Minimum flows and minimum water levels for Outstanding Florida Springs.

(1) At the time a minimum flow or minimum water level is adopted pursuant to s. 373.042 for an Outstanding Florida Spring, if the spring is below or is projected within 20 years to fall below the minimum flow or minimum water level, a water management district or the department shall concurrently adopt a recovery or prevention strategy.

(2) When a minimum flow or minimum water level for an Outstanding Florida Spring is revised pursuant to s. 373.0421(3), if the spring is below or is projected within 20 years to fall below the minimum flow or minimum water level, a water management district or the department shall concurrently adopt a recovery or prevention strategy or modify an existing recovery or prevention strategy. A district or the department may adopt the revised minimum flow or minimum water level before the adoption of a recovery or prevention strategy if the revised minimum flow or minimum water level is less constraining on existing or projected future consumptive uses.

(3) For an Outstanding Florida Spring without an adopted recovery or prevention strategy, if a district or the department determines the spring has fallen below, or is projected within 20 years to fall below, the adopted minimum flow or minimum water level, a water management district or the department shall expeditiously adopt a recovery or prevention strategy.

(4) The recovery or prevention strategy for each Outstanding Florida Spring must, at a minimum, include:

(a) A listing of all specific projects identified for implementation of the plan;

(b) A priority listing of each project;

(c) For each listed project, the estimated cost of and the estimated date of completion;

(d) The source and amount of financial assistance to be made available by the water management district for each listed project, which may not be less than 25 percent of the total project cost unless a specific funding source or sources are identified which will provide more than 75 percent of the total project cost. The Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Suwannee River Water Management District are not required to meet the minimum requirement to provide financial assistance pursuant to this paragraph;

(e) An estimate of each listed project’s benefit to an Outstanding Florida Spring; and

(f) An implementation plan designed with a target to achieve the adopted minimum flow or minimum water level no more than 20 years after the adoption of a recovery or prevention strategy.

The water management district or the department shall develop a schedule establishing 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year targets for achieving the adopted minimum flows or minimum water levels. The schedule shall be used to provide guidance for planning and funding purposes and is exempt from chapter 120.

(5) A local government may apply to the department for a single extension of up to 5 years for any project in an adopted recovery or prevention strategy. The department may grant the extension if the local government provides to the department sufficient evidence that an extension is in the best interest of the public. For a local government in a rural area of opportunity, as defined in s. 288.0656, the department may grant a single extension of up to 10 years.