PROJECTS

Updated on 4-22-2024

The M-1 Canal is a 100-year-old, man-made flood control feature in Brevard County that cuts through the historic drainage divide between the St. Johns River and the Indian River Lagoon.

The M-1 Canal diverts stormwater flow from 5,300 acres of drainage area in Melbourne, West Melbourne, Melbourne Village and portions of unincorporated Brevard County and sends the water east to the Indian River Lagoon via Crane Creek. Nutrients within runoff from this currently diverted watershed degrade water quality in the Indian River Lagoon and provide fuel for algal blooms.

The Crane Creek / M-1 Canal Project — identified in the 2017 Indian River Lagoon Stormwater Capture and Treatment Feasibility Analysis and led by the St. Johns River Water Management District — will substantially reduce nutrient loading  to the Indian River Lagoon. Construction of the project will result in restoring the baseflow in the M-1 Canal westward for treatment in a constructed stormwater treatment area prior to discharging to the St. Johns River Basin.

Project components include an operable weir east of Evans Road, two pump stations, two pipeline force mains and a stormwater treatment area west of Interstate 95. The operable weir – which allows capture of runoff for the east pump station – is engineered to have no impact on the existing flood control capability of the M-1 Canal.

This project reduces nutrient loadings to the Indian River Lagoon while also providing an alternative water supply source to downstream users by restoring 7 million gallons of freshwater flow per day to the St. Johns River.

Nutrient load reduction estimates to the Indian River Lagoon are:

• Total nitrogen 24,000 lb./yr.
• Total phosphorus 3,100 lb./yr.

Project schedule

July 2017

• Engineering design start

FY 2018

• Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling
• Engineering design
• Land acquisition

FY 2019–2022

• Completion of land acquisition
• Engineering design
• Permitting

FY 2023–2025

• Construction

Project milestones

• Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling is completed
• Design is completed
• Governing Board approved execution of construction contract (January 2023)
• Construction has begun

Project partners

• Brevard County ($2.03 million funding contribution)
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection ($2.45 million funding contribution)
• Federal sources administered through Florida Department of Environmental Protection ($4.5 million funding contribution)
• St. Johns River Water Management District (approx. $14–15 million)
• Contact: cranecreekproject@sjrwmd.com

FAQs

When is the project slated to begin and when will it be completed?
The construction phase of this project is scheduled to begin in spring 2023. The anticipated completion date is April 2025.

Reversing some of the flow in M-1 Canal and sending stormwater west to the St. Johns River will help the Indian River Lagoon, but how will the stormwater be cleaned before it reaches the St. Johns River?
Water from the M-1 Canal will be pumped under Interstate 95 and Heritage Parkway to a stormwater treatment area (STA). The STA provides treatment for the water which is then pumped into a pipeline that will be constructed along the Heritage Parkway and the U.S. Highway 192 corridor. The pipeline will discharge to District-owned marsh land adjacent to the St. Johns River, and ultimately the St. Johns River.

Will construction impact local traffic, especially in nearby neighborhoods?
Construction of this project will have no impact on local traffic.

Will the installation of the weir at the M-1 Canal contribute to flooding in nearby neighborhoods already prone to flooding during storm events?
This project will have no adverse impact on the existing stormwater system. Flood protection is a priority and has been carefully analyzed and modeled. The system is designed so that the proposed weir can be lowered (open position) in the event of a major oncoming rainfall event (such as a hurricane or tropical storm). Redundant automatic sensors in the canal will also lower the weirs if the water in the canal reaches certain elevations. The system is continually monitored by operations staff to ensure it is functioning properly. Additional analysis has been performed to ensure that even if the weir is left in the up position, flood protections will remain unchanged. This is possible because the M-1 Canal will be widened over the weir to maintain current flow capacity.

Does the additional water benefit the river?
The additional water will benefit the St. Johns River by restoring historic baseflow from the watershed that was diverted from the St. Johns River to the Indian River Lagoon.

Who do I call or email if I have additional questions?
If you have questions about this project, please email cranecreekproject@sjrwmd.com or call Marc Van Heden at 321-676-6604.

Updated on 7-2-2024

The C-10 Water Management Area (WMA) is planned as part of the work of the St. Johns River Water Management District in the Upper St. Johns River Basin to help improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.

