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Staff: USDA/NRCS grant will support canal cleanups including Manual Branch; city seeking vendors
Summary
City staff said Fort Myers received a $6.1 million USDA/NRCS grant for canal cleanups and expects to use funds for Manual Branch and other waterways; a demucking/dredging quote for Manual Branch ranged from about $1.3 million to $2.6 million and staff will solicit vendors for federal funding requirements.
Environmental compliance manager Mahone told the board the city received a $6.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to support canal cleanup and restoration projects in Southwest Florida.
Mahone said the city has identified several water bodies, including Manual Branch and Billy Creek, that could be assisted by the grant and that demucking and dredging quotes for Manual Branch came in at roughly $1.3 million to $2.6 million. "We can use those funds to assist with dredging activities to restore the creek," Mahone said, and staff is preparing to solicit vendors; federal rules require at least two bidders for the work.
Mahone said the city is budgeting roughly $1 million per water body as a planning estimate and that the procurement will be posted to the city’s vendor portal. Staff noted some grant funds are tied to hurricane‑related debris removal and that the work will require specialized equipment capable of accessing constrained canal sections.
The board welcomed the update and suggested staff move quickly to secure qualified bidders so that restoration work may proceed under the grant timeline. No contract awards were made at the meeting.
