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I. Update
on the Development of TMDL’s for Wagner Creek –
Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing
Director, stated as suggested by the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (FDEP) the MRC will continue to provide intergovernmental
coordination on the setting of TMDL’s for Wagner Creek, via having the
item on the Stormwater subcommittee’s monthly publicly noticed meeting
agenda. Mr. Bibeau noted the
City of
Miami
and
Miami-Dade
County
’s Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) had
previously reported they were in the process of contracting with
environmental consultants to assist in the TMDL process.
Since there were no City of Miami or DERM representatives at the
SSC meeting, Mr. Bibeau stated he would contact Mr. Steve Blair and
Forrest Shaw, DERM and Mr. Francis Mitchell, City of Miami, to offer any
assistance the MRC’s may provide in the process of setting the Wagner
Creek TMDL before the consent decree’s March 2006 deadline, and
creating the State required Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) by its
September 2006 deadline.
Rod Lovette,
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD), stated recent coliform
testing in Wagner Creek and
Seybold
Canal
has shown improvement, and a decrease of coliform.
Mr. Bibeau stated the quarterly water quality testing submitted
by DERM indicated the Creek’s coliform levels to be better than the
County’s coliform water quality standard, and hopes the water quality
improvement is due to the repairs made to the systems, rather than a dip
in the detectable quantities of coliform caused by the temporary dry
season. Mr. Lovette stated
although several repairs have been completed, the SSC agencies should
continue seeking pollution point sources.
Evan Skornick, SFWMD, stated since the creation of TMDL’s for
the
Miami River
will commence after Wagner Creek, the SSC’s monthly agenda item should
be expanded to include discussing TMDL’s for the
Miami River
and Wagner Creek.
II.
Status of the Draft Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan and Dredging
Permit Applications
– Mr. Bibeau stated he had
attended a recent meeting with Mary Conway, Director of the City of
Miami’s Capital Improvement Department, Jose Lago, Len Helmers, City
of Miami, John Guttman, EAC, and several homeowners from the Seybold
Canal / Spring Garden area, including Mr. Charlie Hand, present at the
SSC meeting. Mr. Bibeau
reported during the meeting Ms. Conway stated the City of
Miami
had agreed with the residents request to include
Seybold
Canal
dredging in the City of
Miami
’s plans for Wagner Creek Dredging Phases IV and V.
The issue would be on the City Commission’s second September
meeting agenda. Bibeau
stated Ms. Conway had reported the City of
Miami
has received one bid, and is expecting two more bids within two weeks.
Evan Skornick,
SFWMD, stated he called the City of
Miami
for an update on the SFWMD’s $1 million appropriation for the Wagner
Creek Dredging project, and hasn’t received a report to date. Mr.
Skornick stated he will support the City’s request to roll over the
SFWMD’s $1 million cost share into the following fiscal year, which
may or may not get approved. Mr.
Sknornick noted if the City wants to seek a State of
Florida
cost share for the dredging of
Seybold
Canal
and Wagner Creek, they should submit “CBIR” forms now for the
Legislature’s consideration during the upcoming 2006 legislative
session.
III.
Status of WASD Smoke Testing of the
Western
Sub
Basin
- Mr. Rod Lovett, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD),
vouched for the effectiveness of “smoke testing” along Wagner Creek,
describing it as a definitive tool able to establish improper
connections between separate Stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.
Mr. Lovette stated recent Wagner Creek smoke testing has
pinpointed several minor defects, which have since been repaired.
Mr. Lovett added, however, that due to financial constraints, the
WASD remains on “lockdown” for non-emergency overtime projects,
prohibiting the continuation of “smoke testing” along Wagner Creek.
Mr. Bibeau agreed to follow-up with Mr. John Chorolog, WASD and
Steve Blair, DERM, regarding the potential for DERM to advance WASD the
1997 SWIM funding, which has been used to fund the Wagner Creek Smoke
Testing program, in order to avert the WASD budgetary restraints which
have recently prohibited the WASD from incurring the expense to be
refunded by DERM with the SWIM funding, as was the original agreement
made prior to the WASD’s current budget restraints.
Mr. Lovette
informed Mr. Hand that the WASD is willing to provide free sanitary
sewer dye testing at the request of the Seybold Canal & Wagner Creek
homeowners, and provided his contact information to Mr. Hand.
IV.
New Business-
Mr. Bibeau stated the recently approved Miami-Dade County General
Obligation Bond Issue has millions of dollars earmarked for Sanitary
Sewer infrastructure improvements. Bibeau
noted the MRC SSC’s 2002 Miami
River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report recommends hooking the
unincorporated
Miami-Dade
County
’s
Melrose
neighborhood to the County’s sanitary sewer treatment system, versus
the antiquated septic tanks currently operating in the area.
Mr. Bibeau asked Mr. Lovette if the WASD would support using a
portion of the approved GOB bond funding for this purpose, and Mr.
Lovette replied although the WASD would support the concept, the
recommendation must be made by DERM.
Mr. Bibeau agreed to follow up with a DERM representative on this
matter.
The next
regularly scheduled SSC meting was confirmed for the first Wednesday of
the month,
October 5, 2005
,
10 am
, Miami River Inn,
118 South River Drive
.
The meeting
adjourned.
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