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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
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4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
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  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

Brett Bibeau, MRC Assistant Director, provided the subcommittee with a status report of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department’s (WASD) proposed purchase of a 3.4 acre site, located adjacent to the Miami River on NW 5^th ST and NW 7 Ave, for a WASD facility.  On October 7, 2002, the MRC passed a resolution, “recommending the County proceed with the purchase of the property, with the contingency that the MRC, City and community approve the property’s future plans, as the MRC is opposed to the current proposed county resolution”.  On October 8, 2002, the Board of County Commissioners Chair, Barbara Carey-Shuler, deferred the item until public hearings were held with the adjacent property owners.  Mr. Rod Lovette, WASD, concurred with the status report, and had no additional information.  Michael Cox, MRC Neighborhood Representative, stated Spring Garden residents complained about the noise, hazard, and pollution to Wagner Creek from the existing WASD facility located in a residential neighborhood.  Cox stated that moving the facility to a different residential neighborhood did not resolve the issues of noise and potential hazards.

Tim McIntosh and Dr. Susan Markley, Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management, (DERM) presented a draft Water Quality Targets and parameters.  This task is pursuant to the adopted Miami River Water Basin Water Quality Improvement Report’s Action item 4 (f), “Finalize water quality targets for key parameters”.  The subcommittee reviewed and discussed the proposal.  Markley explained new parameters of metals and bacteria indicators will be tested for, in addition to the old parameters of nutrients.  The DERM representatives explained the proposed were water quality management targets, not regulatory standards.  The regulatory standards, or Total Maximum Daily Load’s (TMDL’s) will be set in the future and only test for sewage and dissolved oxygen, and not the additional parameters proposed by DERM as management targets.  McIntosh explained the indicated “County Standard” is toxic, and therefore significantly higher than the indicated “Miami River Target”.  McIntosh stated they would e-mail the proposal to the subcommittee for further review.  Stormwater subcommittee agencies will submit any revisions to the proposal in November.  The targets and reporting methods will be finalized during the SSC’s December meeting, and used in the Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement fourth quarter progress reports due in January 2003.

Rod Lovette, stated WASD is conducting dye-flood testing in Wagner Creek to detect improper connections between stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.  WASD is repairing one defective sanitary sewer manhole adjacent to Wager Creek, which was  detected during the dye-flood testing.  Lovette stated he does not believe it was a large contributor of the Wagner Creek’s high bacteria levels, so the WASD will continue dye-flood testing in search of a major illegal hook up.  Lovette will provide DERM with the repaired man-hole location, and Markley stated they would take a look at it as well.

The Stormwater subcommittee confirmed the next regularly scheduled meeting, the first Wednesday of the month, December 4, 2002, 10 am, 172-A West Flagler. 

 The meeting adjourned.

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