LTC 164-2008 South Florida Water Management District Local Government Newsletter~ H ~Qa~ J~~ , 8 ~~g,l: s9
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
No. 164-2008 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: June 17, 2008
SUBJECT: SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT LOCAL
GOVERNMENT NEWSLETTER
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is a regional governmental agency
responsible for water quality, flood control, water supply and environmental restoration in 16
counties, from Orlando to the Florida Keys. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five
water management districts.
The youth Florida Water Management District publishes an electronic newsletter three times
a year, with updated regional news for local government agencies. The City Clerk has been
asked to distribute this document to the City Commission. As requested, the June 2008
newsletter is attached via this LTC for your information.
For more information, you may visit the SFWMD website is www.sfwmd.gov.
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Attachment
c: Hilda Fernandez, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Assistant City Manager
Robert Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Robert Parcher, City Clerk
F:ICLERIHATL1LetterslLTC1LTC 164-2008 SFWMD June Newsletter Update.doc
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June 2008
1(®Ur ion
Eric Buermann
Governing Board
Member
Pau[ C, Huck ,fir.
Governing Board
Member
South Florida Water
Management District
www.stwmd.gov
Miami-Dade Regional
Service Center
2121 SW 3rd Ave
Miami, FL 33129
Phone: (305)377-7274
Fax: (305)377-729
Toll Free: 1(800)250-4300
Governor Crist appointed Paul C. Huck Jr., of Coral Gables, attorney, Colson Hicks
Eidson, to succeed Nicolas J. Gutierrez, on the District Governing Board. He was
appointed for a term beginning April 7, 2008, and ending March 1, 2012. Huck
served as Governor Crist's General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer from January
2007 until January 2008
Please welcome Ed Hernandez as the new director of the Miami-Dade Regional
Service Center. Mr. Hernandez came to the District in May from Miami-Dade
County, where he worked in various capacities for more than seven years. His most
recent position was acting chief of property management for the county's Transit
Department.
The Coral Gables Waterway Loop Bank Stabilization Project held akick-off press
conference on May 30. The project will repair damage to canal banks in an area of
the waterway near the county's A.D. "Doug" Barnes Park where severe erosion has
led to concerns for residents' safety and property. The project is a $2,550,000
county oroiect that has received $1.500.000 in fundina suooort from the federal
Natural Resources Conservation Service and $250,000 from the District
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca
Sosa, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio,
District Governing Board Chair Eric
Buermann, District Service Center Director
Ed Hernandez and District Lead
Project/Water Resources Manager Evan
Skomick (foreground from left to right)
prepare to tour by boat the project area of
the Coral Gables Waterway Loop Bank
Stabilization Project.
• Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental Resources Management
recently completed a wetland restoration project on Virginia Key. The project, which
received $875,000 in District funding, included the removal of exotic vegetation and
the cleaning of tidal creeks and ponds and anticipates construction of a boardwalk
for hiking. The project is part of an overall plan to improve historic Virginia Key, the
onetime site of county's only segregated beach.
• Two municipalities completed stormwater drainage projects recently, which were
partially funded by the District. The Town of Cutler Bay, which received $200,000
from the District, completed its stormwater master plan and established its
stormwater utility. The City of South Miami, which received $1,000,000 from the
District over two fiscal years, completed city-wide stormwater drainage
improvements.
y Brings ela-Average infall, arks
End Crf Dry ease
Water Restrictions Remain in Effect to Protect Water Supply
After three consecutive months of above-average rainfall, the District received below-
average rainfall in May. District-wide rainfall averaged 1.84 inches in May, about 2.35
inches below the historical average for the month. During this year's dry season, the
region received a total of 14.57 inches of rain, or 77 percent of the historical average.
In some southern and inland areas of the District, including portions of Broward and
Palm Beach counties, dry season rainfall ended close to historical averages. However,
most areas and counties ended 3 to 6 inches below historical average rainfall,
including Collier, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Polk counties and
eastern Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Emergency landscape watering restrictions remain in place throughout South Florida
to help manage the water supply impacted by a multi-year rainfall deficit. Outdoor
irrigation accounts for up to 50 percent of water use.
Separate from the emergency watering restrictions, the District is continuing rule
development for proposed. year-round landscape irrigation measures. The District-
wide, year-round rule for landscape irrigation water conservation is a key step of the
District's proposed comprehensive water conservation program for South Florida.
Stakeholders have been meeting monthly with the District since December 2007 to
develop a lasting program that includes recommendations for regulatory programs,
voluntary and incentive-based initiatives, and education and marketing.
For more information on the current water shortage, landscape irrigation restrictions
and tips on ways to conserve water both indoors and out, visit wwvv.savewaterFl,com.
Although we are under emergency watering restrictions, South Florida weather can
transition rapidly from drought to flood. June is typically the beginning of the wet
season. Now is the time to check and clean stormwater drains, ditches and swales to
make sure water can drain from your property. It is also time to trim trees and
landscaping to ensure wind can move through without breaking limbs, tearing shrubs
or blowing over.
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Lead Project/Water Resource Manager
Evan Skornick (second from left in front)
made a presentation at the Cutler Bay
Earth Day celebration at the South Dade
Regional Library in April. Cutler Bay Mayor
Paul Vrooman (third from left in front)
presented Mr. Skornick and other
speakers with certificates of appreciation
for their contribution to the Earth Day
event.
Lead Community Outreach/Media
Specialist Nestor Yglesias (left) and Senior
Community Outreach/Media Specialist
Alex Suarez (right) promoted water
conservation and provided information on
the current water restrictions at North
Miami Beach's annual Waterfest in April.
For the second straight year, service center staff will hit summer camps to talk water.
Twice a week for 10 weeks, staff will visit Miami Seaquarium and Jungle Island to talk
to camp-goers about the importance of water conservation and the many things
residents can do at home to conserve water. In addition to his outreach at the summer
camps, District mascot, Freddy the Alligator, will attend the Seaquarium's "Mascot
Day." Visitors to Jungle Island will get a chance to learn about the Everglades via a
hands-on kiosk located in the Jungle Island's Everglades Habitat & Walk.
Upcoming Events:
. District Governing Board Workshop and Meeting
July 9 and 10
District headquarters, West Palm Beach
. District Governing Board Workshop and Meeting
August,12 and 14
District headquarters, West Palm Beach
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