HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-09-06RESOLUTION NO. R-09-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY,
FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF THE HYDRAULIC AND APPLICABLE PHYSICAL RE-
CONNECTION OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH FLORIDA CONTROL PROJECT,
AS REPRESENTED PRESENTLY BY THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER
MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THE ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT
DISTRICT, THROUGH A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTED RESERVOIRS, STORM
WATER TREATMENT AREAS AND CANALS WITH THE FORT DRUM MARSH
AREA.
WHEREAS, the United States of America in partnership with the State of Florida passed
Congressional legislation through the Flood Control Acts of 1948 and 1954, titled the Central and South
Florida Flood Control Project and provided for the construction and operations and maintenance of the
developed project through a partnership of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and an Agency of
the State of Florida, the Central and South Florida Flood Control District; and
WHEREAS, in the 1970's, through the enactment of Chapter 373, the State of Florida,
legislatively created the Five (5) Water Management Districts of the State of Florida, of which two of those
legislatively created water management districts are the South Florida Water Management District and
the St. Johns River Water Management Districts; and
WHEREAS, the South Florida Water Management District and the St. Johns River Water
Management Districts were previously represented by one jurisdictional Agency of the State of Florida,
the Central and South Florida Flood Control District headquartered in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach
County, Florida; and
WHEREAS, through this singular jurisdictional agency of the State of Florida, the Central and
South Florida Flood Control District, as established by the United States Congress, constructed, operated
and maintained a regional surface water system consisting of a series of canals, levees, pump stations
and other facilities throughout the State of Florida and specific to the resolution in Indian River and St.
Lucie Counties; and
WHEREAS, through this legislative creation of the Water Management Districts of the State of
Florida, the surface water system of the Fort Drum Marsh lies in western Indian River and St. Lucie and
eastern Okeechobee Counties, which was previously connected, are now physically disconnected, and
previous Flood Control Act project designs and associated stormwater routing are now hindered from
functioning as an effective regional system, thus limiting the options available for more effective surface
water management for the multi-faceted benefits of environmental water quality and discharges, water
supply, ground water recharge and flood control; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the potential benefits associated with this reconnection project, both
the St. Johns river Water Management District and the South Florida Water Management District,
contracted jointly for an engineering study to determine the feasibility and associated benefits with this
reconnection project; and
WHEREAS, the engineer's report on behalf of both the Water Management Districts
concluded the proposed reconnection project and associated structural components would (i) be
beneficial through the reduction of fresh water -stormwater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon,
a protected national estuary; (ii) improve surface water storage and flood water routing, (iii) create
positive ground water recharge; (iv) and provide a related decrease in ground water withdrawals; and
WHEREAS, in consideration of the potential dynamics associated with climate changes in
Florida as witnessed most recently by flooding associated with Tropical Storm Fay, and the multi-
faceted benefits associated with improved surface water management through the construction and
operations of a project as proposed,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SEBASTIAN, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council supports the efforts of the St. Johns and South Florida Water
Management Districts and other interested parties to move this regional water management project
forward to a successful conclusion.
SECTION 2. The City Council supports the physical reconnection of the St. Johns and South
Florida Water Management Districts through the construction of a series of interconnected reservoirs,
stormwater treatment areas, and canal systems within the Fort Drum Marsh Area to provide the multi-
faceted benefits of improved water quality, water quality/flood control, reduced discharges into the Indian
River Lagoon and improved regional ground water recharges.
The foregoing Resolution was passed for adoption by Council Member ~Oy ,and
seconded by Council Member xill ,and upon, being put to a vote, the vote was as
follows:
Mayor Richard H. Gillmor aye
Vice Mayor Jim Hill aye
Council Member Andrea Coy aye
Council Member Dale Simchick aye
Council Member Eugene Wolff aye
The Mayor thereupon declared this Resolution duly passed and adopted this 28th day of January 2009.
ATTE
~~
Sally A. Maio MMC
City Clerk
(SEAL)
Approved as to Form and Content for
Reli ce by the City of Sebastian Only:
bert A. Ginsburg,
City Attorney
O AS N, FLORIDA
Y~
R chard Gillmor, Mayor
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