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?