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