Southwest Weirs project officially gets started
Kenneth Thompson
A ceremonial ground breaking ceremony was held May 4 on the grounds of the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District to mark the start of the Southwest Lehigh Weirs Project.
Several officials of those associated with the weir project lined up with gold-colored shovels to mark the occasion.
Inside the LA-MSID, a crowd gathered for a brief presentation documenting the beginning of work to start construction.
“The Southwest Lehigh Weirs project, otherwise known as the Aquifer Benefit and Storage for the Orange River Basin project, provides construction of 25 weirs in Lehigh through a strategic, multi-agency partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation and South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District,” said Kenneth Thompson, chairman of LA-MSID.
He said the project is a crucial step to making tangible improvements in the health of the Caloosahatchee and estuary – tidal and estuarial basins – through improved water quality and aquifer recharge and increased storage for the Orange River Basin.
MEL TOADVINE Ground breaking ceremonies were held May 4 marking the beginning of construction of several weirs in Lehigh. Several people participated in the ceremony. At left is the chairman of the LA-MSID, David Lindsay.
A weir is a barrier across a water flow designed to alter its flow characteristics. In most cases, weirs take the form of obstructions smaller than most conventional dams, pooling water behind them while also allowing it to flow steadily over their tops.
Weirs are commonly used to alter the flow of rivers to prevent flooding.
Thompson said the Aquifer Benefit and Storage for the Orange River Basin, or ABSORB, project will increase canal control elevations and local groundwater levels by constructing 25 weirs within about a 10-square-mile area in southwest Lehigh.
LA-MSID will improve stormwater storage at least 800 acres-feet – 800 acres, one foot deep of water – of storage depending on the severity of the storm event, Thompson said.
The additional water stored and its nutrients and pollution will be removed from the Orange River and the Caloosahatchee of an estimated 888 kg/yr of nitrogen and 87 kg/yr of phosphorus,” he said.
Currently several canals in the southwest do not have water control structures, which prevents the district from holding water when it rains, a reason why some canals in Lehigh can appear dry.
The project will go a long way to increase water storage, Thompson noted.
He said funding for the project comes in part from a $1.22 million grant through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s water quality restoration grant program and also from the Department of Transportation for $1.9 million through the state Route 82 widening project.
“The district is able to help reduce the effects on the Caloosahatchee River through and agreement with FDOT that provides funds for the construction of several capital projects such as the Southwest Lehigh weirs project and the West Marsh project,” Thompson said.
LA-MSID received $160,000 in a state of Florida grant with an additional $80,250 in matching funds provided by LA-MSID. South Florida Water Management provided $57,590 in funding for preliminary design of the project.
Thompson noted that the project put no extra expenses on ratepayers and “shows a true collegial effort between local government agencies and elected officials.”
Other members of LA-MSID gave brief remarks at the ceremony. They included Mike Welch, David Deetscreek, Mike Bonacolta and J. Nathan Stout.
Also on hand were Brent Setchell of the Florida Department of Transportation and Jon Iglehart of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Several others representing local and state government attended the ceremony, including Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann.
The May 4 date was chosen partly because former Gov. Reubin Askew in 1972 proclaimed May 4 as Lehigh Day.
It also marks the 58th anniversary of LA-MSID.
-
- MEL TOADVINE Ground breaking ceremonies were held May 4 marking the beginning of construction of several weirs in Lehigh. Several people participated in the ceremony. At left is the chairman of the LA-MSID, David Lindsay.
Southwest Weirs project officially gets started
Kenneth Thompson
A ceremonial ground breaking ceremony was held May 4 on the grounds of the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District to mark the start of the Southwest Lehigh Weirs Project.
Several officials of those associated with the weir project lined up with gold-colored shovels to mark the occasion.
Inside the LA-MSID, a crowd gathered for a brief presentation documenting the beginning of work to start construction.
“The Southwest Lehigh Weirs project, otherwise known as the Aquifer Benefit and Storage for the Orange River Basin project, provides construction of 25 weirs in Lehigh through a strategic, multi-agency partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation and South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District,” said Kenneth Thompson, chairman of LA-MSID.
He said the project is a crucial step to making tangible improvements in the health of the Caloosahatchee and estuary – tidal and estuarial basins – through improved water quality and aquifer recharge and increased storage for the Orange River Basin.
MEL TOADVINE Ground breaking ceremonies were held May 4 marking the beginning of construction of several weirs in Lehigh. Several people participated in the ceremony. At left is the chairman of the LA-MSID, David Lindsay.
A weir is a barrier across a water flow designed to alter its flow characteristics. In most cases, weirs take the form of obstructions smaller than most conventional dams, pooling water behind them while also allowing it to flow steadily over their tops.
Weirs are commonly used to alter the flow of rivers to prevent flooding.
Thompson said the Aquifer Benefit and Storage for the Orange River Basin, or ABSORB, project will increase canal control elevations and local groundwater levels by constructing 25 weirs within about a 10-square-mile area in southwest Lehigh.
LA-MSID will improve stormwater storage at least 800 acres-feet – 800 acres, one foot deep of water – of storage depending on the severity of the storm event, Thompson said.
The additional water stored and its nutrients and pollution will be removed from the Orange River and the Caloosahatchee of an estimated 888 kg/yr of nitrogen and 87 kg/yr of phosphorus,” he said.
Currently several canals in the southwest do not have water control structures, which prevents the district from holding water when it rains, a reason why some canals in Lehigh can appear dry.
The project will go a long way to increase water storage, Thompson noted.
He said funding for the project comes in part from a $1.22 million grant through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s water quality restoration grant program and also from the Department of Transportation for $1.9 million through the state Route 82 widening project.
“The district is able to help reduce the effects on the Caloosahatchee River through and agreement with FDOT that provides funds for the construction of several capital projects such as the Southwest Lehigh weirs project and the West Marsh project,” Thompson said.
LA-MSID received $160,000 in a state of Florida grant with an additional $80,250 in matching funds provided by LA-MSID. South Florida Water Management provided $57,590 in funding for preliminary design of the project.
Thompson noted that the project put no extra expenses on ratepayers and “shows a true collegial effort between local government agencies and elected officials.”
Other members of LA-MSID gave brief remarks at the ceremony. They included Mike Welch, David Deetscreek, Mike Bonacolta and J. Nathan Stout.
Also on hand were Brent Setchell of the Florida Department of Transportation and Jon Iglehart of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Several others representing local and state government attended the ceremony, including Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann.
The May 4 date was chosen partly because former Gov. Reubin Askew in 1972 proclaimed May 4 as Lehigh Day.
It also marks the 58th anniversary of LA-MSID.
-
- MEL TOADVINE Ground breaking ceremonies were held May 4 marking the beginning of construction of several weirs in Lehigh. Several people participated in the ceremony. At left is the chairman of the LA-MSID, David Lindsay.
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