The C-10 WMA is a proposed 1,300-acre stormwater treatment system located at the west end of Malabar Road, north of the District’s Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area, and south of Sawgrass Lakes Water Management Area in Brevard County.

The purpose of the project is to reduce the amount of nutrient loading to the Indian River Lagoon, restore historic surface water flows back west to the St. Johns River, increase flood protection, and improve resiliency. The project will provide water quality and alternative water supply benefits. As an ancillary benefit, C-10 WMA will further support the community by making additional public recreational opportunities available in Brevard County, similar to those found on existing District lands such as Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area and Sawgrass Lake WMA, which are adjacent to the proposed C-10 WMA.

The C-10 WMA will improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon similar to the District’s completed Canal 1 (C-1)/Sawgrass Lake Water Management Area project. For almost a century, the C-1 Canal shunted stormwater away from its natural destination, the St. Johns River, and instead directed it to the Indian River Lagoon, impacting the estuarine environment with nutrients, sediments and unnatural volumes of freshwater. The multi-phase C-1/Sawgrass Lake Water Management Area Project restored a portion of these flows back to the St. Johns River, after being naturally filtered to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. Natural filtration occurs though the 2,000-acre Sawgrass Lake WMA. That project has operated since 2015 and reduces nutrient loading to the Indian River Lagoon by an estimated 148,000 lbs./year total nitrogen (TN) and 13,000 lbs./year total phosphorus (TP). If the C-10 WMA is constructed, it is estimated to further reduce nutrient loading to the Indian River Lagoon by an additional 29,300 lbs./year TN and 1,300 lbs./year TP.

Project design is nearly complete. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is providing $20 million in resiliency funding toward project construction. The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners approved the 2024 Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) project plan, which includes $10.46 million in grant funds for C-10 WMA.

Updated on 10-30-2024

Located in Clay County adjacent to the west bank of the St. Johns River, the Doctors Lake Basin covers approximately 23 square miles. The basin’s former agricultural and forested lands now support medium and high-density residential areas and commercial properties.

Doctors Lake has experienced water quality issues due to nutrient loading from stormwater runoff and other non-point sources such as septic tank effluent. Because of its narrow connection with the St. Johns River, the 3,400-acre lake has poor circulation and nutrients tend to concentrate in the lake.

Contributing nutrient-loading factors include:

• Basin population of 35,000 (2000 Census)
• 12,000-plus housing units
• 847 units on septic tanks

During the 2018 legislative session, then-Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, Senate Budget Chairman, and Rep Travis Cummings, R-Orange Park, secured specific funding during the budget process for the St. Johns River to implement water resources projects that will help improve water quality in the St. Johns River, its tributaries and the Keystone Heights Lake Region, as well as improving public access and recreation projects within the St. Johns River Water Management District.

With then-Gov. Rick Scott’s support and approval of the budget, the St. Johns River Water Management District, Clay County and Clay County Utility Authority (CCUA) partnered to identify potential projects in the area.

Identified projects and status are:

• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has provided an innovative technology grant to fund a contract between the District and BlueGreen US Water Technologies, Inc.(BGWT) for Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) identification and treatment in Doctors Lake.  BGWT will deploy floating sensors in the lake to report real-time bloom conditions, collect routine water quality samples and utilize an innovative remote sensing technology platform (Lake Guard View) to detect and categorize HABs. Upon detection, HABs will be treated with BGWT’s proprietary, hydrogen peroxide based algaecide, Lake Guard Oxy. (For additional information, see BGWT’s project update page at bluegreenwatertech.com.)
• The Doctors Lake Enhanced Effluent Treatment Project is an innovative technology project currently removing phosphorus from wastewater effluent. The project is capable of treating an estimated 1.6 million gallons per day on an annual average basis. This project has removed over 7,400 pounds of total phosphorus (through September 2024) since starting operation. The project continues to operate with excellent water quality results.
• Another project on Doctors Lake extended the CCUA wastewater infrastructure and connected lakeside neighborhoods currently on residential septic systems to the wastewater system. Total nitrogen is being reduced by an estimated 900 pounds per year through the connection of approximately 60 homes to central sewer. The project was completed in April 2023.

Updated on 3-27-2024

The Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area (EMCA) is made up of seven wetland marsh areas. Beginning in the 1940s, the marshes were drained, and the exposed muck soils were used for row-crop agriculture and cattle grazing. Due to these agricultural practices the exposed wetland soils oxidized and subsided. The soils within the conservation area were also subject to fertilizer and pesticide applications during farming operations.

