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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Robert King High
1407 NW 7 St., 
Suite D
Miami , FL   33125

  Phone 305 644 0544
Fax 305 642 1136

Email:
  mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

I)  Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report Agency Implementation Progress Report – Omar Abdelrahman, Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) submitted their “Progress Report”, including water quality testing results.  The water quality testing indicated improvement, in that the quantity of contaminants has decreased to beneath the County’s set standards, yet Abdelrahman noted there is a lot of variability in the data.

Mr. Rod Lovette stated he would provide the Water and Sewer Department (WASD) Progress Report as a part of his presentation on Agenda Item IV, a review of the results from the recently commenced Phase II Wagner Creek smoke testing being conducted by WASD, using SWIM funding provided by DERM.

Mr. Skornick stated that the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) received a grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND), and is currently working on an agreement with the County for the Miami River Maintenance Dredging Project. The contract is expected to go before the SFWMD for approval in May. Mr. Skornick said the SFWMD would have to reapply to FIND with the City and County for additional Miami River maintenance dredging funding.

Mr. Jose Lago noted a portion of the City of Miami’s “Progress Report” would be included in his report on Agenda Item II, “Status of the Draft Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan and Dredging Permit Applications”, and stated he would provide a complete written “Progress Report” for internet posting by the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting. 

II)   Status of the Draft Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan and Dredging Permit Applications – Mr. Lago stated the City of Miami has not selected any new potential staging areas for the Wagner Creek dredging project.  Mr. Lago stated he met in December 2004 with Water Management Technologies, about some new dredging and disposal methods, and asked Mr. Des Aulniers to present the process.  Des Aulniers, President of Water Management Technologies, stated he has studied the Wagner Creek area, and the dredging is vacuum processing using an airlift.  Des Aulniers explained the water is held in a tank and decontaminated through the same technology as the Water Management Technology’s Scavenger 2000 de-pollution vessel, which is currently operating in the Miami River and Biscayne Bay .  Mr. Des Aulniers stated after treatment and water quality testing, the decontaminated water may return into the creek.  Mr. Des Aulniers stated the rate of water decontamination is 100 gallons of water every 30 seconds, using a coal filter and ozone generator.  Mr. Des Aulniers stated Water Management Technologies intends to submit a bid, when the City of Miami issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to dredge Wagner Creek.  Mr. Des Aulniers indicated Water Management Technologies will be dredging for the Onyx development, in Biscayne Bay , using the same technology and dewatering methods.  Des Aulniers indicated that project was scheduled to commence in a few months.  Lago stated the City is evaluating this and other technologies and wants to meet again with Des Aulniers and DERM.  Per requests issued during the SSC meeting, Water Management Technologies stated they would submit electronic versions of their presentation materials to DERM and Power U.   Anjali Sardeshmukh, Power U, asked if dioxins are removed from the water through the decontamination system, prior to the water being returned into Wagner Creek.  Ms. Sophie Mastriano, Water Management Technologies, indicted the decontamination system would remove the dioxins, prior to returning the water back into Wagner Creek.

