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Canal 1 rediversion project

Fellsmere Water Management Area

Understanding flooding: The upper basin project and Canal 54

• Map of the regions (flood control areas) where water control structures operated by the St. Johns River Water Management District are designed to reduce flood impacts.
  • Closer view

The Canal 1 Rediversion Project

Drainage over decades into Turkey Creek in southern Brevard County has degraded water quality, habitat and the fisheries in the central Indian River Lagoon estuary, causing a need for a massive restoration effort.

Canal 1 (C-1) is maintained by the Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District to provide floodprotection to more than 80,000 people. The canal carries soils, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and large volumes of freshwater from the historical St. Johns River floodplain eastward to Turkey Creek and into the lagoon.

A bird’s eye view of Turkey Creek.

The western two-thirds of Palm Bay is within the St. Johns River’s historic drainage basin. Prior to the 1920s, these swampy lands were separated from Turkey Creek and the lagoon by the Ten-Mile Ridge — an old sand dune system that served as a natural basin divide and upon which a portion of Interstate 95 was built.

The Ten-Mile Ridge was breached in 1922, and a 180-mile grid of 80 canals was dug to divert storm water to Turkey Creek. This canal system drained the natural wetlands for conversion to agricultural use.

The solution

The St. Johns River Water Management District and the Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District are re-diverting a substantial portion of the C-1 drainage to a retention area west of I-95.

Storm water stored in the retention area will be pumped into a wetland treatment system, known as Sawgrass Lake Water Management Area, before draining into the St. Johns River. The Sawgrass Lake Water Management Area will provide the filtration needed to remove pollutants before water drains into the river.

The benefits

The project will:

• Decrease soils and nutrients draining into Turkey Creek and the lagoon.
• Guard against rapid drops in lagoon salinity levels.
• Improve lagoon water quality, leading to increases in seagrass coverage and an enhanced recreational fishery.
• Protect a valuable commercial hard clam industry.
• Provide an opportunity to supplement Palm Bay’s water supply.
• Provide public recreational opportunities.

Contact information

For additional information about this project area, contact Hector Herrera, upper basin project manager, at (386) 329-4327 or hherrera@sjrwmd.com.

Posted on 6-2-2010