The St. Johns River Water Management District acquired the EMCA properties through the Save our Rivers and Preservation 2000 programs in the 1990s. After years of restoration efforts to address high phosphorus levels in the water within the EMCA, five of the EMCA wetland areas have been connected either directly or indirectly to Lake Griffin. The District’s goal is to reconnect Area 5 as well. Some of the benefits to reconnecting to the lake include improved hydrology, and recreational access for fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing, including the District’s EMCA wildlife drive.

The peat soils present in EMCA Area 5 have naturally high phosphorus concentrations that were enriched by past agricultural practices. Compliance with the total maximum daily load (TMDL) limitations for Lake Griffin and the high phosphorus present in EMCA Area 5 prevent reconnection to Lake Griffin. Additionally, specific water/soil conditions present in EMCA Area 5 prevent the use of traditional phosphorus control methods such as alum. Because of this, the District has considered alternative methods for phosphorus control, including peat removal.

The peat removal project was initially considered in the 2012 District Lands Assessment Implementation Plan and approved by the District Governing Board in 2013. In 2016, the District entered into a lease agreement with Sun Gro Horticulture Excavation and Processing LLC, which was amended in 2021 to reflect a name change to LJF FPS, LLC, doing business as Florida Potting Soils (FPS), to remove the peat deposits in EMCA Area 5 that contain high phosphorus levels. The goal is to lower the phosphorus levels so that EMCA Area 5 can be reconnected to Lake Griffin while complying with the TMDL. The project supports the goal of restoration for the hydrological and ecological functions of the Ocklawaha River floodplain by minimizing the nutrient discharge from the property to Lake Griffin and the Ocklawaha River Basin, as outlined in the 2016 Land Management Plan for the EMCA, which includes information on the restoration and enhancement of the property.

Project timeline

2024

• Revised invasive plant management plan
• Fourth amendment sublet construction to Reliable Peat Company

2023

• Second amended and restated lease agreement was executed
• Peat removal operations ongoing
• Construction activities approximately 30% complete

2022

• DEP ERP General Permit re-issued for five years
• Internal levees under construction
• Peat removal and hauling began

2021

• District Governing Board approved lease amendment
• DEP 404 permit issued

2016

• Lease agreement signed
• District Governing Board approved a land management plan, which includes information on the restoration and enhancement of the property
• DEP ERP General Permit issued for five years

2013

• District Governing Board approved project bid selection and associated lease

2012

• District Governing Board approved the Lands Assessment Implementation Plan, which outlined peat removal strategy for EMCA Area 5 high phosphorus.

Frequently asked questions

What are the environmental benefits of the project?
The project supports the goal of restoration for the hydrological and ecological functions of the Ocklawaha River floodplain by minimizing the nutrient discharge from the property to Lake Griffin and the Ocklawaha River Basin.

What are the details of the lease?
The project is a multi-year lease to Florida Potting Soils (FPS) for removal of an estimated 3,400,00 cubic yards (C.Y.) of peat in Emeralda Marsh Area 5. This project is a part of the District’s overall restoration and public recreation objectives for the EMCA and removal of the specified nutrients are consistent with these objectives. The District is receiving a royalty of $0.25 for each cubic yard of peat material and/or other soil removed off the property as FPS intends to process and resell the excavated soil to consumers and other end users. See lease agreement and lease amendment.

Where does the royalty money go?
The District entered into a five-year revenue sharing agreement, with renewals in one-year increments, on Jan. 9, 2018, with Lake County to use a portion of the project revenues to fund aquatic resource conservation, restoration, or recreation improvement projects within Lake County. See Revenue sharing agreement between Lake County and District.

How will the site be managed during peat removal?
The removal of peat will be divided into five phases of operation. This is shown on FPS Emeralda Marsh proposed cell configurations. The start for peat removal from Phase 1 is anticipated in spring 2022.

Does the project have environmental permits?
The project has received general permits from the state of for an environmental resource permit (ERP)  and a 404 permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Are pesticide levels of concern?
DEP has determined that the removal and use of peat in the manner proposed complies with DEP rules or standards. See DEP peat removal and use clearance letter.

Will there be environmental monitoring during the peat removal?
Yes, FPS is required to conduct environmental monitoring and implement a Field sampling plan and Fish kill response plan.

