[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6565004,"mediaKeyId","3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e","parentId",3235049,"title","Governing board approves FY26 alternative water supply grant list; district to enter agreements for construction funding","audioSeconds",763,"startMs",6825000,"endMs",7588000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e&start=6825&end=7588","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e/thumbnail_6825000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6565004/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Governing-board-approves-FY26-alternative-water-supply-grant-list-district-to-enter-agreements-for-construction-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565004-9761be83d1f199a0189de70d6ec580fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770423611&Signature=jB0Kz7De7F3HSW4zLlbRKFvLluRb4QJiPTfuc98c0DukVA3rotLEb7fbnfSHWNUVUqSCM1cQhCab6-0rh26-oYfvpT~CXUaJKFVI6HgeUCOpINIkCGAPMfWJj7nzKgmIzeVapnReNVLpdEWHFQOOyDoeoJcvFuc-sWA9MC2sqL~8hIhlmP0W0HhAJA9pC8jjN37eVkgtkqzWzljcx4CaeVjN2K7KO~iFf-KCSDLR6eOmp2UrimSrFC4LaMerdxF2gZ4joYyD2y8fzy8q-D8yBoBe2Dbr3CPZWpmqGd9Xs8N9qDobkeHoughhcC~7JDFwblHaKKOyo7B6zPFAjC~6bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Miami-Dade County","date","2025-05-08T00:00:00Z","article","The South Florida Water Management District on May 8 approved two resolutions to advance the district’s FY26 alternative water supply grant program and authorize staff to enter into agreements for selected construction projects.

Presentation and program details

Mark Ellsner, the district’s Water Supply Bureau chief, told the board the FY26 application round drew 36 applications requesting about $1.5 billion in total project costs; applications included alternative sources (brackish, reclaimed water, ASR) and water-conservation projects. Ellsner said the district’s preliminary, tentative budget had $60 million available for alternative water supply funding this year; the district will only fund construction costs under this program, not studies or design work. Staff also outlined consideration factors including regional benefits, consistency with regional water supply plans, permit compliance, the status of year-round irrigation ordinances and QBS readiness.

Public comments and nutrient concerns

Audubon Florida, represented by Caitlin Newcamp, thanked the district for the program but urged attention to nutrient-management risks when reclaimed water is used for irrigation, noting reclaimed water nutrient limits can be much higher than the water-quality goals for sensitive systems. A district/DEP representative said legislation (House Bill 1557, referenced in the meeting) requires assessment of reused water if it contributes to impairments and, where necessary, upgraded advanced wastewater treatment to address nutrient contributions within a set timeframe.

Board action

A motion to approve the prioritized list and a separate motion to authorize staff to enter agreements for the selected projects passed unanimously (both recorded as resolution numbers presented by staff: 20250511 and 20250512). Board roll calls recorded “yes” from all members present.

What to watch

Staff said they will prioritize projects that are shovel-ready for construction and projects that reduce reliance on traditional water sources. The district emphasized it will continue to coordinate with DEP and utilities to address nutrient management where reuse is proposed for irrigation.

Ending

Board members asked for continued attention to reclaimed-water nutrient levels while moving quickly to fund construction-ready projects; staff said they will return with updates as agreements are executed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Miami-Dade County - South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Monthly Meeting - May 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board voted unanimously May 8 to adopt two resolutions approving a prioritized FY26 alternative water supply grant list and to authorize entering into construction agreements; staff said 36 applications requested roughly $1.5 billion in total project cost and that the tentative state budget included $60 million for the program.","taxTitle","Miami-Dade County, Florida","taxId",2864,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565009,"District reports low rainfall, Lake Okeechobee recovery progress and issues with estuary flows; Cape Coral faces Phase 4 restrictions",7597,3645000,11242000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e&start=3645&end=11242","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e/thumbnail_3645000.jpg","/articles/6565009/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/District-reports-low-rainfall-Lake-Okeechobee-recovery-progress-and-issues-with-estuary-flows-Cape-Coral-faces-Phase-4-restrictions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565009-237709680bc45504652386ac8509194a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770423611&Signature=mIsNl~4xmAYmGb6k2mSSJgp45-W4KNsrayT2nwokmXM9g0TYP08UtH1f~FsHOxlWwb8168yJCFELnEAHDucXJDsDbGN5dIHIdi9PF1w1O6fua6wOzjT~~xqp~~kmuSe6EH4BAJogf5Imh2OMp1XNHjasaAgQIEfuwOwDzp3bT~pUVonW0ZvNTz6YAhnnRs4FNn2FYFFLYfNikY7nDTx9II9qdym5KGYw--QiqNm4bg0irIfbHWfLRFrzKUCRf-2EzavZBsoG36h96u-nN~8xDAxJvPDBwQhZ0hbyGfs7ty2v-0qPACaIqPSA0UOGO6pSNjshgdPP1mXj4qXODGCaXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff told the governing board on May 8 that the region has experienced an unusually dry dry season and described operational steps to protect water supplies and the environment.

