Escambia County RESTORE Project Proposal Summary (2015) Project Title Category Project Request Project Match Project Total Primary Activity 11 Mile Creek Basin Environment $4,024,000 $1,510,000 $5,534,000 Restore and protect natural resources The Eleven Mile Creek Project involves the creation of eleven pond and/or floodplain creation sites that are intended to alleviate flooding, preserve infrastructure, improve water quality and reduce nonpoint source pollution, within the Eleven Mile Creek Watershed. Site one (1) is a pond near the Green Hills Road Tributary which would be designed and constructed in year one. The remaining ten (10) pond/stream restoration sites in the Eleven Mile Creek basin are being rated for land acquisition purposes from a pool of 19 possible locations. A study addressing the Green Hills pond siting and the remaining 10 pond siting ratings and acquisition requirements is attached. One of the broader goals of this project is to reduce downstream stormwater flow rates and improve overall water quality for the downstream outfall locations. The Green Hills site consists of construction of pond and/or floodplain restoration site upstream of the Green Hills Road culvert crossing. Sigma Consulting Group (SIGMA) developed a pond siting report for the Green Hills Tributary to the Eleven Mile Creek Watershed after the April 2014 storm event which highlighted the need for flood control within the Basin. An immediate benefit is that Green Hills Road will not be subject to roadway flooding (water overtopping the road due to excessive stormwater runoff) during a 25-year storm event. Construction of eleven ponds will reduce roadway flooding and improve motorist safety throughout the Eleven Mile Creek basin. Improved roadways increase traffic, encourage travel and tourism, and ultimately stimulate the economy. Ponds 2 through 11 are stormwater ponds/floodplain creation sites that will similarly improve the Eleven Mile Creek Watershed downstream of the Green Hills Road culvert crossing. Construction of the attenuation sites recommended within the attached pond rating matrix will directly improve water quality, reduce downstream flooding, promote safety in the Eleven Mile Creek Watershed and has the potential to further improve water quality by measurably reducing the amount of sedimentation and pollutants that enter Perdido Bay. Ashland Park Sewer Infrastructure $2,033,000 $917,000 $2,950,000 Infrastructure projects for local economy Expansion/Stormwater Improvement The Ashland Park Subdivision project area encompasses approximately 195 acres within the upper reaches of the Clear Creek watershed, which flows into Escambia River and Escambia Bay. The project area includes approximately 210 single-family residential properties that are currently served by septic tanks, which impact nutrient levels in Clear Creek and the Escambia Bay system. The ECUA and Escambia County have coordinated to develop a joint project that will result in stormwater management improvements in the project area, as well as the construction of a wastewater collection system that will allow the provision of central wastewater service throughout the project area. These infrastructure improvements will serve to improve general water quality characteristics in Clear Creek and the Escambia Bay sysrem through the reduction of nutrient levels. Bayou Chico Restoration Environment $22,828,151 $0 $22,828,151 Restore and protect natural resources Bayou Chico has been on the 303D List of Impaired Waters since the lists inception in 1971, a year before the Clean Water Act was ratified by Congress in 1972. Bayou Chico has been on this list longer than any other body of water in the United States. The EPA is currently under Federal Court Order to improve the water quality in Bayou Chico to a point that it may be removed from the 303D list. The EPA has tasked the FDEP to create a BMAP (Basin Management Action Plan) for Bayou Chico. The BMAP includes this restoration project in its plan as a possible contribution to help increase the water quality of Bayou Chico. Water quality of Bayou Chico must be improved in order to comply with Federal Court order and Clean Water Act. The overall goal of this project is to, not only bring the water quality into compliance with the Clean Water Act, but restore the water quality to its original natural condition not found since the 1800’s when waterfront industry first started polluting the Bayou. The largest single contributor to poor overall water quality is bacteria and other pollutants that are suspended in the decomposing sediment blanketing the sugar white sand natural bottom that hasn’t been exposed for over a hundred years. Rain events, as well as recreational, and commercial boating, disturbs the sediment on