FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 7, 2014
DEP ISSUES PERMIT TO IMPROVE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON WATER QUALITY
~Wetlands restoration project will be completed by South Florida Water Management District in conjunction with Martin County, USDA~
TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection issued a permit to the South Florida
Water Management District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for
the Indian River Lagoon South-Allapattah Ranch Project, authorizing
construction of water control features to restore wetlands. The project will restore
wetlands by retaining water on the ranch, which is co-owned by the Water
Management District and Martin County.
Restoration of the
Allapattah Ranch will increase the size of onsite wetlands and will
enhance the habitat value for threatened and endangered species and other
wildlife. Restoration of the site will reduce the amount of freshwater flows and
nutrients which make their way to Indian River Lagoon through on-site retention
of rainfall, all while maintaining existing levels of flood protection for
nearby properties.
"Restoring wetlands near the source of Martin County stormwater benefits the Martin and St. Lucie County portions of the Indian River Lagoon," said DEP Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. "This is another great project for this area that will improve the health of this lagoon ecosystem."
The property is under a
permanent conservation easement of 12,725 acres with the United States Department of
Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. Martin County and the Water
Management District also contributed to the restoration
project, the total cost of which is more than $50 million. Construction will be conducted during the
South Florida dry seasons and is expected to take two years to complete.
“I’m pleased to see the
Department, Water Management District and County continuing to work on
solutions to improve the quality of water in the Indian River Lagoon,” said
Sen. Joe Negron. “Continued efforts like these to improve water quality are the
key to improving this important ecosystem.”
“This
cooperative project on land purchased by the District and Martin County
enhances existing wetlands on the site, helping to capture and hold stormwater
runoff,” said South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Blake
Guillory. “This ultimately will help protect water quality downstream in the
St. Lucie River and Estuary.”
“Preserving and restoring wetlands is a priority of the Martin County Board of County Commissioners, said Sarah Heard, Chair of the Martin County Board of County Commissioners. "The Allapattah Ranch property is an important component of Everglades Restoration and the Indian River Lagoon South project, which once fully complete and implemented, will help improve our local water quality. Martin County is proud partner in this project, and is grateful for the cooperation of other government entities that have made this possible.”
The property in which the
project is taking place is a part of an approximately 21,000-acre Wildlife Management
Area managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for
hunting and outdoor recreation. The Allapattah Ranch project is located in
northern Martin County and lies south of the C-23 canal and about one mile west
of I-95.
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