Lake Okeechobee and dry-season status

Staff reported Lake Okeechobee at roughly 11.09 feet NGVD as of the meeting, tracking close to the district’s water-shortage management band. The district said inflows this water year were substantially below recent years — roughly 1.5 feet less than the prior year — but that operations had achieved multiple low-water days that count toward Lake Okeechobee recovery goals for submerged aquatic vegetation. Officials said about 22 days below 12.0 feet and 11 days below 11.5 feet had been recorded toward the regulatory benchmarks the Corps and district monitor for recovery operations.

Drought and water deliveries

Presenters warned that rainfall over the past dry season was well below average in much of the district and that evapotranspiration has been a large component of lake water loss. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed expanding dryness in the central district; staff said a modest rain event may arrive the week after the meeting but that they continued to prepare for the wet season and closely monitor forecasts.

Cape Coral restriction and water-supply measures

Bartlett said the district used an existing board authorization to issue a Phase 4 water-restriction order last Friday for Cape Coral and parts of Lee County. The order prohibits irrigation using certain groundwater (the mid-Hawthorn/aquifer source) and aims to stabilize aquifer levels and avoid irreversible compaction. Staff said initial monitoring shows stabilization but the situation will be watched daily; the district is coordinating with Cape Coral and Lee County on hook-ups to municipal supplies planned for June.

Estuary flows and oyster recruitment

The board heard competing public comments on estuary impacts. Matt DePaulis and other estuary stakeholders said the Caloosahatchee and Sanibel-area estuaries are on a “razor’s edge” for oyster spawning and that recommended lake releases and realized flows have not always matched, citing days when expected pulses of flow did not occur. District staff said minimum-flow metrics for the Caloosahatchee (an MFL of 457 cfs) and district recommendations (500 cfs recommendation) are part of operational discussions; staff acknowledged that the short-term daily flows can be lower than target on certain days while still working to meet duration components of the MFLs.

What it means

Staff emphasized that dry seasons can have ecological benefits for some wetland recovery processes but that the immediate challenge is balancing water supply needs for urban utilities, agriculture and environmental flows. Bartlett and technical staff described contingency work — pump availability, pre-positioned contracts and coordination with water utilities — in case Lake Okeechobee levels decline to trigger installation of forward pumps to maintain supplies.

Board response and next steps

Members asked when installation of pumps and other contingency steps would be triggered; staff said planning is in place and that discussions generally intensify around 10.8 feet NGVD, with other factors (crop timing, forecasts and precipitation) used to guide decisions. Staff said the district will continue weekly interagency evaluations of conditions and keep the board informed.

