The Southwest Florida Management District and the City of St. Petersburg are working together on three projects that will improve drainage in four St. Petersburg neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are Palmetto Park, Norwood Heights, Ponce De Leon and Jungle Terrace.
All of the projects are part of a 1994 stormwater management master plan developed by the city. During heavy rain the neighborhoods experience street flooding because the existing drainage systems are outdated and undersized.
Palmetto Park
The Palmetto Park project involves constructing a relief drain on 22nd Street between 5th and 7th avenues South and another one on 5th Avenue South between 22nd and 20th streets. It also involves installing a stormwater pollution prevention unit that will improve water quality by removing oil, grease, trash and other sediment from surface water runoff that enters the relief drain.
This multi-year project is estimated to cost up to $2.64 million. Funding will be divided evenly between the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and St. Petersburg. Funding for fiscal year 2008 is contingent upon basin board approval.
The project is expected to be complete by June 2009.
Norwood Heights and Ponce De Leon
This project involves constructing a relief drain along 30th Avenue North and Vicinity that will connect to the recently constructed drainage system along 29th Street to Lake Emerald. The project also involves installing a stormwater pollution prevention unit that will improve water quality by removing oil, grease, trash and other sediment from surface water runoff that enters the relief drain.
This multi-year project is estimated to cost up to $6.72 million. Funding will be divided evenly between the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and St. Petersburg. Funding for fiscal year 2008 is contingent upon basin board approval.
The project is expected to be complete by December 2009.
Jungle Terrace
The Jungle Terrace neighborhood project involves constructing a relief drain between Jungle Lake and Boca Ciega Bay as well as storm drain lateral pipes that will serve the adjacent streets.
This multi-year project is estimated to cost up to $6.64 million. Funding will be divided evenly between the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and St. Petersburg. Future fiscal year funding is contingent upon basin board approval.
The project is expected to be complete by November 2011.
Storm water is water that flows over land during and immediately after a rainstorm. The Environmental Protection Agency has identified stormwater runoff as our most serious water quality problem today. Pollutants associated with stormwater runoff include sediment, nutrients, heavy metals, oils, greases, pesticides and bacteria. Without proper treatment in developed areas, these pollutants in runoff adversely impact the quality of the receiving water.