When will the project finish?
A 10-year lease is in place until March 15, 2031, with two five-year extensions possible.

What will happen to the property when the project is complete?
The newly constructed levees will be removed, and the property will be restored and managed as a mixture of open water and wetland upon completion of each construction phase.

How are you keeping the public informed about the project?
The District has this webpage where we keep updated, timely information on the project as well as project history.  We’ll continue to share project progress and updates through our District Facebook and Twitter pages, @sjrwmd.  We are committed to keeping the public informed as the project progresses. For additional information or with questions, please send an email to Ombudsman@sjrwmd.com with the subject line EMCA Peat Removal.

Project-related documents

• Lease agreement
• Lease amendment
• Lease second amendment
• Lease fourth amendment
• DEP ERP general permit
• DEP 404 permit
• DEP peat removal and use clearance letter
• Revenue sharing agreement between District and Lake County
• 2012 Lands Assessment Implementation Plan
• 2016 Land Management Plan

Florida Potting Soils project-related plans and documents

• Field sampling plan
• Water quality sampling results
• Fish kill response plan
• Peat sampling results
• FPS Emeralda Marsh proposed cell configurations
• Construction plans

Updated on 11/6/2024 

Lake Apopka, the headwaters of the Ocklawaha Chain of Lakes, has undergone a transformation over the past few decades. Since the 1980s, the District and its partners have worked to improve the lake’s water quality and habitat, achieving significant improvements.  

In 1994, there was no submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Lake Apopka. As a result of the District’s restoration efforts, the 2024 survey found visible native SAV around 95% of the lake’s shoreline. More importantly, District staff have observed much of the SAV flowering. Flowering is important for two reasons: first it is an indicator of good plant health, and second the seeds provide for natural expansion of this important habitat. The return and continuing expansion of SAV indicates water quality and clarity are improving. Native eelgrass is now growing out into the lake’s open water areas, another promising sign for the ecosystem’s recovery. The increase in native SAV is critical, as it was both a predicted outcome as water quality improves and provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife.   

The lake’s improving health is not just good news for nature—it’s also great for anglers. Recent fishing tournaments in the Upper Ocklawaha River Basin Chain of Lakes, including the April 2024 Bass Master Elite, have included Lake Apopka as one of the tournament lakes. Bass catches from the lake have been impressive, making it a popular destination for many anglers. Additionally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has documented a major increase in fishing activity in the lake.  

Restoration in Action: 

The restoration of Lake Apopka has focused on a multipronged approach: a “diet” to reduce phosphorus entering the lake and “exercise” to remove phosphorus already in the water. 

Phosphorus diet: 

• A significant milestone occurred in 1996 when the Legislature’s directed the District to purchase farms on the lake’s north shore. These lands, originally a floodplain marsh (wetlands) before being drained and diked for, agricultural production in the 1940s, were a major source of phosphorus fueling algae blooms, which shaded the lake’s SAV, and as the SAV disappeared, the bass population collapsed.  

• Key to reducing phosphorus loading from the north shore was restoring the area’s wetlands to reduce the volume of phosphorus laden water pumped to the lake. Now discharges can be treated to inactivate phosphorus and in 2003 the passage of the Lake Apopka Stormwater Rule enhanced the lake’s diet to the entire watershed.  

Phosphorus exercise: 

• Efforts to remove phosphorus already in the lake include harvesting rough fish like gizzard shad and using the Marsh Flow-Way—a massive filter marsh that continuously removes algae, suspended solids, and nutrients.  

The combined effect of diet and exercise has been a dramatic improvement in water quality. Since the late 1980s, phosphorus concentrations have declined 69% and water clarity increased 93%, as of the end of 2023. In 2022, the annual average phosphorus concentration was below the target concentration for the first time.  

This doesn’t mean the District’s work is done, but it is an important milestone in the lake’s recovery. The return of clearer water and the return of sunlight to the lake’s bottom triggered the regrowth of SAV, which had been missing for 50 years, and the critical bass habitat needed for recovering sportfish populations.  

Ongoing challenges: 

While native SAV is flourishing, invasive Hydrilla has also expanded rapidly. The District and FWC have conducted large-scale hydrilla treatments in 2023 and 2024 aimed at returning the cover of this invasive species to the manageable levels it had occupied for years. Legislature support has been crucial in funding these efforts.  

