Aug. 31, 2018
Bonita Springs, FL – Officials from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the City of Bonita Springs, Lee County and Collier County met earlier this month and agreed to have a future public workshop to further discuss a proposal that could help shorten the duration of flooding in Bonita Springs and southern Lee County.
The proposal, which is still in the preliminary stages of being explored and modeled, would involve a drainage swale that is already planned to be constructed along the Bonita Beach Road and Logan Boulevard intersection improvement project in Bonita Springs.
The proposed swale and associated water control structures would potentially allow a limited amount of flood waters from the Bonita Beach Road area to flow south into the Big Cypress Basin in Collier County. The features would only be utilized when there is excess water in the Bonita Springs area and conditions in the Big Cypress Basin in Collier County would not be negatively impacted by accepting additional water.
The meeting earlier this month included Big Cypress Basin (BCB) Board Chairman and SFWMD Governing Board member Rick Barber, Bonita Springs Mayor Peter Simmons, Collier County District 2 Commissioner Andy Solis and Lee County District 3 Commissioner Larry Kiker.
"While the exact details of the project still have to be determined before it could be considered for approval, this meeting shows how we can accomplish things and work together as partners," Barber said. "Agencies must commit to a partnership in order to get things done."