Summary Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc. (Wood) was authorized by the City of Alachua to provide pre-construction engineering services for the Mill Creek Sink Water Quality Improvement Project. The overall project goal is to reduce nitrogen loading to the Santa Fe River Basin, which is listed as impaired for nitrate-nitrogen.
This project consists of land acquisition, design, and construction of a stormwater treatment system to improve water quality in runoff from the properties and infrastructure near the intersection of Interstate 75 and US Highway 441 adjacent to Mill Creek Sink. The project site comprises three privately-owned parcels that will be acquired for the treatment system with a total area of 12.3 acres. Currently, stormwater runoff receives minimal treatment prior to flowing through the project site towards Mill Creek Swallet. Mill Creek Swallet recharges the Upper Floridan aquifer and is hydrologically connected in the subsurface to Mill Creek Sink.
Work on this project began in March 2018. A design workshop was held in May 2018 with stakeholders representing the City, SRWMD, Alachua County, Florida Department of Transportation, University of Florida, and Wood. Using input from stakeholders at the workshop, Wood began collecting information necessary for land acquisition and design of the stormwater treatment system. In July 2018, Wood completed a report that included estimates of stormwater runoff volume and water quality entering the project site, a conceptual siting of the stormwater treatment system, and initial estimates of nitrogen removal provided by the proposed treatment system.
As of early October 2018, Wood has also completed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment; Wetland Delineation, Threatened and Endangered Species, and Preliminary Cultural Resources Assessments; and Boundary, Topographic, and Tree Surveys. Wood is currently using this information to conduct the hydrologic modeling and engineering design of the stormwater treatment system.
The presentation by Wood staff will give an overview of the Mill Creek Sink Water Quality Improvement Project and the work that has been conducted to date. |