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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #430 |
| Miami River Federal Channel Dredging Project |
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| Requester: |
Miami-Dade County |
Organization: |
Board of County Commissioners |
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| Project Title: |
Miami River Federal Channel Dredging Project |
Date Submitted |
1/14/2005 2:15:26 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Margolis |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| The federal channel of the Miami River supports commercial and recreational vessel traffic. Economic assessments establish that the Miami River is the 4th or 5th largest port in the State of Florida. Dredging is necessary to maintain navigation in this area. Furthermore, studies by federal, state and local agencies have demonstrated that the contaminated sediments within the Miami River have been carried downstream and into adjoining portions of Biscayne Bay, a State Aquatic Preserve, priority Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) water body, and important habitat for wildlife and fisheries resources. Proper dredging of the River will enhance the environmental quality of the River which, in turn, will improve those portions of Biscayne Bay currently being affected by the River's contaminated sediments. |
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| Recipient: |
Miami-Dade County |
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Contact: |
Roman Gastesi, Water Mgmt. Coordinator, Cty Manager's Office |
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111 NW 1st Street |
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Contact Phone: |
(305) 375-1249 |
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Miami 33128 |
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Contact email: |
gastesi@miamidade.gov |
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| Counties: |
Dade |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recommended maintenance dredging of the federal channel of the Miami River for navigation purposes. The River will be dredged from the water control structure near NW 36th Street to the mouth where it flows into Biscayne Bay. Sediments found in the Miami River are contaminated by past pollution and do not meet federal criteria for ocean disposal, they must be disposed of at an upland site, such as a lined landfill. The contract awarded by the Corps proposes to dredge the River over 2 - 3 year period and includes a method of upland disposal involving sand separation and dewatering the excavated sediment, and hauling the dried material to a landfill for permanent disposal. |
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| Is this a project related to 2004 hurricane damage? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| It is anticipated that upon completion of the dredging project, with the removal of approximately 600,000 cubic yards of sediment, the navigation channel will be restored to authorized depth and width, allowing enhanced use by freighters. Also, contaminated sediments will no longer be conveyed to sensitive habitats of Biscayne Bay, therefore reducing potential for further accumulation of pollutants in Bay sediments. Water quality, particularly water clarity, is expected to improve, since sediment re-suspension will be reduced following completion of the project. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$1,000,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$20,000,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Federal |
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Cash Amount |
$19,000,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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Yes |
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Fiscal Year: |
2002-2003 |
Amount: |
$1,100,000 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Final Report for Miami River Water and Sediment Testing-June 2000-USACOE, etc. |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
07/27/2004 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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Yes |
| Has the project been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection? |
Yes |
| DEP identifying number: |
20022003 |
| Is this project eligible under section 403.885(5) F.S.? |
Yes |
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| Is your project addressed in a state, regional or local plan (such as a SWIM plan, Comprehensive Plan, local master plan, etc.)? |
Yes |
| Name the plan and cite the pages on which the project is described: |
| Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master Plan, Port of Miami River Subelement, Obj. 3, Policy 3A, p. 11-59 |
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| If you are requesting funding for a stormwater or surface water restoration project: |
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| Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project? |
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South Florida Management District |
| Have you provided at least 50% match? |
Yes |
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Match Amount: |
19000000 |
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Match Source: |
USACE (80% of total), FIND (5% of total), City of Miami (2.5% of total), Miami-Dade County (2.5% of |
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| Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body? |
Yes |
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Name of water body: |
Biscayne Bay |
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| Describe how it will reduce loadings, identify anticipated load reductions for total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and other contaminants, and specify the practices that will be used to reduce loadings: |
| Studies by state and federal agencies have demonstrated that contaminated sediments from the Miami River are regularly resuspended by ship traffic and water discharges and have moved downstream into Biscayne Bay. The sediments contain a variety of trace metals, sometimes at levels as high as several hundred parts per million. These studies also have shown that the sediments cause toxicity and other biological effects in marine organism bioassay tests. Removal of the contaminated sediments, which have been accumulating for decades, will reduce long-term loading of Biscayne Bay with contaminants and improve water clarity in the River and the Bay. The federal project is expected to remove 600,000 cubic yards of material from the River and dispose of it in a lined landfill. |
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| If you are requesting funding for a wastewater project: |
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| Does your project qualify for funding from DEP's 'Small Community Wastewater Treatment Grant Program' under section 403.1838 F.S.? |
No |
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| Other wastewater projects: |
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| Have you received previous legislative funding for this project? |
No |
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| Is the project under construction? |
No |
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| Have you provided at least a 25% local match? |
No |
