Thomas L. Singleton Consulting, Inc.
Owner's Representative - water, energy, and environmental services

Projects

Implementation of Sustainable Water Resource Management Plan, Winter Haven, Florida (City of Winter Haven). Project manager and principal adviser to City responsible for Plan oversight; policy analysis; strategy development; stakeholder coordination, collaboration, and communication; capital program development; and funding. Nationally recognized plan provides a road map for planning management and growth in a way that will allow the community to protect and manage water resources and maximize opportunities for economic growth associated with the CSX intermodal transportation facility in Winter Haven. Backbone of the plan is an interconnected network of lakes, canals, wetlands, aquifers, open spaces, and parks, designed to store water to meet the long-term water resource needs of the community, including supply (water quantity), treatment (water quality), flood protection, and the preservation of natural resources. Using the existing natural infrastructure, provides multiple economic, social, and environmental benefits and significantly reduces the cost of meeting the water resource needs of the community. 2012 - 2019.

Alternatives for Enhancing Lake Water Levels in the Lakes in Killearn, Tallahassee, Florida, Killearn Homes Association. Principal Investigator and author responsible for identifying and evaluating the factors influencing and the management options for enhancing water levels and health of the lakes in the Killearn subdivision, one of the largest subdivisions in Tallahassee with over 10,000 residents. 2018.

From Gray to Green: Tools for Transitioning to Vegetation-Based Stormwater Management, US Forest Service and University of South Florida. Co-Principal Investigator responsible for project oversight and development and testing of GIS-based decision support tools in Tampa, Florida and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. G2G, which can be downloaded at https://gray2green.jimdo.com, employs a strategic treatment-train framework that emphasizes the protection and use of ecosystem services and trees to reduce runoff volumes, runoff velocity, and pollutant loadings from impervious and pervious surfaces. The tool provides a quantified report of volume, pollutant load reductions, and other environmental and social benefits for 11 best management practices applied at the site and watershed scales. A scenario analysis tool allows users to evaluate the benefits of multiple combinations of practices on the fly. 2015-2017.

Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) Plan Updates for Six River and Bay Systems, Northwest Florida Water Management District. Technical lead responsible for preparing the water quality assessment, project implementation, and resource management activities sections of the reports and stakeholder coordination in six major river and bay systems, including the St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay, Ochlockonee River and Bay, St. Andrew and St. Joe Bays, Choctawhatchee River and Bay, the Pensacola Bay System, and Perdido River and Bay. 2015-2017.

SWIM Plan Consolidation/Update for the Suwannee River and Coastal Basins/Deepwater Horizon Planning Effort for the Big Bend Estuary, Suwannee River Water Management District. Technical lead responsible for documentation, document review, and coordination with over 1200 stakeholders. The project updates and consolidates seven existing SWIM plans into two comprehensive plans and identifies priority projects for funding through the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund and other funding sources. 2016-2017.

Development of Sustainable Water Management Plan and Environmental Flows for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Rivers Basin, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama (ACF Stakeholders). Project director responsible for project design, quality assurance, and stakeholder coordination, communication, and education. Project involved the development of environmental flow recommendations for the Apalachicola River based primarily on the work of 1) Light, et al. (1998) who examined acres of connected aquatic and floodplain habitat as a function of flow for the Apalachicola River at the Chattahoochee gage, and 2) the USFWS (2012) who assessed the minimum acceptable flows necessary to sustain protected mussel species in the upper reaches of the river under the most adverse flow conditions. Environmental flow recommendations for the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers were developed using the Indicators of Hydrologic Adjustment (IHA) statistical package developed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), using 10 percent and 20 percent presumptions, and using the allowable percent reductions developed for the Apalachicola River (Apalachicola Presumption). Since the Apalachicola Presumption was the more conservative presumption with respect to the environment, it was recommended as the presumption to be used. The project, which will maximize the beneficial use of water for the environment and people, included an extensive literature and case study review. Significant stakeholder coordination, communication, and education were required to secure consensus on and approval of all project deliverables. 2012.

Development of Conservation and Restoration Targets for Sustainable Water Resource Management, Winter Haven, Florida (City of Winter Haven). Project director responsible for the technical approach and design of the project. Project evaluated the water resource functions for all landscape features within the Peace Creek Watershed, including ecological processes and their relationships with identified water resource benefits (water storage, water quality treatment, environmental resources, flood protection, cultural and recreational amenities, and other benefits). Conservation and restoration targets for preserving these essential functions and services were developed for the entire watershed. The targets will guide local and regional, land and water resource decision-making in implementing the City's sustainable water resources management plan in a cost-effective and beneficial way. The project was the silver medal winner of the 2011 Atkins National Recognition Award and was featured in the November 2012 Atkins Technical Journal. 2012.

