Picayune Strand Restoration Project

WORK PLAN FOR 30% DESIGN

Partnering to Achieve Success

Janet Starnes 1, Victoria Lehr 2, Norm Prima 2

Picayune Strand Restoration

Project

WORK PLAN FOR 30% DESIGN

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1 SFWMD Principal Project Manager, Ft. Myers, FL 2 Parsons Water & Infrastructure, West Palm Beach, FL

US Army Corps of EngineersJacksonville District

Project Overview

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Project Problems & Needs

• 279 Miles of Roads and 48 Miles of Canals Constructed on 55,000 Acres by Private Developer in Late ’60s

• Over-Drainage of Northern and Southern Golden Gate Estates

•

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• Extreme Flows to Estuaries, Affecting Salinity and Marine Habitat

• Drier Conditions Inland- Expansion of Invasive Plant Species such as

Cabbage Palm and Brazilian Pepper- Loss of Cypress Forests- as Plant Species Changed, Quality of Animal

Habitat Declined

• Land for the project was acquired from 1984 to 2005 by the Dept of Environmental Protection with funding assistance from the US Dept of Interior

• Included as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and authorized under WRDA 2007

• Final Project Implementation Report completed in

Project Background

• Final Project Implementation Report completed in 2006 with the recommended alternative including:

• Three Pump Stations

• Spreader System

• Canal Plugs

• Roadway Removal and Improvements

• Protection Levees

• Habitat Restoration

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Hydrologic

Restoration

Study Area

Hydrologic

Restoration

Study Area

restores restores ecologicalecologicalconnectivityconnectivitybetweenbetween

The “missing piece” of the puzzle…

The “missing piece” of the puzzle…

Collier

Big Cypress National Preserve

Urban Development

Rookery

Fakahatchee Strand State

Picayune Strand State

Forrest

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

betweenbetweenpubliclypubliclyowned landsowned lands

Collier SeminoleState Park Everglades

National Park

Southern Golden Gate Estates

RookeryBay

National EstuarineResearch Preserve

Strand State Preserve10,000

Islands National Wildlife Refuge

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M ajor F lowway

M inor F lowway

I-75

Historic Pre-Development Flowways

US 41

Go to maps

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Decision

Criteria1. Greater than 50%

restoration to historic conditions

2. No increased flooding to Northern flooding to Northern Golden Gate Estates

3. No point source discharge to the estuary

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MILES

3 Spreaders

3 Pump Stations

83 Canal Plugs

I-75

0 2

N

810 cfs

2650 cfs1250 cfs

Private Lands Levee

Alternative 3DRecommended Plan

Elements

FA

KA

UN

ION

CANAL

ME

RR

ITT

CANAL

PR

AIR

IE CANAL

227 miles of Road Removed

Primary/Secondary All Weather Roads

Flood Protection Levees

Management Roads

U.S 41

6L Levee

POI N Levee

POI SE LeveePOI SW Levee

Meets All Decision Criteria

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Recreation

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Proposed Division of Forestry

Recreation Plan•Campground

•Primitive Camp

Sites

•Biking •Biking

•Canoe Ramp

•Horse Trail

•Hiking

•Day Use Area

•Parking

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PSRP Progress to Date

• Filling and plugging of 7 miles of Prairie Canal• 65 miles of roadway removed • Restoration and enhancement of more than

13,000 acres of natural habitat• Structure demolition complete

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• Structure demolition complete • 17 culverts constructed to restore natural

sheetflow• Completion of 100% design plans and permitting

for the project’s restoration elements and pump stations

QuestionsPicayune StrandPicayune Strand