|
Charles Dauray
Governing Board Member
Clarence S. Tears
Big Cypress Basin Service Center Director
South Florida Water Management District
www.sfwmd.gov
Big Cypress Basin
Service Center
Poinciana Professional Park
2640 Golden Gate Parkway
Suite 205
Naples, FL 34105
Phone: 239-263-7615
Fax: 239-263-8166
|
|
| In Your Region |
| Lake Trafford Update |
For more than two years now, low water levels have kept the Lake Trafford restoration project on hold, but dredging of the popular fishing hole should resume any day. By the project's end, the equivalent of 30,000 dump truckloads of muck will have been removed from the 1,500-acre lake.
Muck has been a problem at Lake Trafford for decades. Since the 1970s, the aquatic pest plant hydrilla in the lake was controlled by chemical treatment; the hydrilla sank to the bottom of the lake, rotted and became muck. Eventually, 6 to 8 feet of flocculent muck—soft, rotting vegetation that mixes easily with water—covered the lake bottom.
When the muck rots, it pulls oxygen from the water; high winds stir up the bottom, and nutrients in the muck break loose and cause algal blooms, which remove even more oxygen from the water. As a result, the lake has suffered several major fish kills since the 1990s.
About two-thirds of the lake's muck had been removed in 2005-2006 before dry conditions shut down dredging operations in 2007. Since then, sloshing from tropical storms and hurricanes pushed the muck to the center of the lake. Harry Pepper & Associates, Inc., will complete the work of removing 2 million cubic yards of muck. A Notice to Proceed was issued on June 1 and project completion is scheduled for spring 2011.
|
| Golden Gate Canal Weir Replacement |
The SFWMD Governing Board approved a contract with Thomas Marine Construction Incorporated, a southwest Florida construction firm, for relocation and reconstruction of the Golden Gate Weir #3. The 3.59 million contract is about 14 percent below the engineers cost estimate for the project.
The Gulf America Land Corporation built the original Golden Gate canal weirs in the early 1960s as part of the overall stormwater system for Golden Gate Estates. The present weir #3 located near 17th Ave NW cannot meet the current water management objectives of dry season storage for water supply and control of freshwater discharges for water quality protection of Naples Bay. When completed, the new weir will provide flexibility for water conservation and flood control.
The new water control structure will be located south of 31st Avenue SW, roughly 1 mile east of Collier Boulevard on Golden Gate main canal. Construction will run from August 2009 through fall 2010.
Since 1985, the Big Cypress Basin has adopted an aggressive capital improvement program to adapt the water control structures in the Golden Gate canal and its tributaries to achieve better water management objectives. To date, 16 water control structure have been upgraded in the Golden Gate drainage system alone. Weir #3 is part of a future project that will divert a portion of the Golden Gate canal flows to Henderson Creek to reduce damaging freshwater discharges in Naples Bay.
|
| Local Water Levels |
Although the rainy season officially began in May, much of the Big Cypress Basin is substantially dry. In June, we experienced double-digit numbers in rainfall in the north central area of Collier (Corkscrew-Immokalee area), but the rest of the western Collier averaged barely 6 inches. During the first two weeks of July, western Collier received only 2 inches of the historical average of 8.6 inches. With miles of dry canals beds in the Faka Union and Cocohatchee canals, this is hardly enough to make a dent on the thirsty grounds after a drought of historic proportions. We still encourage residents to conserve water and follow the Phase II water restrictions for irrigation.
Pictured above: Faka Union Canal -Taken July 1, 2009
|
| Managing Preserves and Natural Areas |
Collier County Environmental Services Department partnered with Florida Division of Forestry, University of Florida/IFAS Collier County Extension and SFWMD to host the Preserves, Woods and Natural Areas workshop on July 15. The workshop showed homeowners how to maintain and improve their natural areas while spending their dollars wisely. It featured displays and presentations by Collier County Environmental Services, Florida Division of Forestry, Naples Botanical Garden, International Society of Arboriculture, University of Florida/IFAS Collier County Extension Service and SFWMD’s Big Cypress Basin and Lower West Coast service centers. More than 60 attendees learned how to encourage growth of native plants and control exotic species in their upland preserves and wetlands.
|
| Waiting for Your Invitation |
Staff members from the Big Cypress Basin, a division of the South Florida Water Management District, are available to meet with groups about ways to reduce your water consumption as well as updates projects within our Basin, including our canal system and proposed improvements.
Technical experts, scientists and other specialists can tailor a presentation to meet specific needs or answer questions regarding many water-related topics.
This service is free and available by contacting Lisa Koehler at 239-263-7615 ext, 7603 or by e-mail at lkoehler@sfwmd.gov.
|
| Out and About |
Upcoming Events:
|
- District Governing Board Workshop and Meeting
August 12 and 13
SFWMD headquarters in West Palm Beach
|
- Big Cypress Basin Board Meeting
August 28
Collier County Commission Chambers in Naples
|
- District Governing Board Workshop and Meeting
September 9 and 10
SFWMD headquarters in West Palm Beach
|
|
