Continuous Investments in Lake Munson Basin Totaling $290 Million

Over the years, more than $247 million has been spent on 21 capital improvement projects to provide water quality treatment, reduce sediment transport, and collect trash. These include the restoration of Lake Munson, the construction of Lake Henrietta stormwater management facility serving as a filter for Lake Munson, the Gum Swamp Restoration, and the construction of various stormwater facilities.

In addition, there are seven ongoing projects, totaling over $42.5 million, aimed at further enhancing the water quality. These include the Advanced Septic Tank Pilot Project, the Comprehensive Wastewater Treatment Facilities Plan, and the Northeast Lake Munson Septic to Sewer Conversion Project.

In total, the County and its partners have invested more than $290 million in the Lake Munson Basin to improve the Lake's water quality and protect our natural environment.

The County has also implemented 12 Best Management Practices (BMPs) to protect and preserve the water quality. These include wetland preservation, regulations to minimize clearing around lakes, regulations on fertilizer use before storm events, and the prohibition of illicit discharges.

Looking ahead, Leon County plans to continue its efforts with nine future management strategies, projects, and BMPs. These include recurring lake drawdowns, water quality sampling, aerial topographic surveys, and investments in upstream improvements.

Engaging the Community

Leon County remains committed to engaging the Lake Munson community. To date, the County has attended 3 community meetings, 4 stakeholder meetings with the Lake Munson Workgroup and other invested community members, quarterly meetings with the County’s Science Advisory Committee and interested citizens, has organized clean-up events at Lake Munson and Lake Henrietta and responded to hundreds of emails to listen to community feedback and keep the community informed about the ongoing efforts at Lake Munson. The number of engagements continues to rise daily as the County aims to maintain the community's involvement and keep them informed about the ongoing efforts at Lake Munson.

Lake Munson Action Plan

Preserving and Protecting Lake Munson's Water Quality Through Comprehensive Planning and Action

For decades, Leon County, the City of Tallahassee, and Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency have devoted extensive resources to improving Lake Munson's water quality. With a combined investment of hundreds of millions of dollars, numerous projects have been completed, with a primary focus on upstream improvements. These efforts have been crucial in enhancing water quality treatment, reducing sediment transport, collecting trash, and ultimately benefiting the overall water quality of Lake Munson.

On October 11, 2022, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners (Board) approved the Lake Munson Action Plan, which includes short- and long-term strategies to continue the restoration and ecological improvement of Lake Munson. On March 21, 2023, a six-month update was provided to the Board and modifications to the Action Plan were approved. The Action Plan is based on industry best practices for lake management with input from State agency partners, professional consultants under contract with the County for environmental and engineering support, and citizen stakeholders. The following is a brief overview of some of the strategies included in the Action Plan.