New District projects:

• West Marsh restoration (Lake County): The District is enhancing wetland habitat west of the Apopka-Beauclair Canal. This includes invasive plant treatments, parking and paddle access construction, and exploring potential waterfowl hunting opportunities.
• Native plantings: The District is working to accelerate the recovery of native SAV in Lake Apopka by conducting additional plantings using District, FWC and legislative resources:
  • Enhance the shoreline protection of various internal and external levees on the North Shore.
  • Planting 28,382 native floating-leaved aquatic lilies and lotus to provide submerged habitat on more than 10 acres of the lake. This project is in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
  • Planting native SAV like eelgrass and Illinois pondweed. This project is in partnership with DEP and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. These efforts have planted 109 acres of SAV (545,000 plants of eelgrass and Illinois pondweed) in Lake Apopka since 2021. Additional funding for 2024-2025 will account for planting at least another 23 acres (115,000 plants) of SAV in Lake Apopka.

Ongoing projects:

North Shore water and phosphorus management includes:

• Harvesting of gizzard shad has been an important factor in the improvement of water quality, with more than one million pounds of shad removed annually. Since 1993, the shad removal equates to more than 250,000 pounds of phosphorus removed.
• Operation of the Lake Apopka Marsh Flow-Way since 2003 has resulted in 30% of the lake’s water volume having been filtered annually to remove suspended solids, algae and associated nutrients. Since operation began in 2003, more than 70,000 tons of total suspended solids and 36 tons of total phosphorus have been removed from the lake. During Fall 2024, the District contracted out work to slip line two large pipes within the Marsh Flow-Way to extend the functional capacity and structural integrity of the system.
• In response to the recovering wetlands on the North Shore, wildlife, especially birds, have responded dramatically in numbers and diversity. The North Shore remains one of Florida’s top birding hot spots on eBird.
• As part of annual operations and maintenance, the District is implementing a series of projects to improve and maintain Lake Apopka and the North Shore. These projects, which will be completed by September 2025, include:
  • Repairing North Shore levees, specifically the north slope of Roach Road.
  • Upgrading pump stations for remote operation.
  • Ongoing maintenance of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.
  • Cleaning debris and accumulated muck from North Shore’s major canals.
  • Refurbishing or removing derelict farm structures from across the property.
• The District is designing a dredging project in collaboration with the city of Winter Garden on the south side of Lake Apopka near the Newton Park Boat Ramp. The design will reestablish a channel connecting the boat ramp to deeper parts of the lake.

Updated on 11-1-2024

Lake Jesup is a hydrologically complex system with a large, urbanized watershed and is the largest lake in Seminole County. The lake is shallow with a relatively low flushing rate that drains a 150-square-mile watershed, including portions of Oviedo, Sanford, Winter Park, Casselberry, Maitland, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Eatonville, Winter Springs and Orlando in Seminole and Orange counties.

Local stakeholder interest in restoring the lake began in 1993 with the Friends of Lake Jesup. In 2002, the District’s Governing Board designated Lake Jesup as a priority basin for restoration of water quality and fish and wildlife habitats. In 2008, in conjunction with the Lake Jesup Interagency Management Strategy, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection adopted a total maximum daily load for total phosphorus followed by the Lake Jesup Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). As a result, progress is being made to reduce nutrient sources and concentrations to improve the lake’s water quality and clarity.

Lake Jesup Nutrient Reduction Project

Reducing the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the water column is an important step for improving water quality in Lake Jesup. An analysis by CDM Smith in 2021 on behalf of the District determined that small footprint technologies, including media-based nutrient removal, could remove TN and TP from the water column at higher rates than a flow-through wetland system for a similar capital investment.

The goal of the Lake Jesup Nutrient Reduction project is to design, construct, and operate a nutrient removal system, using biosorption activated media-based technology, that cost-effectively removes TN and TP from Lake Jesup. The project will pump raw water from the lake, treat influent using media-based technology, and discharge water treated to state water quality criteria back to the lake. The full-scale treatment technology will be designed to remove TN and TP at rates at or above 50,000 and 5,000 pounds/year, respectively. The project location is a 9.7-acre upland property on the larger District-owned Lake Jesup east tract (see figure).

Design of the full-scale nutrient removal system began in January 2024. Part of the design work will be a pilot-scale study to evaluate the best media-based technology.

