Hello Steve.
I reviewed this Statement of Work immediately after receiving it this afternoon and intend to look at it further as time allows. I have some concerns about the manner in which the work would appear to be proceeding. I don’t know to what extent the District shares my concerns, and I am not trying to put you on the spot, but I am certainly willing to discuss this project with you and County staff sometime.
Honestly, from what I know about this area going back to 1974 and continuing with the DRGR study, this additional work to be conducted as proposed will not solve the long term water resource management issues facing this area. It is too narrowly focused on the coastal areas and deals with issues perceived there and not appropriately documented by evaluating the watershed(s), from the headwaters to Estero Bay.
I-75 probably had very little to do with the issues of flooding and reduced flows to the estuary. An appropriate land use and cover analysis will confirm this. I worked in the area before I-75 was constructed, and performed the evaluations on the I-75 permit applications for the state more than 30 years ago. One only needs to look at the changes in the watershed’s landscape over the past 35 years that includes losing 40% or more of the headwater wetlands, the systematic lowering of the shallow water table and re-directing of surface water flows to accommodate development. As a result of not fully understanding the existing and historic watershed dynamics we are not focused on the appropriate management and restoration issues and because of that it will not be possible for anyone to make accurate and cost effective adaptive decisions as the area’s watershed continues to change as a result of future development and a changing climate bringing warmer and drier conditions to an already over-drained, fragmented landscape.
We certainly have the technological tools needed to develop reasonable solutions to these problems, but the important issues remain to be addressed. What Lee County has done to date on the DRGR should also be applied to this project with good partners like the District, Lee County, City of Bonita Springs, FDOT and area NGOs.
I still believe that we have an opportunity to do this right. There is enough remaining open space within the catchments to properly manage the water resources and improve conditions in Estero Bay however this window of opportunity will soon close as economic conditions improve and growth resumes without an appropriate plan in place.
Thanks for keeping all of us in the loop.
With warm regards
All the best.
Kevin
Kevin L. Erwin CE PSW
President and Principal Ecologist
Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc.
2077 Bayside Parkway
Ft. Myers, Florida 33901 USA
Office 239.337.1505
Fax 239.337.5983
Cell 239.707.9540
klerwin@environment.com
www.environment.com
From: Sentes, Steven
[mailto:ssentes@sfwmd.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 4:06 PM
To: Allyson Swanson; Amber Crooks; Amy Wicks; Andy Tilton; Anura
Karuna-Muni; Audrey Vance; Bill Callahan & Marilyn Edwards; Bill
Hillemeyer; Bill L. Councilman Bonita Springs; Bill Lonkart; Bob Howard; Bonita
Springs Councilman Richard A. Ferreira; Bonita Springs Councilwoman Janet
Martin; Bonita Springs Councilwoman Martha C. Simons; Bonita Springs Mayor Ben
Nelson; Brad Cornell; Brian Monkelbaan; Brown, Robert; Carl Spirio; Charlie
Glasser; Charlie Whitehead; Christina Lurvey; Crystal Gorman; Cullum Hasty;
Dabbs Jr, Clyde; Dafrota, Julianna; Dan DeSantis; Dan Dronkers; Dan Gilday; Dan
Wagner; Daryl Walk; David Beal; Dick Tomasello; Don Eslick; Don Thomson; Don
Vilnius; Donald DeBerry; Doranne O'Hara; Dorothy Enos; Ed Fitzgerald; Edwin
Santana; Eric Ruha; Flood, Phil; Frank Vullo; Fred Forbes; Gary Davidson; Gary
Price Bonita Springs City Manager ; Gordon Gabriel; Harold Hanson; Hendry
holzkamper; J. Bradbury; Jack Halldin; Jack Meeker; James Greco; James W.
Beever III; Jason Wagner; Jennifer Hecker; Jennifer Thera; Jessica Stubbs; Jim
Merritt; Jim Wilt; John Carolan; John Spear; Joss DeCastane; Karen Brandon; Karen
Brandon; Kelly Austin; Kevin L. Erwin; Kevin Lollar; Layman, Laura; Lee County
Commissioner Ray Judah; Legg, Scott; Mark Abbott; Mary Copeland; Meadows,
Molly; Meg Jacobson; Meiers, Damon; Michael McNally; Mike Liggins; Mike Quinn;
Ned Dewhirst; Needle, Jeffrey; Nick Batos; Nothdurft, Judith; Paul Bartolomeo;
Paul Pentz; Peg Pepe; Phil Douglas; Richard D. Ricketts; Richard Dun; Rick
Barber; Rick Brylanski; Robert Bruce; Roger Copp; Roger Whited; Roland
Ottolini; Ron & Jane Grethel; Ryan Hiraki; Sam Lee; Sanders, Susan; Sandi
& Tom Gibbons; Sentes, Steven; Starnes, Janet; Steve Beardsley-Naples Daily
News; Steven Coker; Teasley, Debra; Tom Mclean; Toni Polonitza; Valera,
Ricardo; Vern & Flo Alexander; Wayne Daltry; White, Mark
Subject: South Lee County Watershed Plan Update Statement of Work
December 1, 2009
When the South Lee County Watershed Plan Update Draft was 90% complete the document was released for public review and comment. We received numerous public comment, suggestions, and even some new information. This information was compiled and Lee County and the local community asked for additional work to be conducted. Principally, it included updating the model with new LIDAR data (provided by Lee County), additional rainfall and stage data, and new cross section survey information in San Carlos Estates Water Control District (Spring Creek). This new information as well as other comments have been incorporated into a statement of work that will provide a more comprehensive South Lee County Watershed Plan Update. The statement of work has been posted on the South Florida Water Management District’s Stormwater Improvement Division Website. It is entitled “12-01-2009 Draft SOW SLCWP Work Order”. The link to the document is:
Click on the link above. When the page comes up scroll down to the Estero Watershed and go to the last link in the column (12-01-2009 Draft SOW SLCWP Work Order) The District has recently re-engineered the website. If you have technical difficulty linking to the page please let me know. If you should have any comments or suggestions concerning the Statement of Work please email or call me at 239-338-2929 ext. 7754. Thank you.
Steve Sentes
Supervising Lead Projects Coordinator
Stormwater Improvement Division
South Florida Water Management District