| |
| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #192 |
| Estero Bay Basin Initiative |
| |
| Requester: |
Henry Dean, Executive Director |
Organization: |
South Florida Water Management District |
| |
| Project Title: |
Estero Bay Basin Initiative |
Date Submitted |
1/8/2004 11:42:40 AM |
| |
| Sponsors: |
Saunders |
| |
| Statewide Interest: |
| This project is regional in scope, is intended to meet a documented need of statewide interst, is intended to produce a measurable result and has tangible community support. (see below) |
| |
| Recipient: |
South Florida Water Management District |
|
Contact: |
Palmer Mason, Legislative Affairs Representative |
|
| |
3301 Gunn Club Road |
|
Contact Phone: |
(561) 248-4682 |
|
| |
West Palm Beach 33416-4682 |
|
Contact email: |
pmason@sfwmd.gov |
| |
| Counties: |
Collier, Lee |
| |
| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
|
| |
| Project Description: |
| The Estero Bay Basin, a priority watershed, extends from the Cocohatchee Canal/River Watershed in Collier County north to the Caloosahatchee Watershed in Lee County, with the Immokalee Ridge in Collier County as the easterly edge and the bay as the westerly boundary. The Estero Bay Basin covers approximately 400 square miles and contains the Imperial River, Estero River, Halfway Creek, Spring Creek (all classified as Outstanding Florida Waters), Mullock Creek/Ten Mile Canal/Six Mile Slough, Hendry Creek and Cow Slough.
The Estero Bay Basin Initiative is a combination of project components that have multiple benefits, but all fall within the general goals of restoration and water quality improvements in the Estero Bay Basin and the receiving coastal waters. The project components include retrofitting an old part of the City of Bonita Springs with a stromwater system, restoring a riverine flow way, restoring flow to a natural system that supplies water to our aquifers, creating filter marshes to remove impurities goig into the bay, modeling a few systems so that through permitting we can improve the overall system, and finally restoring the natural system contained in our estuaries so the shellfish and fish have improved habitat. All of these projects move forward the idea of an overall system working together to improve the watershed. |
| |
| Is this a water project as described in Chapter 2002-291, Laws of Florida? |
Yes |
| Has the project been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection? |
Yes |
| DEP Identfying Number: |
SWR20022144 |
| |
| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| The project components will improve water quality prior to entering Estero Bay (Aquatic Preserve), return natural flow to a region which will enhance the environment by management of the exotic vegetation and other land management activities, increase panther and black bear habitat, and recharge the aquifers. Other parts of this proposal will create fish habitat in the bay and improve the riverine system for other fish. |
| |
| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$5,050,000 |
| |
| Total cost of the project: |
$10,100,000 |
| |
| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
| |
| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Private, Federal |
| |
Cash Amount |
$5,050,000 |
|
| |
| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
|
No |
| |
| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
|
Yes |
|
Amount: |
$5,000,000 |
To Fund: |
Construction |
| |
| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
|
No |
| |
| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
| |
| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
| |
Documentation: |
SFWMD South Lee County Watershed Plan, July 1999 |
| |
| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
|
Yes |
| |
Hearing Body: |
Lee County Legislative Delegation |
| |
Hearing Meeting Date: |
12/06/2003 |
