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Apopka outlines short‑ and long‑term plans to lower Border Lake levels; nearly $7 million in grants targeted
Summary
Mayor and staff described emergency pumping, dredging and two grant streams (state and federal hazard‑mitigation funding) that together approach $7 million to support short‑ and long‑term stormwater infrastructure to reduce flooding around Border Lake and neighboring basins.
Mayor Brian Nelson and city engineers told the council on April 2 that short‑term pumping and sediment removal are ready to begin once an emergency permit is issued and verbal agreements are obtained from right‑of‑way owners.
Nelson said the city and Orange County have prepared temporary pump rentals and fuel funding and that staff have secured resident right‑of‑way approvals; the remaining administrative step is a signature from a large utility owner. "Once the permit's secured, we could expect to start pumping within 24—within a week," the mayor said. He estimated the lake drawdown could start immediately on a 24/7 pumping schedule that would lower Border Lake by roughly three feet and reduce adjacent lakes to seasonal levels in a matter of weeks.
Staff also described two grant tracks intended to support a permanent stormwater treatment and mitigation project. One described in staff materials was a state appropriation for an Apopka springs‑region aquifer recharge and flood‑protection project; the other was a federal hazard‑mitigation award tied to Hurricane Ian funding. In aggregate the two grants described in staff remarks were presented as roughly $2.5 million (state share) plus about $3.15 million (federal share) with local matches that together were described as nearly $7 million in available funding for design and construction of a permanent stormwater treatment system and related water‑quality improvements.
Engineers discussed midterm ties to existing regional reclaimed‑water and utility pipelines and a long‑term option to build a new city‑owned conveyance. City engineer Vladimir Simonovsky and water resources staff said the city has regional partners engaged and noted an estimated 35 million to 50 million gallons of water would need to be removed with a multi‑stage plan over months to a year for longer‑term solutions. Councilors pressed on treatment standards, storage capacity needs and whether Cleveland reclaimed‑water facilities could accept treated flows; staff said storage and treatment capacity planning is underway and additional interlocal agreements with neighboring jurisdictions will be required for long‑term operations.
The council did not vote on a funding appropriation at the meeting but authorized staff to continue interlocal coordination and to proceed with permit submittals and emergency pumping steps once permits are issued.
