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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
Fax: 305-361-4755
  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

I. Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report Quarterly Action Item Progress Report Presentations- Mr. Bibeau welcomed Mr. Rafael Plaza, a homeowner adjacent to Wagner Creek, to the meeting. The SSC members offered self- introductions.  Bibeau stated the SSC created the Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report. The report is available at www.miamirivercommision.org, and consists of 33 “Action Items”. Bibeau explained that the SSC’s environmental agencies provide quarterly progress reports on the “Action Items”, which are also posted on the internet at www.miamirivercommission.org.  

Mr. Jose Lago and Mr. Francisco Gonzalez, City of Miami , provided the 2^nd year, 3^rd quarter progress report on the City of Miami ’s “action items” outlined in Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report. The report noted that the Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan is now scheduled for completion by May, instead of April 2004.  Ms. Liz Abbott, SFWMD, recommended that the city model the approved methods to dredge the Miami River for the planned Wagner Creek dredging project. Lago stated that a meeting would be held on November 12, 2003 to review temporary drying site locations for the dredged material. A potential site could be NW 20^th Street and NW 7^th Avenue , which has 3 acres. Mr. Rafael Plaza expressed concern to the subcommittee that the dredging project would increase shoreline erosion on his property, which is along Wagner Creeks western shore. Lago stated that the project contains a shoreline stabilization component, in addition to dredging.  Mr. Plaza thanked the SSC for this clarification and expressed support for the proposed project.  Bibeau requested clarification of the Pinehurst retrofitting project design phase. The previous City of Miami ’s progress report indicated it was 100% design complete, yet the current report states it is 40% design complete.  Lago noted that in the September 2003 meeting the project was 100% complete on the conceptual design, and is currently 40% complete on construction documents.  Lago reported the City of Miami installed mechanical bar screens at the Orange Bowl and Riverview storm water pump stations, which remove floatable debris.  In addition, mechanical bar screens will be installed in the Allapattah and Pinehurst retrofitting projects. 

Mr. Omar Abdelrahman, Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM), provided the 2^nd year, 3^rd quarter progress report.  The report showed results from 10 testing locations for fecal coliform bacteria, ammonia nitrogen, and total phosphate.  The Stormwater Subcommittee respectfully requested DERM’s multiple reports to be resubmitted as one consolidated report for posting on the internet.

Mr. Rod Lovett, Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD), stated he would present their 2^nd year, 3^rd quarter progress report during the SSC’s December meeting. Bibeau stated the MRC had received the FDEP’s 2^nd year, 3^rd quarter progress report, yet the FDEP representative Michael Self was unable to attend the SSC meeting due to illness.  Mr. Self requested that the presentation of his report be deferred to the SSC’s December meeting.

II. Discussion Wagner Creek Pollution Source Identification and Abatement-Ms. Abbott stated the City of Miami had forwarded drawings of the stormwater system to the WASD.  The WASD then overlaid the sanitary sewer system with the stormwater system in a new CAD drawing.  The draft CAD drawing has been forwarded to the City of Miami for final verification.  Mr. Gonzalez stated the City of Miami ’s Public Works Department had just moved offices, and would verify the CAD drawings in the near future.  Upon final verification of the CAD drawings accuracy, the SSC will use the drawings to strategize the most effective testing program for the Wagner Creek area.

III. WASD Report on Recent Wagner Creek Dye Flood Testing Results- Mr. Lovett stated WASD recently completed Phase II of the “Dye Flood Testing” program in Wagner Creek.  A final report will be available within a week.  Mr. Lovett noted that WASD had spent $50,000 in dye flood testing for Phase I and Phase II.  During Phase I, 5 minor sanitary sewer defects were found and corrected. Unfortunately, no new defects were detected during Phase II.  Lovett indicated that the WASD has a $50,000 available balance for dye flood testing Phase III, and is awaiting DERM’s direction as to areas to conduct this final phase.

IV. New Business - Captain John Smith, Bojean Boatyard, stated that the Melreese Golf Course was previously a dumpsite, and he believes the site is now seeping contamination into the adjacent Tamiami Canal, which flows into the Miami River and then into Biscayne Bay. Smith recommended that a steel sea wall be installed on the Melreese Golf course shoreline to avoid further seepage. In addition, Mr. Smith restated his support of dredging the Tamiami Canal between the swing bridge and the Miami River .  Bibeau stated that the Tamiami Canal dredging is an implementation step of the MRC’s adopted strategic plan, and the storm water subcommittee agreed to place the Tamiami Canal water quality issue on their December agenda.

The SSC confirmed their next regularly scheduled 1^st Wednesday of the month meeting for December 3^rd, 2003 in the SFWMD, 172-A West Flagler, at 10 AM . 

The meeting adjourned.

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