Stormwater Improvement Program
In 2005, the Big Cypress Basin of the South Florida Water Management District contracted H.W. Lochner, Inc. (Lochner), to conduct a study to develop the Immokalee Stormwater Master Plan (ISWMP) to address flooding and water quality concerns within the urban Immokalee area.
On June 9, 2009, the ISWMP was accepted by the Board of County Commissioners. Under the 2008 Supplemental Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Appropriations for the Disaster Recovery Initiative (DRI), the Collier County Department of Housing and Human Services Selection Committee awarded the CRA a construction grant in the amount of $3,533,124 for the stormwater improvements in the downtown Immokalee area. The award was received in mid-2010 with a requirement that construction be completed within two (2) years of award. At that time the CRA also contracted with a consultant team of Camp, Dresser and McGee (CDM) along with Agnoli, Barber and Brundage (ABB) for the preparation of construction plans and permitting leading to construction of the Downtown Immokalee stormwater improvements and updating and prioritization of the ISWMP.
Subsequently, the Immokalee Drive stormwater improvements were also designed and constructed. A draft document for updating the ISWMP was prepared by CDM, but never finalized. By 2015, due to staffing changes and reorganizations, the Collier County Stormwater Management Section staff resumed responsibility for completing the updating of the ISWMP that had been started by CDM.
To avoid confusion with the previously developed documents, the name was changed to the Immokalee Stormwater Improvement Program (ImmSIP).
In January 2018, to facilitate immediate needs, the Immokalee CRA and MSTU partnered with the Stormwater Department to share the cost of four Corrective Action Projects within the Immokalee area. Growth Management Department covered half the cost and the CRA & MSTU split the remaining cost. Total project costs were $95,000.
This project included both minor improvements to culverts and swales along North Ninth Street and Lake Trafford Memorial Gardens and design, permitting and construction review for new pipe and swales for Eden Gardens and North Third St. areas. Future funding will need to be allocated to complete the construction of these two projects.
On November 28, 2018, county staff presented the follow-up analysis of the draft ISWDMP that CDM provided.
A final copy of the Immokalee Stormwater Improvement Program (ISIP) was provided to ICRA staff. This plan was completed by the Collier County Stormwater Department and provides a comprehensive approach to improving stormwater in the community.
North 3rd Street
The North 3rd Street Drainage proposed project is located on North 3rd Street between 2nd Avenue and Roberts Avenue West. The project would include roadside swales, installation of inlets on 3rd. Street, construction of a storm drainpipe system to alleviate ponding and allow conveyance southward to the storm drain system on West Main Street. Cost for repairs is estimated at $900,000. The grant funding contract is now finalized, and the project is ending the contractor bidding phase. Bids received awaiting budget amendment. The project manager is Brittany Lazo with Collier County Stormwater Management
Eden Garden
The Eden Garden Bypass Drainage Improvement proposed project is located in the south area of Westclox St., east of Boxwood Dr., west of Carson Rd., and generally north and northeast of Eden Gardens. The project would construct a new ditch along the northern boundary of Eden Gardens, install a 24” pipe under Boxwood Dr. to tie into the existing ditch along the northwest boundary of Eden Gardens to convey flows further west. Cost for repairs is estimated at $602,786.32. The county applied for CDBG-DR grant funding for this project.
Lake Trafford Road Area
The single negotiated contract for designing both a stormwater treatment facility in the SE corner (Tract 3) of Arrowhead Reserve and drainage improvements along Lake Trafford Road from Little League Road to Tippins Terrace was applied for by the Board of County Commissioners in 2021. County staff is looking at phasing the construction, with Phase 1 being the Arrowhead Tract 3 site and Phase 2 being the pathway and drainage west of Little League Road. Design for Phase 1 was completed in 2021 and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2023. Phase 2 design began in 2022 and is close to being finalized.
Madison Avenue Channel Project
On the northeastern side of Immokalee, county staff obtained Board of County Commissioners approval to purchase a 6-acre parcel just to the east of the Immokalee Foundation Career Path Learning Lab site. That site will provide a pond site to improve stormwater quality from the outfalls along Madison Ave. Additionally, county staff is working with FDOT’s design firms to coordinate the alignment of the SR-29 bypass loop so they can avoid having to route the stormwater from the Madison Avenue channel all the way around the north and east sides of the airport.
Immokalee Stormwater
