Jordan Marsh Water Quality Treatment Park project close to completion

The Sanibel City Council received a progress update on the Jordan Marsh Water Quality Treatment Park at its recent meeting, as well as filled two vacancies on the Sanibel Planning Commission. On Jan. 15, Natural Resources Department Environmental Biologist Holly Milbrandt reported that construction is nearly complete on the project, located at Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel Road. "We're getting close here to wrapping up," she said.

The goals of the project are to improve water quality in the Sanibel Slough, meet the Total Maximum Daily Load requirements, enhance existing wildlife habitat on the site and educate the park's visitors on the Best Management Practices used in the Total Maximum Daily Load reduction.

"We'll be both monitoring the flow coming into the system and the water going out of the system, so we can track actual water nutrient levels," Milbrandt said.

The project's design, engineering and permitting cost about $165,000 and the construction cost about $645,000. It is being funded through the South Florida Water Management District Cooperating Funding Program, along with monies from the Lee County Community Park impact fees and the city.

In the park, over 20,000 littoral plants from 15 different species were planted as a filter marsh.