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

constructed to primarily drain surface water more rapidly to the south and west into the Little Withlacoochee
River. This has resulted in decreasing the depth and duration of surface water hydroperiods associated with
many wetlands within the Baird Tract. Subsequently, this alteration has reduced other wetland functions and
associated benefits such as the presence of appropriate and diverse flora & fauna, water quality treatment, flood
attenuation, and groundwater recharge. Site details are provided in the permit applications, available upon
request from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) who is co-sponsoring the proposed
hydrologic restoration project.
C. Brief description of proposed work: The pre-construction activities include extensive wetland habitat and
drainage evaluation, data collection, and incorporating this information in the surface water hydraulic &
hydrologic model (ICPR). This evaluation has determined the possible primary wetland hydrologic improvements
that can be conducted, and delineated these improvements into 14 individual surface water management project
areas. These specific project locations are depicted on Figure C, with the current hydrologic problems and
resolutions described on Table 1. There will be construction of 72 proposed structures to achieve the desired
hydrologic restoration associated with the 14 projects. These structures include 45 ditch blocks, with the
remaining 27 structures associated with adding and replacing culverts. As a result, the actual footprint of
construction-related activities will be minimal, however there will be extensive ecological benefits associated with
restored and enhanced wetland hydrology. From a habitat perspective, the restoration will result in a reduction of
altered hydrologic conditions that have allowed inappropriate facultative and upland vegetative species
recruitment and generation within the wetlands. In turn, the gradual mortality and eradication of these species as
a result of the restored hydrology will be displaced by regeneration and recruitment of appropriate hydrophytic
species. The restored hydrology and appropriate vegetative conditions will provide wetland habitat functions and
benefits that will attract more diversity and utilization by wildlife species. The restored hydrology will also provide
more water quality treatment , flood attenuation, as well as groundwater recharge associated with the rare
shallow rock & karst topographic features available on the the Baird Tract. Information on the environmental and
engineering evaluations is provided in the permit applications and available from the FDEP.
D. Brief explanation of how this work serves to offset the impacts of the specified DOT project(s): Of the
total 22 acres of wetland impacts designated for mitigation through wetland enhancement at Baird, the habitats
include 12 acres of mixed forested wetland habitats, 7 acres of marsh, and 3 acres of shrub wetlands. The
proposed wetland hydraulic and hydrologic restoration and enhancement will result in biological (flora & fauna)
improvements to various wetland habitats at Baird that are adequate and appropriate to compensate for these
wetland impacts within the same Withlacoochee River Basin. Of the total 2,425 acres of primary wetland
hydrologic restoration designated to provide mitigation at Baird, 2,268 acres are associated with forested
wetlands and 158 acres are non-forested wetlands. There will be secondary hydrologic benefits to other wetlands
as well as uplands within the property however those are not accounted for in FDOT mitigation credits. Due to
the large-scale habitat improvements at Baird Tract, the loss of the roadway wetland habitats will be
compensated by the significant ecosystem benefits from the proposed activities.
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