City of Gainesville - File #: 061100.

• File #: 061100.
• Version: 0
• Name: Conceptual Plan for Paynes Prairie Sheetflow Restoration (B)
• Type: Discussion Item
• Status: Passed
• File created: 4/9/2007
• In control: City Manager
• Final action: 4/9/2007
• 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.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
4/9/2007	0	City Commission	Approved as Amended	Pass

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 pr...