Ongoing District Projects

Canal C Expansion Project

Staff has executed a contract for the surveying of Canal C and a survey has been obtained. Staff prepared design cross sections and preliminary plans for the permit applications to expand and relocate Canal C to allow for maintenance on both sides of the canal. Staff also investigated the ownership of Canal C and has attended a meeting with South Florida Water Management District to discuss permitting.

 

Per Board direction, staff submitted a Loxahatchee River Preservation Initiative grant application for this project and was ranked on August 9, 2021. Staff submitted the House of Representatives forms for submission to the Florida Legislation for consideration. In addition, staff has reached out to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to discuss permitting. Notification was received March 9, 2022, that Legislative funding was approved for the Canal C project in the amount of $312,500 for Fiscal Year 2023.

 

Staff also researched the US Army Corps 404 Permitting and the delegation to Forida Department of Environmental Protection. It is anticipated that the project will qualify for an exemption for stormwater maintenance. Florida Department of Environmental Protection has confirmed that as long as there are no wetland impacts that are in the Waters of the United States, then a 404/Federal authorization will not be required.

 

A site inspection was held with the new Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit reviewer on April 4, 2023. The reviewer, David White, was still unsure as to which permit route – No Permit Required, Exemption, or General Permit will be required. He will review historic aerials and discuss with his manager. He also requested the fill up to the top of bank.

 

South Indian River Water Control District received the Grant Agreement for review and execution on May 2, 2023.The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a letter on June 23, 2023, confirming that the project does not require a permit under the State 404 Program. The Engineer proceeded with preparation of the contract documents. The District advertised for bids on November 19, 2023 with a Pre-bid meeting scheduled for November 29, however, no potential bidders showed up. As a result, the bid documents were sent to three contractors and Engineering and the Manager of Operations are following up with phone calls.

 

The District received two bids on December 21, 2023. The bids came in very high: Riobak - $1,848,396 and Firethorn Inc. - $2,074, 041.61. The Engineer has discussed options with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Grant Manager A meeting was held with the low bidder, Riobak on January 16, 2024, to discuss ways to bring the cost down and South Indian River Water Control District performing a portion of the work. Rio-Bak responded on February 13, 2024, offering to perform a third of the work. The District Engineer has confirmed with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that completing a third of the work with the grant funds is acceptable. Staff has requested an extension of the time to complete the work to be funded by the grant until December 31, 2024. Rio-Bak is willing to perform a third of the work and is revising their bid based on the original unit prices for the section of Canal C from 85th Avenue North to 79th Terrace North and the installation of the riprap on the east end.

 

The Board awarded the contract to Rio-Bak at their June 20, 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting. The Contract Documents were sent to Rio -Bak for their execution and return of the Payment and Performance Bonds and they were executed by Rio-Bak and returned for South Indian River Water Control District execution. Rio-Bak has requested to start the project later – in October or November – when conditions are drier.

 

Section 7 Drainage Improvement Project - Completed

In 2020, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to combine previous analyses of drainage in Jupiter Farms into the develop-ment of one conceptual plan under the Jupiter Farms Re-engineering Program to improve drainage and water quality. The intent was to examine localized effects on each section, starting with Section 7.

 

Based on two modeling workshops, staff proposed to move forward with the following improvements:

• Extra storage in swales (deeper and wider)

• Increase outfall pipe size with the consideration for flashboard risers to improve water quality treatment.

• Reclaim outfalls and maximize use of easements for storage

• Improve the canal top of bank elevations to provide more flood protection for the 25-year, 72-hour storm events

• Clear vegetation from the tops of canal banks and improve access for operation and maintenance

• Improve road elevations where permitted elevations are not met

• Increase driveway culvert sizes and set swale grades for optimized conveyance and storage

• Add site specific analysis for trouble spots

 

As part of the Jupiter Farms Re-engineering Program, District staff applied for a grant through the Loxahatchee River Preservation Initative for the Section 7 Drainage Improvement Project. The Loxahatchee River Preservation Initative selected the project during the 2021 grant cycle. On June 23, 2021, District staff received notice from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that South Indian River Water Control District received a cost-reimbursement matching grant of $353,650 for the project, which has a total estimated cost of $707,300.

 

The objective of this project is to provide stormwater reduction and water quality treatment at an affordable cost. This project has been completed.