Peace Creek Watershed Sustainable Water Resources Management Plan, Winter Haven, Florida (City of Winter Haven). Project director and principal author responsible for the design and all aspects of the project. Project involved development of a sustainable water resources management plan with significant stakeholder participation. Backbone of the plan is an interconnected network of lakes, canals, wetlands, aquifers, open spaces, and parks, designed to store water to meet the long-term water resource needs of the community, including supply (water quantity), treatment (water quality), flood protection, and the preservation of natural resources. Using the existing natural infrastructure, the plan provides multiple economic, social, and environmental benefits and significantly reduces the cost of meeting the water resource needs of the community. The plan was adopted by the Winter Haven City Commission in December 2010. The nationally recognized plan received the 2011 APEX Grand Award for excellence in writing and an award of excellence for layout and design. It was also featured in the November/December 2009 issue of Stormwater magazine, the November 2009 Florida Engineering Society Journal, and the April 2011 Atkins Technical Journal. 2011.

Tampa Bay Water Integrated Source Water Protection Plan, Tampa Bay, Florida (Tampa Bay Water). Principal technical professional responsible for project design, quality assurance, and stakeholder participation. Project involved development of an integrated source water protection plan for protecting public drinking water sources, including groundwater, surface water, and saline sources. The protective measures evaluated include protective policies and regulations, land acquisition programs, best management practices, local watershed protection measures, public information and education, and monitoring programs. The relative effectiveness of the measures was determined using an innovative “expert” survey method to gain consensus on what makes a measure effective. The most effective methods were then evaluated through cost-benefit analysis, including financial and personnel costs and water quality, environmental, and social benefits (triple bottom line). The project is described in a 2011 American Water Resource Association paper entitled “A Case Study of Stakeholder Participation in Source Water Protection.” 2010.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection TMDL Support Contract, Florida (FDEP). Contract manager and principal in charge responsible for project oversight and design, quality assurance, and stakeholder facilitation. Services ranged from statistical analysis of water quality data used to determine water quality impairments, to field studies for assessing microbial and nutrient sources, to coordination with local governments and stakeholders in the development of TMDL implementation plans for pollutant load abatement and waterbody remediation. Projects were initiated by FDEP as demonstration projects to help MS4 permit holders avoid unnecessary and costly projects, including stormwater and wastewater retrofits. 2008-2012.

Lake Hancock Water Quality Project, Polk County, Florida. FDEP project manager responsible for project design and implementation. Project involved two studies: a manipulative in situ experiment to determine potential responses of water quality to sediment removal in Lake Hancock, an extremely hypereutrophic lake, and a linked study to determine threshold values for phosphorous and nitrogen for water quality improvement. Resulted in a decision by FDEP to delay and perhaps not develop a TMDL for the lake. 2009.

Sarasota Bay Watershed Assessment and Evaluation of Water Quality Restoration Alternatives, Sarasota, Florida (FDEP). Project director responsible for project oversight, quality assurance, and stakeholder participation. Project saved the County tens of millions of dollars in the unnecessary conversion of septic tanks to central sanitary sewers and stormwater retrofits. Involved a comprehensive assessment of conditions in the Sarasota Bay watershed giving rise to the observed water chemistry and biological responses contributing to water quality impairments throughout the watershed. Information was used to delist three waterbodies from FDEP's impaired waters list and gain consensus on the appropriate management actions for protecting and restoring water quality and preserving water resources in the watershed. 2008.

Bacteria Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) Implementation, Hillsborough River Watershed, Hillsborough County, Florida (FDEP). Project director responsible for project design and oversight, quality assurance, and stakeholder facilitation. Project, saved the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County tens of millions of dollars in unnecessary wastewater and stormwater retrofits. Involved an evaluation of potential bacteria sources causing water quality impairments. Included the development and testing of a management tool for identifying sources of fecal indicator bacteria, evaluating relative health risks, and targeting management actions to restore water quality. Over 40 public and private stakeholders participated in field testing the tool. Tool, which includes a microbial water quality assessment, a contaminant source survey, and microbial source tracking, has been used in over 60 watersheds in Florida and can be applied anywhere in the country. It has proven to be especially effective in gaining stakeholder consensus on the actions necessary to restore water quality. Project methodology and tool were featured as the cover article in the May 2009 issue of Stormwater magazine. 2008-2009.

South Dade Watershed Project, Miami-Dade County, Florida (South Florida Water Management District). Co-author and project manager responsible for project design and oversight. Project involved the development of a regional sustainable water resource management plan to guide the rebuilding of south Dade County after Hurricane Andrew in 1995. Project received the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Urban and Regional Design in 1999.

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Projects