the bottom frequently releasing bacteria. Reference below http://uwf.edu/liebens/report_chico_withmaps.pdf http://www.uwf.edu/rsnyder/reports/PBWMG.pdf http://www.uwf.edu/rsnyder/reports/bayourpt.pdf Millions of dollars have been and continue to be spent preventing both non-point and point sources of pollution from entering Bayou Chico. Reference Bayou Chico BMAP http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/watersheds/docs/bmap/bayou-chico-bmap.pdf To date all efforts to clean up Bayou Chico have concentrated on pollutants entering the Bayou but have not addressed the largest contributing factor which is the bacteria and other pollutants suspended in the sediment that lies on the bottom. This true restoration project aggressively addresses the removal of polluted sediment and would restore the water quality and water flow of Bayou Chico to a level not seen for 150 years. Bayou Chico has been tested and studied in great detail for decades. We have extensive data and a clear base line of information compiled in the BMAP that will allow us to measure the effects of this restoration and document the increased water quality. Once this restoration project is completed, other than monitoring, no additional resources will be needed to maintain the project. This project is a true restoration project, restoring Bayou Chico to its pristine condition not seen since the American Indians and early settlers used the Bayou for fishing and a source of fresh water BAYWALK PROMENADE Infrastructure $300,000 $0 $300,000 Planning assistance Hurricane Ivan and other storms have taught our region a hard lesson. The Pensacola waterfront was devastated; from the terrible costs associated with the failure of the Waste Water Treatment Plant, to the multiple breaches and destruction of the coastline, the loss of much of our tree canopy, the displacement of our citizens and now the impact caused by the DWH oil spill. This BAYWALK PROMENADE project is designed to be a hybrid infrastructure enhancing the resilience of our coastal community, the local economy and the ecosystem by bringing the public closer to nature. The project in the downtown corridor from the Three Mile Bridge to Bartram Park then on to the Sanders Beach Community Center and will incorporate many structures already built and proposed. It will address coastline protection issues by hardening the shoreline with the placement of a wide concrete promenade hiding the rock surfaces in place from the land to the shoreline high water mark and the planting of emergent plants along the seaward edge of the BAYWALK PROMENADE will provide protection to our coastline and community and become an educational opportunity for old and young alike. It will also become a regional economic engine, a catalyst, encouraging real estate developments, initially creating discernible economic advantages and as tourists and locals embrace this venue the economic impact generated throughout the region will be major and growing. The public demand placed in this venue can encourage the formation of new businesses and put additional demand on established businesses; creating new jobs. The opportunities may include the creation of a mini transportation hub, food/drink, theatre, sunsets, urban art, museum, music, festivals, birding, creating experiences, educational, etc. We have developed this project with a long term vision, composed of four phases to ensure greatest success. Each phase will develop documents as deliverables that support the next funding request. In this way each installment of the funds can be measured and monitored. Beach Haven S & NE Environment $18,000,000 $2,000,000 $20,000,000 Restore and protect natural resources Escambia County has identified the Beach Haven Drainage and Sanitary Sewer Project as a qualified Resources, Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies (RESTORE) of the Gulf Coast States Act (passed in 2012) project based on the multiple qualifying activities that are satisfied by this project. The project scope includes drainage enhancements; replacement of unsafe deep roadside ditches; prevention of roadway flooding, roadway shoulder pooling, and adjacent lot flooding; roadway reconstruction and resurfacing improvements; constructing of a community wastewater collection system, and phase-out of septic tanks within the Bayou Chico and Bayou Grande watersheds of Pensacola Bay. Considering this project covers an area of 861- acres, the design and construction has been broken down into several zones and phases to reduce construction inconveniences to the public. During Phase I, design engineers will incorporation recommendations presented in the Beach Haven Sewer and Drainage Master Plan (MP dated 2003). Due to its large size, the project area will be divided