Project ABSTRACT: The West Melbourne Stormwater Quality Retrofit project consists of installing ten nutrient separating baffle boxes at different locations through out the City, to improve the water quality of the run off into the Indian River Lagoon. The Indian River Lagoon has been identified as an Estuary of National significance, it is a SWIM water body, it is on the DEP list of impaired waters. In addition, the Indian River Lagoon has been designated as a Class III waterbody for shellfish harvesting area. Currently, these fully developed commercial and residential basins in West Melbourne drain directly into the Crane Creek and the M-1 canal with ultimate discharge into the Indian River Lagoon . These areas have no stormwater treatment through out the basin except a series of ditches carrying the drainage to the canals. The proposed BMP’s will provide significant treatment of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), heavy metals and nutrients for these drainage basins in the City of West Melbourne. The project will remove an estimated 26,108
kilograms per year (kg/yr) total suspended solids, 212 kg/yr total nitrogen, 355 kg/yr total phosphorous, 5.0 kg/yr zinc, and 7.4 kg/yr lead.
POLLUTION REDUCTION STRATEGY:
The stormwater strategy for this project will be to utilize engineered stormwater treatment devices, such as nutrient separating baffle boxes, to reduce the total suspended solids load and nutrients, from the runoff. These baffle boxes in addition to reducing the suspended solids load, also, reduce the total Nitrogen and phosphorus by separating the leaves from the water. Heavy metals also are removed. Currently there are no stormwater treatment devices or ponds in these drainage basins. Nutrient Separating Baffle Boxes units will be used at the outfall pipes to prevent sediment and floating trash from entering the Crane Creek or the M-1 canal, providing a reduction in TSS and nutrients into the Lagoon. Crane Creek is a major tributary to the Central IRL. The Crane Creek sub-basin generates the highest aerial loading rates (lb/ac.yr) of any sub-basin in the IRL system.
The primary objectives of the project are: (1) to reduce the amount of nonpoint source pollution loadings and improve the quality of stormwater being discharged into the Indian River Lagoon; (2) to determine changes in pollutant loading rates using pre- and post-construction monitoring of nonpoint source pollution runoff; and (3) to educate the general public in Brevard County about the importance of decreasing pollutants transported to the Lagoon via surface water runoff.