Project costs

• Total construction: $20–25 million (est. at 60% design level)
• Engineering: $1.1 million
• Operation and maintenance: $250,000–$400,000/year

Benefits

• Estimated total phosphorus reduction: 2,800 lbs./yr.
• Estimated total nitrogen reduction: 23,800 lbs./yr.
• Estimated increase in area suitable for submerged aquatic vegetation: 200–500 acres

Project schedule

• FY 2019–2020: Initiate design and permitting
• FY 2020–2022: Ongoing design and permitting
• FY 2022–2023:  Complete design and permitting
• FY 2023–2024: Bidding and begin construction (contingent on funding)

Lake Jesup sediment phosphorus flux treatment evaluation project

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the District collaborated on an evaluation of chemical treatment technologies to reduce the flux of phosphorus from Lake Jesup’s sediments into the water column. The goal was to evaluate the potential to reduce the phosphorus concentration in the lake’s water, which would reduce algal bloom intensity, duration and frequency. The study evaluated treatment efficiencies, phosphorus removal rates and treatment cost of selected chemical technologies.

Phase 1 examined three treatment technologies in a laboratory bench-scale study identified in the Request for Information by the District in 2017 (updated in 2020). Each technology was designed to reduce net phosphorus flux from the sediments to the water column. The results of the study concluded that ViroPhos outperformed the other technologies and provided the most consistent level of phosphorus flux reduction. ViroPhos was also found to be the most cost-effective at reducing total phosphorus concentration.

Phase II assessed the effectiveness of the treatment technologies in outdoor mesocosms to evaluate potential limitations in more realistic and complex conditions. The District solicited for the Phase II work, scoring and ranking companies based on project qualifications and evaluation criteria. The Governing Board awarded the contact in November 2022 to WSP (formally Wood Environmental).

In spring 2022, WSP completed a series of sediment samplings in Lake Jesup. Subsequently, from May to December 2023, eight mesocosms—controlled outdoor experiments that simulate natural ecosystems to study ecological processes and interactions— were deployed near the outlet of Howell Creek. Six of those mesocosms were treated with one of three test amendments to observe their ability to sequester phosphorus in the underlying sediment. WSP collected both zooplankton and phytoplankton—microscopic animals and organisms that drift in the water— samples as well as bi-weekly water quality samples. Additionally, 32 sediment cores were collected as part of this study to evaluate phosphorus flux from the sediment to the water column. Results suggested a high degree of variability between sampling locations in the lake, making lake-wide phosphorus release estimates problematic. Whole lake treatments ranged from an estimated cost of $50 million to $68 million, suggesting it will be costly to undertake a whole lake treatment. Possible future studies may examine the potential of partial lake treatment and the overall impact to bioavailable nutrients within the lake.

Lake Jesup intact cellular algae harvesting with simultaneous nutrient export

• This pilot project, conducted by AECOM, deployed a mobile algal harvesting unit that removed nitrogen and phosphorus through direct removal of the entire algae cell (known as intact cellular algae) and suspended solids located within the upper 12-inches of the water column in Lake Jesup. An innovative air flotation technology was utilized to attach microscopic air bubbles to the algae and sediment floc, creating buoyancy, to allow efficient separation of algal biomass and clarified water. Clarified water was returned to the lake while algal biomass were managed at Seminole County’s Yankee Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant. The harvesting unit was mounted on a barge and transported around Lake Jesup so that algae could be harvested at various locations.
• The pilot project received $1.7 million, in 2020, through a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Harmful Algal Bloom Innovate Technology Project Grant solicitation requesting proposals from government entities to prevent, detect, cleanup, or otherwise address harmful algal blooms in Florida’s waterways. This was a direct result of the 2019 Blue-Green Algae Task Force, formed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
• AECOM periodically operated the algae harvesting system over a nine-month period and completed system operations in May 2022. System decommissioning and removal from Lake Jesup was completed in November 2022. The objective of this pilot project was to collect representative data to evaluate system efficiency and the cost effectiveness of a full-scale system that can help achieve the Lake Jesup Total Maximum Daily Load and Basin Management Action Plan goals.
• See final report here.

The district assists farmers in protecting water resources through its cost-share funding program and by providing technical assistance through its Ag Assistance Team. The Ag Team centralizes help in gathering water use data needed for permits, reducing duplication in the permitting process, thus saving farmers time and money. Through the Tri-County Agricultural Area Water Management Partnership, cost-share projects largely focus on implementing improved fertilizer and irrigation practices on farms to reduce fertilizer-laden farm runoff from reaching the St. Johns River and other waterways in Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties.

