The District is refurbishing a flood control structure in Citrus County that will improve reliability and the life of the structure.
The S-353 flood control structure, which is located on the Tsala Apopka outfall canal, was originally built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of maintaining proper water levels and flood control.
The refurbishment began in December and will end June 1. It will improve the reliability of remote communication by allowing the District to send and receive data to the structure. An improved back-up power system will allow the structure to be operated without utility power and will also protect the electronics from lightning strikes.
With more advanced components and materials compared to what was available decades ago, the public can be assured the upgrades will increase dependability and the life of the 48-year-old structure. Additionally, the District expects a reduction in required maintenance with these more advanced and effective refurbishments.
Structure Operations Manager, Diana Koontz, also plans to have video information from the structure downloaded weekly. This not only allows for the structure’s security, but also provides an effective record of the work, as she has found videos helpful in understanding previous projects.
“I think a video will be even more helpful to staff after the current members of the section have retired from the District,” Koontz said.
District staff is also compiling a time-lapse video of the project the public will be able to view once the project is complete.