PRESS
RELEASE: June 29, 2015
SOUTHERN CREW RESTORATION PROJECT CLEARS ANOTHER HURDLE
~Project phase will restore wetlands, provide flood protection and increase water storage~
LEE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection has authorized the South Florida Water Management District
(SFWMD) to continue the next phase of the Southern Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem
Watershed (CREW) Restoration Project. When completed, the project will provide significant benefits to the ecosystem
including restoring wetlands and the natural sheetflow of water, improving
regional flood protection drainage, increasing water storage and aquifer
recharge capability, and reducing the amount of nutrient-rich stormwater
reaching the Imperial River and Estero Bay.
"This project exemplifies the commitment of the state of Florida to
protecting and restoring the larger south Florida ecosystem,"
said DEP Deputy Secretary for Ecosystem Restoration Drew Bartlett. "The
department will continue to work closely with our partners to
ensure that restoration continues."
The authorization issued today is for Phase II of the Southern
CREW Restoration Project which encompasses 4,150 acres of multiple native plant
communities, including hydric pine flatwoods, strand swamps, wet prairies and marshes that
have been fragmented by past construction of ditches and roads. These alterations
have resulted in restriction of historic sheetflow, artificial water
impoundments and flooding, increased pollutant loading to the Imperial River, an Outstanding Florida Water, and disruption of natural wetland functions.
“The
project will restore the southwest corner of the larger CREW project,” said
SFWMD Governing Boardmember Rick Barber. “The restoration in this particular
location creates a vital buffer area between the CREW project and the eastern
urban boundary.”
Phase II of the project consists of ditch backfilling, ditch
plugging, road degradation and the construction of low water crossings to allow
for the re-establishment of hydrologic conditions similar to those present
prior to development attempts of the area in the 1960s. The project is
expected to restore approximately 437 acres of wetlands. The project’s
enhancements are anticipated to encourage the growth and sustainability of
native wetland plant species, providing both food and habitat for wildlife.
The Southern CREW
Restoration Project is located in Lee County between the Kehl Canal, which is
located adjacent to the northern boundary, east of Interstate 75 and north of
Bonita Beach Road.
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