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

REGIONAL MITIGATION PLAN
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mitigation Project: Rutland Ranch – South Tract Project Number: SW 65
County: Manatee
Location: Sec. 26, 27, T26S, R27E
IMPACT INFORMATION
1 - FM: 1960222, SR 64, I-75 to Lena Rd. (Seg. 1) ERP #:4302058.009 COE #: 199901379 (IP-KI)
2 - FM: 1960223, SR 64, Lena to Lakewood (Seg. 2) ERP #:44016872.018 COE #: 200402700 (IP-JPF)
3 - FM: 1961211, SR 70, I-75 to Lakewood Ranch (Seg. 1) ERP #:44025920.001 COE #: SAJ-2003-11659 (IP-MLS)
4 - FM: 4043232, SR 70, Lakewood to Lorraine Rd. (Seg. 2) ERP #:43025920.002 COE #:SAJ-2004-32(IP-JPF)
Drainage Basin: Manatee River
Water Body: Gates Creek, Manatee River SWIM water body? N
MITIGATION ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Mitigation Type: Enhancement and restoration
Mitigation : 113 acres
SWIM project? N Aquatic Plant Control project? N Exotic Plant Control Project? N
Mitigation Bank? N Drainage Basin(s): Manatee River Water Body: None SWIM water body? N
Project Description
A. Overall project goal: The Rutland Ranch property (also referred to as “Chance Reserve”) is owned and
managed by the SWFWMD. The property includes two parcels separated by private lands along Gilley Creek,
with this designated mitigation project conducted within the southern tract (Figure A). Prior to public acquisition,
over half of the 900-acre south tract was historically used for row crops and cattle (Figure B). The site has 15
wetland areas, the majority are marshes interconnected with large ditches that substantially altered the wetland
hydrology and vegetative composition. The project goal included completely filling some ditches and constructing
blocks in other ditches to restore ground and surface water hydrology, and subsequently enhance and restore
appropriate wetland habitat. Upland buffers around the wetlands and filled ditches were allowed to regenerate
native vegetation and supplemented with plantings to enhance habitat conditions and wildlife corridors between
the marshes.
B. Brief de scription of pre-construction condition: The upland interior of the South Tract was historically
flatwoods and palmetto prairie that was converted to row crop production (Figure B – 1994 aerial). Prior to
restoration construction in 2002, the hydrology of the marshes were substantially altered by deep drainage
ditches, allowing broomsedge and other opportunistic facultative and upland herb species to heavily invade and
dominate the marshes. The western one-third portion of the tract is managed as a palmetto prairie with scattered
shallow ephemeral marshes that were also hydrologically impacted by ditches. Refer to Attachment A for
additional details.
C. Brief description of conducted work: Initial activities included herbicide treatment of exotics and nuisance
species within the ditches (predominantly cattails), followed by construction activity to backfill the majority of the
ditches as well as install ditch blocks to restore ground and surficial hydrology and appropriate hydroperiods for
the majority of on-site wetlands (Figure C – 2010 aerial, pre-post construction photos). Earthwork construction
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