mosteconomical, but complete breakdown of the tussocks may take monthsor even years in some cases. Removal provides immediate relief butcan be prohibitively expensive in some cases due to the equipment andmanpower needed to accomplish the task.

» Remove valuables Leaving valuables in theboathouse, especially in sight, promotes theft.This includes important documents such as yourboat registration (which should be kept inside thehouse in a secure area with other documents).When you leave, open the blinds so thieves whomay be looking around for a prime target, will seethere is nothing inside to steal and will move on.

» Keep the area clean When an area is not properlymaintained, it will look abandoned. Abandoned

means “up for grabs” in theworld of thieves. Keeping grasscut, limbs trimmed, andstructures in good repair, willshow that people are aroundand involved on this property,and that a theft will be noticed.

» Report all thefts Even if theincident seems minor to you,the information you provide isentered into a database thatcan identify crime patterns andpredict future activity allowingpolice to take preventativemeasures.

Keeping valuable equipment stowed andlocked can help deter theft.

Tussocks can cause an unsightly mess as wellas interfering with access and navigation.

Member Term EndGeoff Bedine chair 2017James Barnes 2017Amy Byrd 2018Steve DiClemente 2019Doug Marks 2019Nora Miller 2017John Minton 2019

Jack Goggin alternate 2019

Public Works DepartmentTroy [email protected]

Don MarcotteAssistant Director/City [email protected]

Tim EganWater Quality & NPDESCompliance [email protected]

Amy GiannottiLakes [email protected]

Debbie WilkersonOffice [email protected]

Lakes & WaterwaysAdvisory BoardMission > to protect and improve the city’sgreatest natural resource – its lakes andwaterways, by fostering public stewardship,recommending protective measures, conductinglong-range planning, and overseeing theimplementation of improvement projects forlake and stormwater management.

First observed in Florida in canals south of Lake Okeechobee,the exotic (non-native) island apple snail (Pomacea insularum)has become a widespread pest throughout most of the state,occurring as far north as Jacksonville and west as Tallahassee.The species was most likely introduced through the aquarium/tropical pet industry. Island apple snails grow much larger thanour native species (P. paludosa) and once they reach full size[3.5 inches in diameter vs. 2 inches for native snails], normalpredators, like the limpkin, have trouble feeding on them. This species is also

a prolific breeder, laying clutches of up to 2,000bright pink eggs compared to our natives that lay30 to 50 pale pink to white eggs per clutch.

Wildlife biologists are concerned that exotic applesnails may become problematic because they arecapable of eating rooted plants unlike our nativesnails that eat periphyton [algae that grow on thesurface of rooted plants]. A large enoughpopulation of these invasive snails couldadversely impact aquatic plant communities,causing water quality degradation and harm towildlife that depends on the vegetation for food and cover. They are also capable of outcompeting our native snails which serve as an important food source for several nativespecies of birds and fish.

Chemical control has proven to be only marginally effective and can have some undesirableside effects. Manual removal of egg masses and adult snails remains the primary method forcontrolling exotic apple snails. In Winter Park, the island apple snail has become establishedin Lake Knowles and the city is currently implementing an aggressive control program to tryand eradicate them before they cause ecological harm or spread to other lakes. The city’sSustainability Coordinator is working with the Lakes Division to include volunteer snail“roundups” in the city’s control efforts. During one recent event, 150 volunteers were able tocollect 270 pounds of snails and eggs! If you observe the bright pink egg clusters or thinkyou’ve seen an adult island apple snail (other than Lake Knowles), please report it to theLakes Division at [email protected] or 407-599-3578.

Adult exotic island apple snail

Exotic [left] vs. native [right] apple snail eggs.Side by side comparison [inset].

y To help stem the tide of exotic species infestations, the Florida Fish and Wildlife ConservationCommission (FWC) has established an exotic pet amnesty program. The program has two maincomponents:

» providing a safe way for owners of non-native animals who no longer wantor are unable to care for their pets toturn them in instead of releasing theminto the environment

» training volunteers to become qualifiedand responsible foster owners ofexotic animals that are turned inthrough the program

If you have a non-native pet that you no longer want or are interested in adopting an animal,please visit FWC at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives or call 888-Ive-Got1 (888-483-4681).

featured

Lake Temple

PRE-SORTEDSTANDARD

Permit No. 1979

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