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

Mr. Harry James, City of Miami, stated he would seek an update from the City to the following excerpts from the MRC Stormwater Subcommittee’s December 5, 2018 public meeting minutes:

“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 where they found high volumes in every manhole.

MRC Director Bibeau cited the MRC’s February 4, 2019 public meeting minutes which state in part, “Spencer Crowley, Miami Dade County Commissioner to the Florida Inland Navigation District, distributed and presented a “Biscayne Bay Restoration Initiative” PowerPoint, and related draft “Biscayne Bay Restoration Partnership” Resolution. Mr. Crowley cited the successes of the “Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative”, which is a partnership of funding agencies which has completed 50 projects for $80 million to improve water quality in the Lake Worth Lagoon, including sediment traps, baffle boxes, and removing septic tanks.”

MRC Director Bibeau asked the agencies to provide to the June 5 public MRC Stormwater Subcommittee meeting a list of all the baffle box locations currently in the Miami River Water Basin, and where additional baffle boxes would be beneficial within the Miami River Water Basin. Baffle Boxes are an eligible expense from the City of Miami’s recent “Miami Forever” General Obligation Bond Issue.

MRC Director Bibeau noted one of the MRC’s long-standing goals is for the appropriate agencies to conduct maintenance dredging and environmental cleanup projects on the remaining Miami River tributaries, starting with Tamiami Canal and South Fork Tributary.

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 (October – December 2018) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. The most alarming water quality violations were detected at Wagner Creek testing location 3, where 19,600 (MPN/100ml) Entero Bacteria was found, while the clean water standard is only 35 (MPN/100ml), and at Miami River testing location 08, where 3,280 (MPN/100ml) Entero Bacteria was found, while the clean water standard is only 35 (MPN/100ml).

IV. New Business

The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be June 5, 2019, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST. The meeting adjourned..

The meeting adjourned.

I. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River
Ms. Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, stated it recently conducted green dye tests in the South Fork tributary, which resulted in the green color in the connecting portion of the Miami River, which was reported by a River business owner to the MRC.

Ms. Estevez stated the City of Miami night have cured all 8 locations where sanitary sewage was found and was creating “illicit discharges”.

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 where they found high volumes in every manhole, yet were unable to locate a point source. Therefore DERM will now start using chemical tracers to try and locate the point source.

MRC Director Bibeau noted one of the MRC’s long-standing goals is for the appropriate agencies to conduct maintenance dredging and environmental cleanup projects on the remaining Miami River tributaries, starting with Tamiami Canal and South Fork Tributary. Director Bibeau suggested the agencies apply to FIND grants, which would fund 75% of the project cost. Director Bibeau a kickoff meeting was held with DERM Director Hefty, FIND Board Member Spencer Crowley and South Florida Water Management District Board Member Scott Wagner..

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 (January – March 2019) Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. The most alarming water quality violations was detected at Wagner Creek testing location 4, where 3,330 (cfu’s / 100ml) E. Coli Bacteria was found, while the clean water standard is only 126 (cfu/100ml). Mr. Abdelrahman thanked FDEP for providing bottles for water samples and funding for lab analysis. Anita Nash, FDEP, thanked DERM for testing water quality in manholes along Wagner Creek. Mr. Abdelrahman stated the testing located 2 “hot spots”, where the point source will try to be pin pointed and eliminated.

IV) New Business - The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be September 4, 2019, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.

The meeting adjourned.

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

Mr. Henry James, City of Miami, stated the City is taking more water quality samples at hot spots, and the results are coming soon. Anita Nash, FDEP, stated FDEP was happy to provide testing kits, lab analysis, technical assistance and training, and thanked the City of Miami and Miami Dade County for accepting and using them.

Ms. Estevez stated the City of Miami night have cured all 8 locations where sanitary sewage was found and was creating “illicit discharges”.

MRC Director Bibeau distributed a picture he took during a king tide of a massive amount of water gushing out of an open manhole cover, 2 feet into the air and flooding an area in Little Havana across the street from a school. The City of Miami stated they would investigate, and perhaps install a backflow preventer.

Mr. James stated the River View Pump Station is getting new generators.
Mr. Bibeau noted an August 22 Miami Today article titled, “City budget targets rise of sea level” stated, “The Capital Projects include a new allocation for storm drain cleaning”.
The MRC Stormwater subcommittee distributed reviewed and discussed a City of Miami exhibit depicting all the proposed and completed locations for back flow preventers to be installed along the Miami River and Biscayne Bay using “Miami Forever” GOB Bond Issue funding. Mr. Bibeau suggested the City of Miami insert additional locations for needed back flow preventers along the Miami River east of I-95 and west of 12 Ave, for example in the Durham Park neighborhood, etc., and the City agreed. The backflow preventers cost estimated $34,000 - $62,000, and are estimated to all be installed by December 2020.

II. New Business
The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be December 4, 2019, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.
The meeting adjourned.

I. “Walk the WBID” Water Body Identification (WBID) for the Miami River
Ms. Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, stated the City of Miami is in the process of renewing their 3 year contract, at $250,000 per year, for the Scavenger Water Decontamination Vessel, which collects floating debris, decontaminates 600,000 gallons of water per hour, and injects 150,000 litters of oxygen per hour into the water, which improves water quality.

Ms. Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, stated on December 3 at 11 AM a water line broke at the 1 ST bridge replacement site, which created significant turbidity in the Miami River. The broken water line was quickly repaired, by 1 PM. The City of Miami issued a $1,000 water quality violation fine. MRC Director Bibeau thanked FDOT for contracting the Scavenger Water Decontamination Vessel that same day, to provide an hour of needed oxygenation and water decontamination next to the 1 ST Bridge.

MRC Director Bibeau distributed a picture he took during a king tide of a massive amount of water gushing out of an open manhole cover, 2 feet into the air and flooding an area in Little Havana across the street from a school. Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, stated they cleaned the line and welded the manhole cover back on with a water tight seal, but the pressure of the water was so great it popped the welded manhole cover off again during king tide when the water flooded the street again. Therefore, the City of Miami will now install a pressurized man hole cover.

The MRC Stormwater subcommittee distributed reviewed and discussed a City of Miami exhibit depicting all the proposed and completed locations for back flow preventers to be installed along the Miami River and Biscayne Bay using “Miami Forever” GOB Bond Issue funding. Elyrosa Estevez, City of Miami, provided an updated exhibit, which now included additional future back flow preventer locations on the Miami River, which per MRC Director Bibeau’s previous suggestion now includes future locations along the Miami River both east of I-95 and west of 12 Ave. The backflow preventers cost estimated $34,000 - $62,000, and are estimated to all be installed by December 2020.

II. “Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report’s Agency Quarterly Implementation Progress Reports
Mr. Omar Abdelrahman distributed and presented Miami Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management’s (DERM) quarterly Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Plan’s progress report. The most alarming water quality violations were detected at Wagner Creek testing location 4, where 15,000 and 8,500 (cfu’s / 100ml) E. Coli Bacteria was found, while the County’s clean water standard is only 126 (cfu/100ml). Mr. Abdelrahman, DERM, stated Miami-Dade County is contracting an engineer to investigate with cameras to look for illicit discharges.

III. New Business
The MRC SSC’s next quarterly public meeting will be March 4, 2020, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.
The meeting adjourned.