Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 1
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
Camp Dresser & McKee
Larry N. Schwartz, Ph.D., P.W.S
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
History
– Exemption for the Experimental Use of Wetlands
– Warren S. Henderson Wetlands Protection Act of
1984: rules for the use of wetlands to receive
wastewater with protection of their type, nature
and function
– 1st rule adoption 1986: 17-6.055 FAC
– 2nd rule adoption 1988: 62-611 FAC
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 2
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.100 Scope/Intent/Purpose
– Landward extent of waters of the state
– As additional data becomes available the
department will reevaluate the rule
Non-substantive elimination from the rule
Over 12 years without reevaluation
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
611-110 Applicability
– Rule only applies to domestic wastewaters
Need to consider agricultural and industrial waste
– Prohibitions
- Class I & II waters
- Herbaceous wetlands except if dominated by cattail
Need to allow use of herbaceous wetlands with high
quality reclaimed water
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 3
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.200 Definitions
– Herbaceous and woody wetlands
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.200 Definitions
– Treatment Wetland - wastewater treated to
secondary levels with nitrification
– Receiving Wetland - wastewater treated to
advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) levels
- AWT
CBOD5 5 mg/l TSS 5 mg/l
TN 3 mg/l TP 1 mg/l
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 4
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.200 Definitions
– Man-made Wetlands
- constructed in uplands
- not constructed for mitigation
Should be referred to as constructed wetlands
following nomenclature in the literature
Should be promoted for waste treatment
especially in conjunction with receiving wetlands
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 5
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 6
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.200 Definitions
– Hydrologically Altered Woody Wetlands
- drainage resulting in substantial and continuing encroachment in upland species
– Hydrologically Altered Herbaceous
Wetlands
- drainage resulting in substantial and continuing reduction in water levels
Definitions to limiting, many wetlands could be rehydrated and this use should be promoted
Definition should address non-native species
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 7
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 8
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 9
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.300 General Qualitative Design Criteria
– Minimize channelized flow
– Maximize sheet flow
– Minimize erosion
– No adverse effect on T&E
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 10
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.350 General Quantitative Design Criteria
– Minimize alteration of natural hydroperiod
– Annual average hydraulic loading rate shall not
exceed 2 inches/week
– Except in hydrologically altered wetlands where
it shall not exceed 6 inches/week
Higher average hydraulic loading rates are appropriate in many wetland, lower average hydraulic loading rates are appropriate in certain wetlands
Therefore: consider establishing average hydraulic loading rates by wetland type
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.350 General Quantitative
Design Criteria
– Design criteria can be modified
after 5 years
– One day holding pond required
for wastewater
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 11
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.400 Specific Quantitative Design Criteria
– Minimum detention time of 14 days, unless
shorter detention time is appropriate
Lower detention times are appropriate
– TN loading=25 g/m2/yr HA=75 g/m2/yr
– TP loading= 3/g/m2/yr HA= 9 g/m2/yr
Loading should be based on wastewater quality as
with receiving wetlands
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.420 Discharge Limits to Treatment and
Receiving Wetlands
– Treatment Wetland - wastewater treated to
secondary levels with nitrification
Loading should be based on wastewater quality as with receiving wetlands
– Receiving Wetland - wastewater treated to
advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) levels
Lower TP levels are appropriate
– Total Ammonia = 2 mg/l
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 12
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.450 Discharge Limits from Treatment
and Receiving Wetlands
– Annual Average TN = 3 mg/l
– Annual Average un-ionized ammonia =
0.02 mg/l
– Annual Average TP = 0.2 mg/l
- Unless WQBELs are established or if P is not the
limiting nutrient
- If design criteria are met WQBELs should not be
required except in special circumstances
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 13
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.500 Standards within Treatment and
Receiving Wetlands
– Exemption from certain general water
quality standards; DO, nutrients, injury to
plants, turbidity
– Exemption from certain Class III water
quality standards; DO, total coliform,
biological integrity, transparency
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.500 Standards within Treatment and
Receiving Wetlands
DO standard
– Levels of dissolved oxygen including daily
and seasonal fluctuations shall be
maintained to prevent violations of the
biological quality standards
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 14
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.500 Standards within Treatment and
Receiving Wetlands
Wetland Biological Quality
– Diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates (>50%)
– Biomass of sport, commercial and forage fish can not
decrease by 10%
– Biomass of rough fish can not increase by 25%
– Importance values of most common vegetation in
canopy and subcanopy can not decrease by 50%
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 15
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.600 Permitting requirements
– Projects permitted under the experimental
exemption not regulated by this rule
– Projects permitted under the experimental
exemption can eventually receive a permit
under this rule
– Projects permitted prior to 1986 must be in
compliance with the rule by 1991
– Legal interest in the wetland is required
– Minor dredging and filling for the distribution
system will be reviewed with the permit ap.
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.650 Man-made Wetlands
– Provisions of the rule do not apply to man-
made wetlands
– Minimum (free-from) surface water quality
standards do apply
– General and Class III standards do not
apply, except for metals
– A wetland created for mitigation can not be
used as a treatment wetland, but can be
used as a receiving wetland
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 16
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.700 Monitoring Requirements
– Provide compliance with water quality
standards
– Evaluate design criteria and treatment
performance
– Monitoring plan approval required
– Modification of parameters and frequency
allowed after three years of operation
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 17
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.700 Monitoring Requirements
– Table 1 Monitoring program for unaltered
treatment wetlands
– Table 2 Monitoring program for hydrologically
altered or man-made treatment wetlands
– Table 3 Monitoring program for receiving
wetlands
– Length of baseline monitoring program, specified
parameters, frequency of monitoring, number of
sampling stations
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.700 Monitoring Requirements
- The tables need modification and clarification
- The performance of these systems is well
documented, therefore
In general the numbers of parameters should be
reduced as well as the monitoring frequency (monthly
to quarterly where appropriate)
Larry Schwartz/CDM
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Environmental Permitting Short
Course 18
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
62-611.900 Forms
– Permit application
– Monitoring plan approval
Chapter 62-611 FACWetlands Application
Additional Issues
– 62-40 (Water Policy) and 62-610 (Reuse of
Reclaimed Water) indicate that wetland
creation, restoration, or enhancement are
consider reuse, this should be cross
referenced in this rule
– The role of reclaimed water for mitigation
should be revisited
– Wetland systems are appropriate for wet
weather management and specific
requirements should be provided for this use