Estes Groves Inc.

Citrus greening disease is spread by an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid and has been wreaking havoc on the state’s citrus industry. While researchers work to find a cure, growers are learning to manage their groves by optimizing tree root health. Cody Estes with Estes Groves Inc. manages 120 acres of citrus south of State Road 60 in Vero Beach. He has partnered with the district to fine-tune his irrigation system by installing soil moisture sensors, weather stations and pump automation. With pump automation, the grower develops a general control strategy outlining the conditions under which irrigation should start and stop. The controllers receive feedback from the sensors, make decisions based on settings and start and stop the pump accordingly. Mr. Estes can check on his system from his phone even if he is miles away. District staff estimate a 19 percent reduction in water use over his already efficient micro-irrigation system.

Cherrylake

Cherrylake, a tree farm in Lake County, recently completed a project to change out sprinklers on 694 acres of containerized trees and shrubs. Cherrylake continually evaluates how their work affects the quality of our air, land and water and was awarded the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Environmental Leadership award in 2016. Even with improvements, they recognized that their irrigation system didn’t account for harvesting of individual trees within an irrigation zone because there was no way to shut off individual emitters. This would result in irrigation water being applied to the ground after the tree was removed. In addition, the emitters would sometimes spray outside of the container. With the assistance of the districtwide Agricultural Cost-Share Program, Cherrylake retrofit the system with a “spot spitter” stake and emitter combination assembly that provides a shutoff position. Based on a Mobile Irrigation Lab evaluation performed in January 2018, conservation is expected to be almost 25 million gallons of water per year.

C.P. and Wesley Smith Inc. Farms

C.P. and Wesley Smith Inc. Farms in Hastings grows potatoes, broccoli and corn on approximately 1,500 acres. The farm, along with most other farms in the area, had historically been irrigated with seepage. Wesley and his sons have been converting their farm from the less-efficient seepage to more-efficient irrigation methods such as center pivot and sub-irrigation drain tile. They have seen reductions in irrigation of roughly 50 percent and increases in crop yields. They have received assistance from the Tri-County Agricultural Area Water Management Partnership as well as USDA/NRCS and are taking advantage of every opportunity to become more efficient. They have also purchased banding equipment, which dramatically reduces the amount of fertilizer being applied to the land.

Vero Beach Main Relief Canal Stormwater Treatment and Irrigation Project Phases 1 and 2

The estimated total construction cost of all phases is $10.8 million, with a total District cost-share contribution of $2.2 million and a total DEP cost-share contribution of $1.5 million.

This is a multi-phase project to construct an intake station to withdraw approximately 3 mgd of untreated water from the Vero Beach Main Relief Canal and transmit it to an existing filtration system at the city’s existing wastewater plant that currently discharges to the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). The project also involves the installation of a reclaimed water main to transmit the treated canal water for irrigation. The estimated alternative water supply benefit is 3 mgd. The project will also result in a reduction of approximately 5,820 lbs/yr of total nitrogen and 900 lbs/yr of total phosphorus being discharged to the IRL.

Wekiwa Springs Orange County Septic-to-Sewer Phases 1–4

The estimated total construction cost of all phases is $47.7 million, with a total District cost-share contribution of $8.8 million and a total DEP cost-share contribution of $4.3 million.

The project consists of up to 928 septic-to-sewer conversions involving the installation of sewer laterals, sewer connections, septic tank abandonment, sanitary sewer mains and lift stations in various neighborhoods within the Wekiwa Springs springshed. When all phases are complete, the estimated water quality benefit will be the reduction of 8,646 lbs/yr of total nitrogen being discharged to Wekiwa Springs.

JEA Demand-Side Management Water Conservation Program Phase 1

The estimated total program cost for phase 1 is $10.9 million, with a total DEP cost-share contribution of $3 million.

The project provides residential rebates for high-efficiency toilets, clothes washers, dishwashers and smart irrigation tools for homeowners and commercial incentives and rebates for implementing the Green Restaurant program, retrofitting ice machines and cooling tower cost-sharing. The estimated water conservation benefit is 1.5 mgd of water conserved. An application for a subsequent phase of the program was submitted to the fiscal year 2024–25 alternative water supply program.