Project Location
Oakland, Orange Counties
28.55606292, -81.62226715Project Timeline
Duration: Completed
Project Contacts
Infrastructure Types
Project Summary
A two-phased project, the purpose of the overall project was to provide flood relief to residential and commercial areas within the project area, and to reduce the level of nutrient loadings in the stormwater runoff being discharged into Lake Apopka.
Project Goals
- Flood control elements: New stormwater conveyance piping, new and/or retrofitted treatment ponds, swales and control structures
- Waterbodies impacted: Lake Apopka, Upper Ocklawaha BMAP
This projects Upper Basin assists in reducing the duration of the inundation to the Basin while providing significant water-quality improvement. The peak duration of flooding Is reduced for the depression area within the Upper Basin. The project is also designed to reduce the amount of Total Nitrogen being discharged to Lake Apopka. The improvements rely on the installation of a media known as “Bold & Gold”, a type of Biosorption Activated Media.
The topographic low areas within both basins were subject to flooding conditions during intense rainfall events, which threaten residential and commercial structures. During these events, the Lower Basin would eventually fill to a capacity that could no longer be controlled by an aging drainage well and the untreated floodwaters would eventually spill over the land and ultimately to Lake Apopka.
Project Design
The Devo Engineering study was used in the design of the treatment train. Test results after completion of the project indicated that it was successful.
Project Cost & Funding
Total Project Cost: $560,010.16
Total Construction Cost: $560,010.16
Community Engagement
There is strong public support from the immediately affected property owners within the two land-locked basins. These homeowners face a greater potential for flooding due to the topographical foundation on which their homes were built. The surrounding build out over the years has exacerbated the potential for flooding of the lots located in the Upper and Lower Basins. These citizens are the ones most greatly affected by the current conditions and would benefit the most from the proposed improvements. Lake-front and lake-view property owners are the most affected by the lake’s condition, and they are the group most favorable toward the restoration of Lake Apopka.
Perhaps not every property owner is an environmentalist, but we can all agree the restoration of Lake Apopka brings more marketable value to landowners, greater enjoyment of the unique natural scenery lakes bring to a land, and safer opportunities for natural recreational use (e.g., swimming, fishing , kayaking). Overall, whether the incentive be one of self-gain or environmental benefit, the Town has heard strong support for efforts we can take to restore the lake.
There is also reasonably strong support from the public “at large” for the creation of a Town-wide Stormwater Utility. The components of this project were discussed at multiple public open houses and workshops held. A webpage was also created for the project. It is located here.
Outcome & Results
Monitoring Is conducted at two (2) locations, inflows and outflows, and will include the following parameters: • Daily rainfall (to nearest 0.01 inch) measured at the sampling location with verification from the local weather station. • A water level logger Is utilized in the basin to record flood intensity and duration data. This data Is used to assess the impacts of intense rainfall events for the purpose of determining future improvements or modifications. • Flow using approved fl ow activated flow meters • A stormwater sampling station has been installed downstream of the “Bold & Gold” nutrient-reducing media to enable the collection of nutrient-loading data for the following parameters.
The “Bold & Gold” treatment medium, will remove 56.21 lbs./yr. of Total Nitrogen and 10.02 lbs./yr. of Total Phosphorus.