2012 FDOT Mitigation Plan - Southwest Florida Water Management ...

the perimeter of the forested wetlands. The majority of the remaining upland is dominated by planted pine within
previous pastures in the northeast portion of the tract, and fallow fields adjacent to Sapling Drain in the center of the
property. Additional information on the current conditions is provided under Attachment A.
C. Brief description of proposed activities: The majority of the over 22 miles of ditches on the property were
constructed in the 1940’s through the 1960’s. A surface water model evaluation was conducted to determine design
features necessary to restore and enhance the hydrology and associated hydroperiods for the majority of the wetlands
within the Hampton Tract. The result of that study indicated these hydrologic improvements could be conducted by
constructing 52 blocks within designated ditch locations that will redirect and restore surface water flow patterns and
associated ground water in the wetlands. Figure 17 depicts the proposed block locations and the primary wetland
enhancement areas as a result of the hydrologic restoration. The modeling effort was completed in 2010, with proposed
block construction will require a total of two months during dry periods in 2011 and 2012. Ten monitor wells were
installed within drained wetlands in 2009 to document pre-construction ground and surface water elevations and
durations. These wells have continuous automatic recorders that document the ground and surface water levels every
15 minutes, and the data collection will continue to be monitored for a period of at least five years post-construction.
Additional information is provided in Attachment B.
D. Brief explanation of how this work serves to offset the impacts of the specified FDOT project(s): The
Hampton Tract was selected to provide mitigation for all the anticipated wetland impacts associated with the ultimate
build-out of the Interstate-4 transportation improvements through the Withlacoochee basin portion in Polk County,
including the high-speed rail facility when it was proposed then subsequently removed from FDOT’s work program in
2001 and 2011. The majority of the I-4 wetland impacts include forested wetland habitat, and the remnant non-forested
wetlands within the corridor were historically forested wetlands that are maintained by FDOT as non-forested systems
due to required vehicular safety zones. The Hampton Tract will receive primary hydrologic restoration toward 1,558-
acres of forested wetlands and 48-acres of non-forested wetlands (total 1,606-acres). Even though the hydrologic
restoration will also provide ecological benefits to additional wetlands and uplands within the tract, wetlands without
direct hydrologic enhancement are not accounted for with mitigation credit. The substantial wetland enhancement within
a regionally significant tract will adequately and appropriately mitigate for wetland impact associated with Interstate-4
and potentially future FDOT-related wetland impacts within the Withlacoochee Basin.
E. Brief explanation of why a mitigation bank was/was not chosen, in whole or in part, including a discussion of
cost: During the period of mitigation selection, there were no established or proposed mitigation banks within the
Withlacoochee River Basin.
F. Brief explanation of why a SWIM project was/was not chosen as mitigation, in whole or in part, including a
discussion of cost, if the anticipated impacts are located within a SWIM water body: During the period of
mitigation selection, the only SWIM-sponsored project within the Withlacoochee River Basin included restoration
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