MONROE COUNTY CANAL RESTORATION PROJECT UNDERWAY IN KEY LARGO WITH FUNDING FROM A DEP STEWARDSHIP GRANT

KEY LARGO, FL – A Monroe County canal restoration project funded by a state Department of Environmental Protection Stewardship Grant is underway in Key Largo.

The County recently entered into a $1.2 million contract with Adventure Environmental, Inc. for a backfilling project to improve water quality of residential Canal #75, located between Coral Way and Ocean Drive at Mile Marker 97.3 in Key Largo. These improvements are anticipated to restore the impaired waters of the canal, and bring the dissolved oxygen levels up to meet State 62-302 Class 3 marine to meet applicable water quality standards.

Canal #75 was identified as a Poor canal for water due to its deep depth and low oxygen levels.

Due to excessive depths, the water column is stratified, with anoxia (depleted oxygen) present in the lower portion of the water column. This prevents fish and other marine organisms from inhabiting the canal.

The restoration began Feb. 7, 2018 and involves placing 26,496 cubic yards of clean fill material into the canal to raise the bottom to 6 feet below the Mean Sea Level. This is the optimum depth to allow for tidal flow in and out of the canal and a depth that is typically suitable to allow for sufficient light and oxygen to permeate the water column to support a healthy ecological habitat.

The work is expected to be completed in early May.

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