1. Accept Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) grant agreement No. NF047 for the Caloosahatchee River / North Fort Myers nutrient and bacteria source identification study in the amount of $89,964.00.

2. Approve Budget Amendment Resolution in the amount of $89,964.00 for unanticipated grant revenue and amend the FY 18/19 Capital Improvement Budget accordingly.

3. Authorize the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners to execute the grant agreement

4. Authorize Natural Resources Director to execute future modifications or change orders if required, as long as they do not change the funding obligation of the County.

Accepts a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for phase II of the Calooshatchee-North Fort Myers nutrient and bacteria source identification study in the amount of $89,964.00.  The grant will be used to fund an agreement with Harbor Branch Oceanographic – Florida Atlantic University to provide continued water quality research services, including the collection and examination of data to determine the interaction of onsite treatment and disposal systems to surface and groundwaters in tributaries to the Caloosahatchee Estuary.

On 8/28/2017, Lee County entered into a contract with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to perform a study of the North Shore Park area of the Caloosahatchee Estuary  Basin.   The study was for one year and cost $98,764.   Because the contract amount was under $100,000, it did not require Board approval. 

On April 30, 2019, the first year results of the FAU / Harbor Branch study were presented to the Board in a workshop.  

Because of the nature of the study, and the current emphasis on water quality, FDEP offered to partner with Lee County through a grant that would provide an additional year of data collection and analysis by FAU.  In early May of 2019, the grant was approved by FDEP and submitted to the County for execution.

In August 2009, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection adopted the Caloosahatchee Estuary Basin Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for total nitrogen.  In an effort to identify non-point sources of nutrient and bacteria loading into the Caloosahatchee Estuary Basin, Lee County contracted with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute – Florida Atlantic University to complete a focused one-year study in the North Fort Myers area.  The purpose of the study was to analyze the impacts of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, as part of a larger strategic plan to identify non-point sources of nutrient and bacteria loading into the Caloosahatchee Estuary. 

A second year of grant-funded sampling and analysis will enhance and supplement the previous one-year study and provide opportunities for outreach.  A second year study will also provide additional outside perspective on watershed monitoring activities, a more robust and representative data set, and potentially capture conditions in a more “normal” weather year, as the first year study captured impacts from Irma.    

The total amount of grant funding and local match requirement is $188,964 ($89,964 FDEP Grant & $99,000 County funding).    The County fulfilled its local match obligation by funding the first year of the FAU study.   The FDEP grant funds in the amount of $89,964 will be used to fund the second year of the FAU contract.

If approved, then phase II of the FAU study should begin in July or August 2019, dependent on project team schedule.

Once complete, the final results of the study will be presented to the Board.