NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

PROPOSED STAFF REPORT

TO:

Executive Director

FROM:

Regulatory Division

DATE:

October 2, 2012

SUBJECT:

Request for Renewal and Modification of Individual Water Use Permit No. 20010006
Individual Water Use Permit Application No. I07216

Applicant:

Shark's Tooth Golf Club

Location:

2300 Wild Heron Way, Approximately 4 miles west of Panama City

Bay County, Permit Area A
Section 29; Township 2 South; Range 17 West

Use:

Golf Course Irrigation, Landscape Irrigation

Water Sources:

Surficial Aquifer System and receiving Storage Pond

Facilities:

See Appendix I

Capacity:

Ground Water:
Surface Water:

1,350 Gallons per Minute; 2,851,200 Gallons per Day

2,500 Gallons per Minute; 3,600,000 Gallons per Day

Withdrawal Information (amounts not additive--ground water is a component of surface water total):
Permitted
Use
Requested
Recommended
Surface Water
Average Day (GPD)
N/A
516,419
N/A
422,000
Maximum Day (GPD)
N/A
1,182,000
N/A
892,000
Maximum Month (GAL)
N/A
25,168,000
N/A
24,100,000
*Reported water use 2011

Ground Water
Average Day (GPD)
Maximum Day (GPD)
Maximum Month (GAL)

Permitted
291,000
700,000
18,000,000

Use
471,397
982,000
22,705,000

Requested
422,000
892,000
24,100,000

Recommended
422,000
892,000
24,100,000

Staff Evaluation:
Sharks Tooth Golf Club (Sharks Tooth) is requesting renewal and modification of Individual Water Use
Permit No. 20010006 with an increase in the requested withdrawal amounts. The Permittee has
historically exceeded its authorized amounts. These exceedences are due to a combination of factors
including more frequent irrigation to compensate for the impact of nematode damage to the turf. The
exceedences are being addressed in separate enforcement action.
Sharks Tooth operates its facility of 81 acres of roughs and fairways and seven acres of tees and greens
under the strict requirements of the Audubon Silver Certification Program. To maintain this certification,

STAFF REPORT
CUPA I07216
Page 2
the Permittee implements a Natural Resource Management Plan prepared by the Audubon International
Environmental Planning Department which follows up by providing consultation, training and education
as well as performing periodic, on-site environmental audits. To optimize irrigation, the Permittee
operates an on-site weather station to monitor and adjust to site conditions. They also adjust irrigation
schedules in anticipation of upcoming weather events. The facility has planted its 35 acres of landscape
in Florida Friendly, native vegetation. Sharks Tooth is to be applauded for its efforts to conserve water
and incorporate native Florida conditions on its golf course.
Sharks Tooth withdraws ground water from nine shallow, surficial aquifer wells and pumps the water
into a water hazard located on Hole #3 that also serves as the irrigation pond. The existing Permit only
contains allocations for ground water, which have historically been exceeded. The pond is lined;
however, a water budget of the pond indicates that, in addition to receiving pumped ground water, the
pond receives lateral inflow from the surficial aquifer. The additional lateral ground water contribution
disqualifies the pond from being exempt from the requirement for an Individual Water Use Permit.
Therefore, staff recommends that allocations for surface water withdrawals be added to the permit.
The turf at the golf course was tested by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University
of Florida (IFAS) and showed the Bermuda Tifeagle grass is at a high risk of damage due to nematode
infestation. The resulting root damage limits the turfs ability to take up water and the Permittee must
water more frequently to compensate. Sharks Tooth cant pursue an aggressive pesticide program to
control the nematodes without compromising their Audubon certification. The Permittee hired consultant
NOVA Engineering to conduct an independent analysis using the Districts irrigation model, the
Agricultural Field Scale Irrigation Requirements Simulation (AFSIRS), developed by IFAS. Staff
concurs with NOVAs analysis and has incorporated their recommendations into the AFSIRS model run.
Additionally, staff conducted an independent review of the irrigated acres, resulting in an increased
allocation for an additional 11 acres and decreased the root zone depth of the turf grass to four inches to
compensate for the damages and plant uptake limitations caused by nematodes.
The Permittee has consistently withdrawn amounts of ground water for golf course irrigation greater than
the authorized amounts. District staff conducted a comprehensive water budget for the golf course and
has concluded there is no aesthetic component to their pumping scheme. District staff attributes the
exceedence of the AFSIRS-derived amounts to additional irrigation used for nematode management and
overseeding. District staff recommends the AFSIRS-derived amounts, which are based on current turf
grass conditions and account for lower plant uptake due to the presence of nematodes. Specific
conditions of the recommended Permit will require Sharks Tooth to develop a remedial plan to address
their overpumping and achieve phased reductions in water use over time.
Staff reviewed water level data collected by the Applicant and evaluated the historical seasonal
withdrawals using the Program DRAWDOWN. The water level data and model results indicate that
seasonal drawdowns in the aquifer drawdowns generally range from three to five feet on the property.
Water levels recover due to rainfall during periods of non-pumping. Harm to water resources is not
anticipated to result from the proposed withdrawals; however, the Permittee will be required to mitigate
impacts should they occur.
Conclusions and Staff Recommendations:
It is the determination of the staff that the water use amounts recommended, as conditioned, are
reasonable-beneficial, consistent with the publics interest, and will not harm the water resources of the
area or interfere with existing legal users. This determination has been made according to provisions of
Chapter 373, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 40A-2, Florida Administrative Code.

