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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
Fax: 305-361-4755
  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

I. Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report Quarterly Action Item Progress Report Presentations from FDEP and WASD

Mr. Michael Self, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Mr. Rod Lovett, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD), each provided a 2^nd year 3^rd quarter progress report for the “Action Items” outlined in the Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report.  The progress reports are posted on the internet at www.miamirivercommission.org. Brett Bibeau , MRC Managing Director, stated that the next quarterly report would be due at the SSC’s February 4, 2004 meeting.

II. Discussion of Wagner Creek Pollution Source Identification and Abatement Project-

Mr. Lovett provided the revised CAD drawing, which overlays the sanitary sewer system with the stormwater system.  The drawing is to be used to strategize the most effective testing program for the Wagner Creek area.  The testing program for Wagner Creek will consist of two phases.  In Phase I, the CAD drawings will be verified to assure accuracy and flow would be measured. In Phase II, water would be sampled from selected manholes.  Ms. Liz Abbott, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), suggested that Mr. Bibeau purchase a velocity meter to measure water flow from one manhole to the next. The first leg would be from NW 20^th ST heading west.  Dr. Susan Markley, Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM), stated that the testing program would need to be done as scheduled work.  Bibeau stated that City of Miami Police Officer William Clayton offered his services to assist with redirecting vehicular traffic during testing.  Mr. Lovette offered WASD services to draft a safety plan. Mr. Jose Lago, City of Miami , stated he would provide the SSC a tentative day for commencement.

Dr. Markley, stated that Mr. Wilbur Mayorga and Ms. Lisa Smith, DERM, attended the meeting to answer any questions related to the status of the Wagner Creek Dredging and the Tamiami Canal Water Quality.  Mr. Bibeau referred to the November 5, 2003 minutes, which had some reporting from the City of Miami pertaining to Wagner Creek, and read “The report noted that the Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan (CAP) is now scheduled for completion by May, instead of April 2004.  Lago stated that a meeting would be held on November 12, 2003 to review temporary drying site locations for the dredge material.  Mr. Jose Lago, City of Miami , stated that NW 20^th Street and NW 7^th Avenue is a possible temporary drying site of 3 acres, which was sold to the City of Miami by the State of Florida ”.  Mr. Mayorga stated the preliminary review of the Wagner Creek sediments indicate levels beneath “hazardous waste” criteria, therefore the sediments may be disposed in a Class I landfill. Mayorga noted DERM is still awaiting a response from the city to questions posed in DERM’s April 8, 2003 letter, completion of the CAP, and completion of the permit application. Jose Lago noted there are approximately 10,000-11,000 cubic yards of sediment to dredge from the creek.  Permits are required from FDEP, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and DERM.  In order to assist the City in preparing there permit applications, Abbott provided Lago with documents related to the approved dredging in the North Fork of the New River .  Mr. Mike Self, FDEP, stated he would assist in expediting the permitting process with FDEP.  The ACOE would be contacted to see if the permit process could be expedited.  Lago provided the following timeline:

·         Completion of the Corrective Action Plan - May 2004

·         Permitting and construction documents - June 2004

·         Advertisement of request for proposals - July 2004

·         RFP Award - November 2004

·         Notice to Proceed - December 2004 

·         Dredging commences - January 2005

Mr. Bibeau, informed Mr. Lago that the MRC will support the City’s river related Water Bill legislative appropriation requests, and asked for the details to be forwarded from the city to the MRC.  The city is requesting $1,000,000 for Wagner Creek dredging phases IV and V, funding to install solid waste interceptors, and additional funding for Wagner Creek dredging phase III.  

III. Discuss Tamiami Canal Water Quality

Captain John Smith, Bojean Boatyard, expressed concern that the Melreese Golf Course, a previous dumpsite, is seeping contamination into the adjacent Tamiami Canal .  Dr. Markley stated that the Tamiami Canal is not as contaminated as the Miami River .  Dr. Markley noted there are no unusual levels of ammonia, which is a primary contaminant, caused from dumpsites.  Mr. Mayorga stated that most of the contamination of the areas has been cleaned.  Self stated that FDEP provided funds to DERM to locate old landfills, install monitoring wells and conduct analysis.  DERM did not list the Melreese Golf Course as a known former dumpsite.  Abbott stated the SFWMD is preparing to dredge the Tamiami Canal in January 2005 to increase flood conveyance capacity.  Mr. Mayorga asked Mr. Smith to forward him any records related to a dumpsite on the golf course.  Upon receipt of the documents Mayorga stated he would consider using the Golf Courses monitoring wells to test for ammonia.

The meeting adjourned

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