Southwest Weirs project officially gets started

A ceremonial ground breaking ceremony was held May 4 on the grounds of the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District to mark the start of the Southwest Lehigh Weirs Project.

Several officials of those associated with the weir project lined up with gold-colored shovels to mark the occasion.

Inside the LA-MSID, a crowd gathered for a brief presentation documenting the beginning of work to start construction.

"The Southwest Lehigh Weirs project, otherwise known as the Aquifer Benefit and Storage for the Orange River Basin project, provides construction of 25 weirs in Lehigh through a strategic, multi-agency partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation and South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District," said Kenneth Thompson, chairman of LA-MSID.

He said the project is a crucial step to making tangible improvements in the health of the Caloosahatchee and estuary - tidal and estuarial basins - through improved water quality and aquifer recharge and increased storage for the Orange River Basin.

A weir is a barrier across a water flow designed to alter its flow characteristics. In most cases, weirs take the form of obstructions smaller than most conventional dams, pooling water behind them while also allowing it to flow steadily over their tops.

Weirs are commonly used to alter the flow of rivers to prevent flooding.