Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Flooding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff: Army Corps study of Nova Canal basin ended early; city will model alternatives and launch public stormwater dashboard
Summary
Utilities staff told the commission the Army Corps terminated the project early because Nova Canal lacks the hydraulic capacity the Corps required and the Corps’ preliminary benefit‑cost ratio was below 1. Staff said the Corps will deliver a findings report by year‑end; the city and county will model alternatives (upsized pipes, pumps, sluice gates, golf‑course storage) and roll out a public stormwater projects/maintenance dashboard.
Staff told the City Commission on June 3 that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conclude its Nova Canal study prematurely because the canal does not meet the Corps’ hydraulic criteria and the preliminary benefit‑cost ratio is below 1.
Shannon (the city’s utilities director) said the Nova Canal “doesn't have the 800 CFS of capacity that is required during a 10‑year storm event. It's only got half of that,” and that the Corps’ preliminary cost‑benefit calculations were less than one. The Corps plans to deliver hydraulic models and a findings report by the end of 2026. Shannon said staff and consultants will model alternatives — upsizing pipe, adding pumps and sluice gates to outfalls, and building storage on golf‑course parcels — to see whether any options provide a favorable benefit‑cost ratio.
Staff also described a concurrent county‑funded, city‑implemented watershed management modeling effort (Transform 386) that will give the city the tools to analyze smaller, city‑scale projects and identify cost‑effective improvements. The city is developing a public dashboard with county partners to show stormwater projects, studies and maintenance; the dashboard will include project modules, study listings and, later, a public maintenance module showing completed inspections and cleaning schedules.
Commissioners discussed possible buyout programs, special assessment districts for problem HOAs, and regional partnerships because many outfalls and canals cross municipal boundaries. Staff emphasized that some low‑lying neighborhoods may only be addressed through property acquisition; any large capital projects outside the city will require cost sharing with neighboring municipalities and state agencies.
Next steps: Corps findings and models expected by December 2026; staff will present model alternatives, costs and benefit‑cost ratios when available. The county‑city dashboard will roll out in stages in the coming months.
