I. Status of Constructing the Permitted and Funded Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal Maintenance Dredging and Environmental Cleanup Project

The MRC Stormwater Subcommittee’s September 6, 2017 public meeting minutes state:
“Daniel Dietch, CH2, noted the City of Miami hired CH2 for the permitting, design, and oversight of the project. Mr. Dietch stated the City of Miami rejected the 2 bids submitted to their originally advertised Request for Proposals for the fully funded and permitted Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal Maintenance Dredging and Environmental Cleanup Project. The City of Miami re-issued the RFP in early September, 2 new bids were submitted and the City of Miami contracted and issued a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc, established in 1917. The MRC thanks the City of Miami, Florida Inland Navigation District, and the State of Florida for funding the project, which will improve the local economy and remove toxic sediments, including dioxin, from the most polluted waterway in the State of Florida. Mr. Dietch stated the City of Miami estimates actual dredging to start this month. Mr. Dietch stated the sediment will never touch the ground, rather be transferred into water / air tight containers which are taken away to dumps via trucks. Mr. Dietch stated the project’s approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) requires the use of turbidity curtains by section, and beyond the requirement Sevenson will be using Aqua Dams which are filled air balloons o control turbidity and avoid migration. Mr. Dietch noted the City of Miami recently conducted a public meeting regarding the project, and they will be inviting the public to an official commencement ceremony in the near future.”

Daniel Dietch, CH2M, provided and presented a detailed 10 page “Wagner Creek / Seybold Canal Restoration Project Progress Report” dated 3/8/18. Mr. Dietch noted the project is divided into 6 geographic operational sections (OS), and thus far 16,500 cubic yards have been dredged from OS1 – OS5. Dredging will commence n the final Operational Section 6 this week. There have been 41,000 labor hours without an incident.

Attendees noted the desire to add the hump of sediment in the Miami River’s Federal navigable channel, just outside of the mouth of the Seybold Canal. Mr. Dietch noted the need for a permit amendment and change order to include this additional area.

II. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River

Anita Nash, FDEP, presented a PowerPoint titled, “2017 Source ID Pilot Study: Wagner Creek Maps, FDEP”. Recent rounds of testing results again have concerning indications of raw human sewage in the middle of Wagner Creek, near DERM testing stations WC02 and WC03. Ms Nash stated FDEP, City, and County are creating an “Action Plan” to remediate the human sewage detected in Wagner Creek. Today the City of Miami is conducting dye testing in an area pump station. Ms Nash stated a stormwater utility box located on a Miami-Dade County easement at the hospital has raw sewage and needs to be disconnected. Other areas are being investigated as well.

Attendees noted the need for increased vacuum truck services to clean out the respective FDOT, County and City owned stormwater systems. Attendees noted as recommended in the study, the City owned garbage cans in City owned Parks still need to start using garbage bags. The City of Miami stated they will be installing more econsense grates over the inlets within the Miami River Water Basin, to keep solids from entering the stormwater system.
Attendees noted the City is commencing creation of a new Storm Water Master Plan.

III. “Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan” Agency Quarterly Implementation Progress Reports

Mr. Omar Abdelrahman presented Miami Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management’s quarterly (October – December 2017) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. The quarter’s worst water quality violation was detected at Wagner Creek testing location WC0, where “4,610” cfu / 100 ml was detected in May, where the desired water quality standard / goal is “State Standard: No more than 126 MPN/100 ml in any single sample”

IV. New Business

The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be June 4, 2018, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.

The meeting adjourned.

I. Status of Constructing the Permitted and Funded Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal Maintenance Dredging and Environmental Cleanup Project

Daniel Dietch, CH2, noted the City of Miami hired CH2 for the permitting, design, and oversight of the project. Mr. Dietch stated the City of Miami rejected the 2 bids submitted to their originally advertised Request for Proposals for the fully funded and permitted Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal Maintenance Dredging and Environmental Cleanup Project. The City of Miami re-issued the RFP in early September, 2 new bids were submitted and the City of Miami contracted and issued a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc, established in 1917. The MRC thanks the City of Miami, Florida Inland Navigation District, and the State of Florida for funding the project, which will improve the local economy and remove toxic sediments, including dioxin, from the most polluted waterway in the State of Florida. Mr. Dietch stated the City of Miami estimates actual dredging to start this month. Mr. Dietch stated the sediment will never touch the ground, rather be transferred into water / air tight containers which are taken away to dumps via trucks. Mr. Dietch stated the project’s approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) requires the use of turbidity curtains by section, and beyond the requirement Sevenson will be using Aqua Dams which are filled air balloons o control turbidity and avoid migration. Mr. Dietch noted the City of Miami recently conducted a public meeting regarding the project, and they will be inviting the public to an official commencement ceremony in the near future.

II. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River
Anita Nash, FDEP, stated recent testing results have indications of a raw human sewage leak in the middle of Wagner Creek, near DERM testing stations WC02 and WC03. The next round of testing is scheduled for the end of June.

III. “Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan” Agency Quarterly Implementation Progress Reports
Mr. Omar Abdelrahman presented Miami Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management’s quarterly (January – March 2017) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. The quarter’s worst water quality violation was detected at Wagner Creek stations 2 (WC02) where 1,600 cfu / 100 ml was detected in March, and the water quality standard / goal is 400 cfu / 100 ml.

Attendees noted on “Chart 5., Total Phosphate Tracking” Ten Year Period 2007-2017 Upper Miami River” that recent tests have been amongst the highest violations over the past decade with results 400% over the water quality goal. Mr. Abdelrahman stated the levels get higher as you proceed west along the waterway. Attendees noted the high levels of Total Phosphate occurring at the end of the Miami Canal waterway, in Lake Okeechobee, and the SFWMD’s large pump stations that have been turned on more often pumping this water in large volumes into the Miami River through the salinity dam at NW 36 ST.

IV) New Business - The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be September 6, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.

The meeting adjourned.

I. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River

Brett Bibeau, Miami River Commission, thanked Edgar Espinoza, FDOT for emptying a clogged storm drain on the SW side of the Flagler Bridge, Per the request of an adjacent new gym business.

Anita Nash, FDEP, stated the City of Miami is working on addressing her previously presented PowerPoint titled, “2017 Source ID Pilot Study: Wagner Creek Maps, FDEP”. Recent rounds of testing results again have concerning indications of elevated levels of Bacteria in the middle of Wagner Creek, near DERM testing stations WC02 and WC03. Ms Nash stated FDEP, City, and County are creating an “Action Plan” to remediate the human sewage detected in Wagner Creek. The City of Miami is conducting dye testing in an area pump station. Ms Nash stated a stormwater utility box located on a Miami-Dade County easement at the hospital had 1 sample with elevated levels of bacteria and in under investigation by the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County. Other areas are being investigated as well. Attendees noted the need for increased vacuum truck services to clean out the respective FDOT, County and City owned stormwater systems.

II. “Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan” Agency Quarterly Implementation Progress Reports
Mr. Omar Abdelrahman was not present and did not email Miami Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management’s (DERM) quarterly (April – June 2018) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. Therefore, the item was deferred to the next public meeting.

III. New Business
Eileen Johnson, owner of 3630 NW North River Drive, and tenant Richard Dubin, 5th Street Shipping Terminal, presented a lengthy and detailed PowerPoint (available on request). The presentation included pictures, video, emails, letters, permits, etc. Ms. Johnson and Mr. Dubin stated across the street from their riverfront shipping terminal is “Dandy Sand” business, and sand is covering 2 adjacent streets and numerous storm drains, which has migrated into the Miami River making the subject property no longer navigable. Therefore, they are requesting Miami-Dade County provide maintenance dredging in the Miami River at their site, to the previous depth.

The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be December 5, 2018, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST

The meeting adjourned.

I. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River
Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, stated in October and November they cleaned the entire Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal stormwater system. Ms. Estevez stated from November 2018 – February 2019 the City of Miami will clean the Miami River Water Basins entire stormwater system. Ms. Estevez stated in the future the Miami River, Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal water basin’s stormwater cleaning frequency will be increased, and will be done annually.

Ms Estevez stated the City of Miami found 8 locations where sanitary sewage is spilling and creating “illicit discharges”. Thus far 4 of the 8 have been cured and the remaining 4 are in the process of being cured.

Ms Estevez stated a video inspection in the UM/ Jackson Hospital area detected a sanitary sewer line improperly connected to the storm water system, which will be disconnected.

Omar Abdelrahman, DERM, stated they have been conducting additional water quality sampling for fecal, enterococci bacteria and E. Coli bacteria in manholes along Wagner Creek. When they find high volumes, they inspect upstream to try and find the source of pollution.

II. “Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan” Agency Quarterly Implementation Progress Reports

Mr. Omar Abdelrahman distributed and presented Miami Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management’s (DERM) quarterly (July – September 2018) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. In July and August all 4 testing locations on the Miami River, 3 testing locations on Wagner Creek / Seybold Canal, and the testing locations on Tamiami Canal and the South Fork Tributary detected significant water quality violations. The highest violation was detected at the most north western Wagner Creek testing location “04”, where 2,420 (MPN/100ml) Entero Bacteria was found, while the clean water standard is only 35 (MPN/100ml).

III. New Business

The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be March 6, 2019, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST. The meeting adjourned.