Lee County accepts state stormwater mitigation grants

Commissioners accept two state grants to design stormwater mitigation projects

LEE COUNTY – The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted on Nov. 19 to accept two Hazard Mitigation Grants from the Florida Division of Emergency Management to design two stormwater projects in flood-prone areas.

The two projects to be designed are:

• Modifications to the existing weir structure and replacement of several drainage pipes to increase flow in Canal H-7. The canal is part of the Whiskey Creek Watershed and is located just south of Provincetown off College Parkway.
• A survey of all control structures and identification of low berm elevations and improvements that will help alleviate flooding along the southern portion of Ten Mile Canal, north of U.S. 41.

The grants total $218,317, including $163,738 in state funds and $54,579 in county matching funds. The design work is expected to be completed in the current fiscal year. Additional grants will be sought to pay for the construction of the projects.

Lee County experienced two historic rainstorms in 2017 between Aug. 25 and Sept. 10, 2017, with some areas receiving more than 20 inches of rain in this short period. The intense rainfall, coupled with Hurricane Irma’s storm surge, exceeded the carrying capacity of natural and manmade drainage features. Since then, the county has been working on its stormwater system using multi-faceted approach of assessment, remediation and mitigation projects.