Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Picayune Strand Restoration Project
Janet Starnes, Principal Project ManagerOffice of Everglades Policy and Coordination
Big Cypress Basin Board MeetingFebruary 17, 2012
Picayune Strand RestorationProject Background, Issues and Needs
279 miles of roads and 48 miles of canals constructed on 55,000 acres by private developer in late ’60s
Resulted in over-drainage of northern and southern Golden Gate Estates
Caused extreme flows to estuaries, affecting salinity and marine habitat
Resulted in drier conditions inland Expansion of invasive plant
species such as Cabbage Palm and Brazilian Pepper
Loss of Cypress forests Plant species changed, quality
of animal habitat declined
Historic Flowways
Major Flowway
Minor Flowway
I-75
Missing Piece of the Puzzle
Collier Seminole
State Park Everglade
s National
Park
Big Cypress National Preserve
Urban Developmen
t
Southern Golden Gate
Estates
Rookery Bay
National EstuarineResearch Preserve
Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve
Picayune Strand State Forrest
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
10,000 Islands
National Wildlife Refuge
Restores ecological connectivity between publicly owned lands
Alternatives Considered
20+ alternatives initially formulated Three alternatives warranted further
evaluation Alternative #6 Alternative #12 Alternative #3D
“No Action” alternative also considered
U.S 41
6L Boundary
Restoration Plan
3 Spreader Canals 3 Pump Stations Canal PlugsPrimary RoadsSecondary RoadsPrivate Lands BoundariesBerm
N
I-75
Management Roads
810 cfs
2650 cfsPrivate Lands Boundary
POI Boundary
MI LLE R CA NA L
FAKA UNIONCANAL
MERRITT CANAL
PRAIRIE CANAL
1250 cfs
U.S. 41 Drainage Enhancement
Tie-Back
Levee
Elements
Summary of Benefits Restores freshwater flows
to estuaries Restores upland/wetland
habitat in watershed Restores pre-drainage
watershed flow pattern to a sheet flow condition
Increases groundwater levels
Restores habitat for endangered/threatened species (Florida panther, woodstork, etc.)
Provides for better fire management
Picayune Strand - Phase 1 Seven miles of
Prairie Canal filled 65 miles of
roadway removed 17 culverts
constructed to restore natural sheet flow
More than 13,000 acres of restored and enhanced habitat
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers constructing remaining features
Prairie Canal Plugging – Phase I
One year after plugging of Prairie Canal
Phase I - Road Removal
Extent of vegetation removal and road degrading
Natural regeneration two years after degrading
Prairie Canal Plugging – Phase I
January 2009
Summer 2008
Merritt Pump Station
810 cubic feet per second capacity
Smallest of the three PSRP pump stations
Located approximately two miles south of I-75
Merritt Pump Station (Cont.)
October 2010
September 2011
Phase II - Road Removal
Area of construction is from the eastern bank of the Faka Union Canal to the western bank of the Merritt Canal
Degrade ~95 miles of roads
Phase II – Road Removal
Example of Degraded Road
Faka Union Pump Station
2625 cubic feet per second capacity
Largest of the three PSRP pump stations
Located approximately three miles south of I-75
Faka Union Pump Station (cont.)
Faka Union Pump Station Foundation
January 2012
Phase III - Road Removal
Area of construction is from the eastern bank of the Miller Canal to the western bank of the Faka Union Canal
Degrade ~100 miles of roads
Remaining Work To Be Contracted
Miller Pump Station and Phase IV Road Removal Construction scheduled to begin in Fall 2013 Three year construction time frame Includes protection features for “Private Lands”
Protection Features Port of the Islands - Construction scheduled to
begin in Fall 2013 6Ls/US41 - Construction scheduled to begin in
Fall 2015
Questions?
Top Related