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

and high-pressure fire hoses to spray and displace the majority of the soil material; primarily into the adjacent mosquito
ditches. By lowering the spoil mounds to below high tide elevations, the B. pepper cannot re-establish. Mangrove
seedlings have naturally recruited and generated within the footprint of the removed spoil material (photos). Earthwork
conducted in areas to create and restore appropriate wetland grades were followed by planting of high and low saltmarsh
habitat, including a few areas of unique and rare saltern habitat. Remnant coastal flatwood and hammock
habitats in the south tract received supplemental planting after eradication of the exotic species. The combination of
coastal upland & wetland habitat improvements have dramatically improved conditions for more access and use by
wildlife species. Additional details are provided in Attachment A and the species listings.
D. Brief explanation of how this work serves to offset the impacts of the specified DOT project(s): The restored
and created salt-marsh and lagoon habitats, enhancing and restoring mangrove habitat compensate with higher quality
and quantity of appropriate habitat than the wetland impacts. Approximately 30% of the total wetland impact mitigated at
the site was associated with the I-275 (Roosevelt to Big Island Gap segment) expansion adjacent to the mitigation area,
essentially providing an on-site mitigation option. This I-275 construction can be observed being conducted concurrently
with the mitigation construction in 2004 (Figure B). Other than wetland impacts associated with the seven referenced
FDOT projects, no additional roadway projects are proposed for mitigation within this Gateway project.
E. Brief explanation of why a mitigation bank was/was not chosen, in whole or in part, including a discussion of
cost: The Tampa Bay Mitigation Bank (TBMB) is located within the Tampa Bay Drainage basin, but had not received
permits during the period of mitigation selection.
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: Gateway Restoration is a
SWIM-sponsored project conducted on property owned by Pinellas County.
MITIGATION PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Entity responsible for construction: Construction was conducted by a private contractor selected by the SWFWMD.
Entity responsible for monitoring and maintenance: Private contractors selected by the SWFWMD conducted five
years of maintenance & monitoring. The project achieved success criteria, and in 2010 was adopted into Pinellas
County’s normal perpetual land management and herbicide maintenance activities.
Timeframe for implementation: Commence: Design Complete, 2002 Complete: Construction Spring-Summer,
2004; followed by five years of maintenance and monitoring; then perpetual maintenance & management.
Project cost:
$1,498,000 (total);
Design, permitting, and construction monitoring $92,000
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