Jose Lago clarified that Wagner Creek Dredging Phase IV, is NW 14 Ave to NW 15 ST, Phase V is NW 15 ST to NW 11 ST (beginning of Seybold Canal).  Mr. Lago stated the City of Miami has no plans nor funding for Seybold Canal , yet the City has included the potential Seybold Canal dredging on their local FEMA mitigation plan list to be eligible for federal funding.  Lago stated Wagner Creek Dredging Phases I and II were NW 26 ST to NW 20 ST (culverted area), which were completed in 2000.  Lago stated Wagner Creek Dredging Phase III, NW 20 ST to NW 14 Ave, was dredged in 1996-1998, and the City of Miami will re-dredge that area (utilizing an awarded $200,000 FEMA cost-share) after completion of Wagner Creek Dredging Phases IV and V.  Lago stated there is the possibility for the City of Miami to dredge in Seybold Canal and the City is currently investigating whom owns that submerged land, which is possibly owned by the State of Florida .  Dr. Ernie Martin stated he recommends a plan to include dredging within the Seybold Canal , which is navigable.  Dr. Martin stated the Seybold Canal property and boat owners are feeling left out of the necessary dredging plans, and noted only the portion of the tributary in Commissioner Allen’s district is omitted.  Sallye Jude asked if locally collected impact fees may be used as a funding source for the recommended Seybold Canal dredging.  Anjali Sardeshmukh, Power U, asked about connectivity between contractors, timelines, and dredging processes for Wagner Creek Dredging Phases IV, V, III, and the potential Seybold Canal dredging.  Lago stated Phase IV and V will be done together under the same contract, permit and process.  Sardeshmukh asked when the project would commence, and Mr. Lago replied the first step is for the City to select a new temporary staging site, which should be selected by June 2005.  Sardesmukh asked what criteria the City would use in selecting the site, and Lago replied it would not be in a residential area and must meet the minimum size requirements, which is somewhat dependent on the selected dredging and dewatering process.  Lago stated when the City selects a potential site, it will host a public hearing.  Dr. Martin stated although some “No Fishing Signs” were posted, children in the area still fish in Wagner Creek.  Sardesmukh asked about posting more “No Fishing and No Swimming” advisory signs, and Jude stated the SSC had been informed the Health Department has the authority to post the recommended health warning signage.    

III) Update on the Development of TMDL’s for Wagner Creek – Bibeau stated Kevin O’Donnell, FDEP, was unable to travel to Miami for the meeting, and had asked Bibeau to inquire as to the status of the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County ’s “Reasonable Assurance Reports”.  Mr. Lago replied he didn’t know the status, and the City of Miami was considering hiring a consultant to work on the TMDL issue.  Lago stated he would meet with Steve Blair, DERM, regarding the TMDLs.

IV)  Status of WASD Smoke Testing of the Western Sub Basin – Rod Lovette, WASD, reported that less than half way through smoke testing within the selected Wagner Creek Water basin, three minor defects in the sanitary sewer system were detected.  Lovette stated the three discovered minor defects are to small to be the sole source generating the high e-coli counts found in Wagner Creek.  Mr. Lovette stated one illegal roof drain connecting to the storm sewer was detected as well.  Lovette stated the testing would be completed by the May 2005 SSC meeting, when he would present a full written report.  Lovette stated the WASD would repair the three detected defects, yet there are some issues with the City of Miami ’s “curb-to-curb” permitting policy, which must be addressed.  Lovette explained when the WASD fixes a broken lateral, the City of Miami requires them to repave the street, so that a $1,500 - $3,000 repair job (with patch) would instead require $45,000 in street re-paving, which would result in curtailing the amount of repair work the WASD would be able to fund.  Jose Lago offered to have Len Helmers and Francis Mitchell, City of Miami Public Works , contact Rod Lovette on the issue.  Lovette stated outdated Septic systems may still be in the Wagner Creek & Miami River water basins.  Lovette reported the WASD is willing to provide dye flood testing for free at the request of residents along Seybold Canal , and Dr. Martin stated he would forward WASD’s generous offer to Seybold Canal residents, whom would most likely be interested in accepting the free testing.  Lovette noted there is no flow source in Wagner Creek, only minor tide influences, which make it more difficult to remediate, test, etc.  

V)  New Business – Mr. Des Aulniers stated the City of Miami has applied for a grant to fund the installation of two water decontamination stations in Wagner Creek, capable of decontaminating 1,000 gallons of water per minute.  Mr. Des Aulniers stated the City of Miami is considering installing a total of 6 decontamination stations within Wagner Creek.

Bibeau noted it was necessary to continue testing in order to seek Wagner Creek contamination sources, yet appreciated all the agency efforts to remediate the existing contamination in a parallel path, as the long and difficult search seeking and destroying point pollution sources continues.  

Anjali Mastriano, Power U, distributed copies of their April 6, 2005 letter in reply to the City of Miami ’s recent response to questions previously submitted in writing by Power U.

The next regularly scheduled SSC meeting was confirmed for the first Wednesday of the month, May 4, 2004 , 10 am , Miami River Inn, 118 South River Drive .  The meeting adjourned.

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