Specifications

Section 3 Future Without Project Conditions
EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006
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“without project” conditions, water quality should continue to improve. This
could improve fish populations by increasing water clarity and allowing
increased coverage of important fish habitat.
3.1.8 Federally-listed Threatened and Endangered Species
Without the Project, use of the EAA and Compartment A by most endangered,
threatened, or state-listed wildlife should not change during the planning period
through 2050. Exceptions may include the federally endangered West Indian
manatee, the threatened crested caracara and the Florida burrowing owl, a
state-listed species of special concern. Studies are currently underway to
document use of the canals by manatees. A preliminary map has been produced
that shows over half the canals within the EAA are accessible to manatees.
Maintenance dredging or other construction/repair activities may create
obstruction for manatees. Manatees within the canals may continue to become
entrapped within the system and suffer harm or mortality due to poor quality
habitat and inability to navigate to more suitable habitat.
Other federally-listed species occurring in the EAA include the crested caracara,
which is known to use Compartment A. Caracara use a variety of open habitat,
both upland and wetland, for foraging. Maintenance of an open agricultural and
wetland mix in Compartment A under the “without project” condition would
continue to provide habitat for the caracara.
Water quality improvements in the WCAs would benefit the wood stork, snail
kite, and bald eagle by increasing the available forage, improving access to prey
species and reducing possible exposure to contaminants including pesticides.
Somewhat improved water clarity and reduced nutrients improve habitat for the
apple snail and increase successful foraging by the Everglades snail kite.
However, the limited number of shallow open water or marsh communities in
the EAA would minimize benefits of improved water quality to snail kite
populations.
The without project condition could contribute to the decline of the Okeechobee
gourd which is typically found around Lake Okeechobee. Water management
practices in the future could contribute to promoting nuisance / exotic vegetation
around Lake Okeechobee, which could out-compete the gourd.
Other federally-listed species that would be unaffected by the “without project”
condition include the Florida panther, Eastern indigo snake, and the
Okeechobee gourd. No changes to limited Florida panther use of the EAA would
likely result from the “without project” condition. The eastern indigo snake may
continue to use some marginal habitat on Compartment A.