STAFF REPORT
CUPA I07216
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The staff recommends that the applicant be granted an Individual Water Use Permit to authorize
withdrawals of surface water and ground water according to Specific Condition No. 1 below. Staff also
recommends that the permit's expiration date be November 1, 2019 and that the permit be conditioned as
per the terms and Standard Conditions of the permit document (NWFWMD Form No. A2-E) and the
following Specific Conditions:
1. The Permittee shall limit their withdrawals according to the following years:
Water Use by Source
Years 2012-2015
Average Day (GPD)

Years 2016-2017

Ground Water (Sand-and-Gravel Aquifer)

Surface Water (Storage Pond)
Irrigation Amounts Not to Exceed
Maximum Day (GPD)

460,000
460,000
460,000

422,000
422,000
422,000

Ground Water (Sand-and-Gravel Aquifer)

Surface Water (Storage Pond)
Irrigation Amounts Not to Exceed
Maximum Month (Gal)

892,000
892,000
892,000

892,000
892,000
892,000

Ground Water (Sand-and-Gravel Aquifer)

Surface Water (Storage Pond)
Irrigation Amounts Not to Exceed

24,100,000
24,100,000
24,100,000

24,100,000
24,100,000
24,100,000

The Permittee, prior to withdrawing ground water, shall maximize the use of its surface water and any
reclaimed water it obtains. Ground water that has been introduced into any surface water body shall
not be deducted from surface water totals. The Permittee may exclude, from the total surface water
amounts, water that is transferred by pumping from one surface water site to another. The Permittee
must meter, annotate and report surface water transferred by pumping amounts as specified on Water
Use Summary Reporting Form NWFWMD A2-I in order to exclude them from the calculation of
total combined water use.
2. The Permittee shall include the Individual Water Use Permit number and the wells Florida Unique
Identification Number when submitting reports or otherwise corresponding with the District.
3. The Permittee shall record the data required on Annual Water Use Reporting Form NWFWMD A2-I.
The Permittee, by January 31 of each year, shall submit the report to the District for the preceding
years water use, even if no water is used. The Permittee, if preferred, may submit the report
electronically by downloading the correct form from the District website, filling it out properly, and
e-mailing it to compliance@nwfwmd.state.fl.us. The report for the year 2012 is due by January 31,
2013.
4. The Permittee shall, by July 31, 2013, develop and submit, for District approval, a turf irrigation
management plan, with the goals of increasing water use efficiency and reducing withdrawals to no
greater than the allocated amounts provided in Specific Condition No. 1 for Years 2016-2017. The
plan shall detail phased-in, yearly goals and provide for the methods of their achievement.
5. The Permittee, within the first two weeks of each month, shall measure and record water levels from
the Hole 3 (AAF8093) and Turf Center (AAF8092) monitoring wells. The Permittee shall measure

STAFF REPORT
CUPA I07216
Page 4
the water level using a District-approved device and report the reading as depth-to-water below a predefined measuring point. If the measuring point elevation is different from land surface, the
Permittee shall provide the difference between these two elevations. The Permittee shall include the
date and time the measurement was taken and the water level measurement to 0.01 foot precision.
The measurement records for the months of January through June shall be submitted to the District by
each July 31 and records for the months of July through December shall be submitted by January 31
of each year.
6. The Permittee, to the extent feasible, shall implement for the golf courses all practices identified in
the document Best Management Practices for the Enhancement of Environmental Quality on
Florida Golf Courses (2007).
The document can be accessed at the website:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/nonpoint/docs/nonpoint/glfbmp07.pdf . The Permittee, by January
31 of each year, shall report all practices implemented during the previous year by utilizing Appendix
E, the Golf Course Best Management Practices Checklist.
7. The Permittee shall, by July 31, 2018, report the status of the nematode infestation and any efforts or
successes in its management. The Permittee shall document the occurrence of the nematodes by
providing copies of any professional diagnosis conducted on the site during the permit duration.
8. The Permittee shall continue to use Florida Friendly landscape techniques, such as utilizing droughttolerant vegetation, when modifying the landscape surrounding the golf course.
9. The Permittee shall maintain, in working order, an in-line totalizing flow meter on each well and
surface water pump.
10. The Permittee shall equip the irrigation system with anti-siphoning devices if chemicals are applied
during irrigation.

PERMIT MAILOUT ENCLOSURES:

WATER USE SUMMARY REPORTING FORM, NWFWMD A2-I

LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION & FLORIDA-FRIENDLY DESIGN STANDARDS

STAFF REPORT
CUPA I07216
Page 5
Appendix I
Ground Water
Well
Florida Unique
Number
ID
LP/GW #1
AAD9255
LP/GW #2
AAD9253
LP/GW #3
AAD9254
LP/GW #4
AAD9251
LP/GW #5
AAD9250
LP/GW #6
AAD9252
LP/GW #7
AAD9256
LP/GW #8
AAD9257
LP/GW #9
AAD9258
HOLE #3 MO AAF8093
TURF MO
AAF8092

Diameter
(Inches)
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
4

Total Depth
(Feet)
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
96
97

Cased Depth
(Feet)
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
56
57

Surface Water
Well
Diameter Intake Pump Capacity Pump Horsepower
Number
(Inches)
(GPM)
(HP)
750
75
LP/SW #1
12
750
75
LP/SW #2
12
500
50
LP/SW #3
12
500
50
LP/SW #4
12

Pump Capacity
(GPM)
150
150
150
150
150
150
150
150
150
---

Status
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing

Status
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing
Existing

Use
Golf Course
Golf Course
Landscape
Landscape