Title
Conceptual Plan for Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration (B)
This item is a Conceptual Project Plan that will provide necessary water quality improvements under the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulatory program.
Explanation
Alachua Sink is a natural lake located within Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (Prairie) just south of Gainesville. Sweetwater Branch receives stormwater from the Gainesville urban area and effluent from the Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF). Sweetwater Branch currently discharges to Alachua Sink via a man-made channel that has existed since the 1930s.
Alachua Sink has been listed as impaired under the State of Florida Impaired Waters Rule, and as a result the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has developed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Alachua Sink which will require reductions in total nitrogen discharges to Alachua Sink from all sources. The MSWRF and stormwater runoff from the Gainesville area account for 23% and 6%, respectively, of the total nitrogen load to Alachua Sink. The remainder of the nitrogen load comes from other upstream sources including Newnans Lake.
The City of Gainesville Public Works Department (PW) identified a Constructed Wetland Project on the Prairie in their Sweetwater Branch Watershed Management Plan and Restoration Planning process. The original 50 acre project, including funding, is part of the adopted Capital Improvement Program. GRU staff advised the City Commission as part of the FY2007/2008 budget presentations that GRU's cost for complying with the TMDL would range from $10 to $40 million. However, funds were not committed in the GRU FY2007/2008 capital budget due to the uncertainty in the total cost.
Representatives from PW, GRU, Prairie, St Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and FDOT have developed a proposed plan that would meet the TMDL requirements for City of Gainesville (both PW and GRU) and FDOT and would provide significant additional benefits to the Prairie, and the community. The proposed project is described in the Conceptual Plan for Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration report dated March 2007.
PW and GRU staff have worked in conjunction with Prairie and SJRWMD staff to perform numerous scientific studies in order to develop the proposed plan. The presentation to the City Commission will include presentations from PW and GRU staffs and the consultant who performed the studies which formed the basis of the proposed plan, Wetland Solutions, Inc. Prairie and SJRWMD staffs will also present. Staff presentations will include discussions of costs for the proposed project, as well as costs and benefits of other potential alternatives for meeting the Alachua Sink TMDL.
Fiscal Note
The total cost of the project is estimated at approximately $21 million (not including the costs for public access facilities). Efforts have been made and will continue to be made to leverage funding from outside sources, including grant funding and funding partners, in order to minimize the City's costs. Grant awards have been secured for the Sweetwater Branch Enhancement Wetland, with $850,000 obtained through the St Johns River Water Management District Orange Creek Basin Legislative Initiative. The Florida Department of Transportation has committed $300,000 to the Enhancement Wetland and $366,125 to the sheetflow structure. An additional request for $1 million is included in this year's Orange Creek Basin Initiative. An additional $2 million has been requested by GRU for Improvements to Meet Total Maximum Daily Load Limits, through Gainesville's 2007 State Legislative Agenda.
Grant programs have been identified that could provide additional matching funds. These programs include the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Aquatic Habitat Restoration/Enhancement program, the SJRWMD Stormwater Cost Share Grant Program, the FDEP TMDL Water Quality Restoration Grant Program, and the FDEP/USEPA Section 319 Grant Program. Grant applications could be prepared once land rights have been established. This project is eligible for funding under the State Revolving Fund Program and this source of funding may need to be considered for this project.
GRU and PW have come to agreement on the approach for proportioning the City's project costs and responsibilities between GRU and PW, and for allocating contributions from outside funding sources. PW and GRU propose to develop and execute a Memorandum of Understanding between PW and GRU on this issue. Based on preliminary cost estimates, the approximate anticipated cost allocation is as follows:
GRU PW
Capital 73% 27%
O&M 80% 20%
These cost proportions may change as more detailed cost estimates are and funding from other funding sources become more defined.
Recommendation
Recommended Motion: The City Commission: 1) receive a copy of the Conceptual Plan for Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project; 2) hear a presentation on the Conceptual Plan; 3) authorize staff to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between the City, SJRWMD, and the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks for the exchange of land and authorize the City Manager and General Manager for Utilities to execute same, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality; 4) authorize staff to begin the consultant selection process to obtain professional design services; 5) direct staff to seek grant opportunities for this project and authorize the City Manager/General Manager for Utilities to execute all selected grant opportunities and related documents for tendered grants; and 6) authorize the City Manager and General Manager for Utilities to develop and execute a Memorandum of Understanding between PW and GRU concerning the proportional shares and responsibilities, and the allocation of future grant funding.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission refer the proposed Conceptual Plan for Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration to the Recreation, Cultural Affairs and Public Works Committee for review and direction.
Alternative Recommendation B: The City Commission refer the proposed Conceptual Plan for Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration back to the Public Works Department and GRU for review.