Ending

Board members and attendees described the situation as serious and urged continued monitoring and regional coordination; district staff said recovery metrics and the onset of the wet season will determine next operational steps.","Board briefings on May 8 showed Lake Okeechobee at lower levels than in recent years but meeting recovery-day targets; staff described ongoing drought management, a recently issued Phase 4 irrigation restriction for Cape Coral, and continuing scrutiny of freshwater releases affecting estuary salinity and oyster recruitment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6565013,"South Florida Water Management District spotlights Biscayne Bay, Everglades and Tamiami Trail restoration progress in Miami",253,2881000,3134000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e&start=2881&end=3134","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235049-0108fc7542114b3b22f82a28003c428e/thumbnail_2881000.jpg","/articles/6565013/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/South-Florida-Water-Management-District-spotlights-Biscayne-Bay-Everglades-and-Tamiami-Trail-restoration-progress-in-Miami","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565013-05812a5e5d77ac92336f8eccdfd2f08a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770423611&Signature=aMg1LMKwiasta0ztl-Yj-80VC6hB-deOTbGzxnBop21HmMNtzfhGEHd9dH-tUdTAMYfnKyu~Ff8kJJ~muUpb2PhCQHmdSD48HP~ud-GJW82gGTdtFHiHph7qO9jkUaKvF0ksbpYenTdZwTC~v3iROTUIsbPmVsWEhRVJ~nQkxJ0VCA92Yql2QR2YYOKf0Ju~cb2AgSB0HltPuxI8iSRZYMRBDZfMVlTMSl8-HC1HFLgl7uDRmhMr65ZakB7vFdaGGzjpNt~g3kIDzflP~kdwR5xusvJXJ7zL6KOjsAWEJt0owEkUQECt1nc7othno1QMcvNLh7SeXsLeWmC4UgPR3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Florida Water Management District on May 8 told its governing board in Miami that several Everglades and Biscayne Bay restoration projects are moving into or through construction and that those efforts are already producing environmental and economic benefits.

Executive Director Drew Bartlett described ongoing construction at the Cutler Wetlands and the L-31 flow way, and said Army Corps of Engineers work on nearly 3.5 miles of bridge for Tamiami Trail is allowing planned water flow equalization through Everglades National Park. Bartlett said those actions, combined with a seepage wall and new culverts, are helping move fresh water south and rebalance salinity in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay.

Bartlett said a recent economic study tied to Biscayne Bay restoration estimated a $64,000,000,000 economic impact and about 448,000 jobs in Miami-Dade County, and he described local benefits including new recreational access and a boat ramp for 3B. Bartlett said restoration work has begun to show improved salinity stability and water depths in Shark River Slough and other areas, and that restoration partners are “on track” to finish several features this year.

Why it matters: Board members and local advocates told the district that the projects have wide local consequences for coastal habitats, flood resilience and the regional economy, and they urged the district to preserve land and maintain momentum so the restoration footprint is not lost to development.

Local stakeholders used the meeting’s public comment period to press for faster action. Scott Polowitz of Friends of Biscayne Bay urged the district to begin purchasing land within the recommended Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands footprint “now before it is lost to development,” saying delayed land acquisition would make it harder to reduce pollution loads reaching Biscayne Bay. He called the project “vital” to lowering harmful runoff and protecting seagrass, mangrove and coastal wetlands.

Other projects and partners Bartlett highlighted include the Cutler Wetlands, the L-31 flow way, and the Corps-built L-31 rehydration works. Colonel Bowman of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attended and was thanked by multiple board members for Corps partnership on the Tamiami Trail and other tasks. Bartlett also noted continued work to install additional culverts and to manage flow into Taylor Slough and Florida Bay.

Board members described the work as the largest environmental restoration effort in history for the region, and several emphasized the need for continued coordination across federal, state and local agencies, including the Army Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and county governments.

What remains unresolved: Bartlett told the board that the legislative session closed without passage of one water-district-related bill he referenced (Senate Bill 7002), and that appropriations work remained ongoing. He also said some federal or grant funding (he referenced Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant awards) was reduced for construction on three structures; design funding remains in place, and the district will continue pursuing construction funding.

Ending: Board members and city and county officials attending the Miami meeting reiterated support for completing planned projects this year, citing resilience, water-quality and economic reasons. Local advocates said the district should accelerate land purchases for Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands and maintain a visible timetable so restoration gains are not delayed or lost.","At a Miami meeting May 8, South Florida Water Management District leaders outlined construction and habitat gains — including work on Cutler Wetlands, the L-31 flow way and Tamiami Trail bridges — and were urged by local groups to speed land purchases and avoid delays to Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Governing board approves FY26 alternative water supply grant list; district to enter agreements for construction funding

District reports low rainfall, Lake Okeechobee recovery progress and issues with estuary flows; Cape Coral faces Phase 4 restrictions

South Florida Water Management District spotlights Biscayne Bay, Everglades and Tamiami Trail restoration progress in Miami