Title
Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project Update (B)
Staff will present an update on the Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project, which will include a discussion of the potential impacts of the new Numeric Nutrient Criteria rule adopted by the USEPA in November of 2010, and strategies for complying with these new criteria.
Explanation
The Sweetwater Branch/Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration Project (PPSRP) was first presented as a conceptual plan to the City Commission on April 9, 2007. The project is widely supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Florida Department of Transportation and Alachua County. The project will meet regulatory requirements for reductions in nutrients from the GRU Main Street Water Reclamation Facility (MSWRF) and the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System. In addition the project will restore 1,300 acres of natural wetlands, protect groundwater quality and provide wildlife habitat and public recreation. Since the project was initially presented, GRU and the Stormwater Utility have been jointly implementing the project.
An Administrative Order for the MSWRF issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on March 19, 2010 includes a timeline over which the project must be implemented in order to meet regulatory requirements of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Alachua Sink which was established by FDEP and EPA in 2006. The project design is nearing 60% completion, and it is anticipated that project construction will begin in 2011 in order to meet the required timeline.
The USEPA established Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC) by rule in November 2010. The newly adopted NNC will result in additional regulatory criteria which may impact the project. Staff is currently engaged in discussions with DEP and EPA on strategies that can be implemented so that the PPSRP can be im...
Click here for full text