Horsepen Strand Conservation Area

Client: Collier Soil and Water Conservation District

Location: Collier County, FL

Summary: The Horsepen Strand Conservation Area (HSCA) is comprised of approximately 34 Sections, encompasses the Northern Golden Gate Estates (NGGE) in eastern Collier County, and is adjacent to Big Cypress National Preserve, Corkscrew Swamp, Picayune Strand State Forest, the Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and Belle Meade. The NGGE was developed by the Gulf American Corporation and consists of platted lots, large canals, and a grid of roads. The project area is currently 35-40% built out and full build-out is expected by 2020. The canals and the roads have severely altered the hydrology of wetlands, particularly the once-extensive cypress heads and contiguous Strand. The overall objective of the HSCA project is to reconnect the Strand to provide flood protection, stormwater treatment, environmental restoration, public water supply, water quality improvement, and to decrease freshwater runoff into Naples Bay.

For Phase 1, Cardno ENTRIX aerially-interpreted the current (2007) and historical (1940) limits of the wetlands and provided a land use map of existing wetland conditions. To evaluate the presence of listed species and water quality, Cardno ENTRIX also reviewed public databases including the South Florida Water Management District Big Cypress Basin, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Environmental Protection. The final report analyzed the existing and historical wetland acreages and locations: development in the northern HSCA has decrease the quality and quantity of wetlands; however, wetland acreage has increased in the southern portion of the HSCA apparently due to the damming effect of I-75. Kimley-Horn and Associates was the engineering subconsultant on the project and evaluated the hydrological reconnection of the Strand, including possible restoration scenarios.

In future phases, Cardno ENTRIX will recommend improvement projects to hydrologically reconnect the Strand, to provide environmental restoration, to decrease flooding, and to improve water quantity retention and water quality. These refinements should improve the ecology of Naples Bay, which currently receives excess freshwater. The Economics Group of Cardno ENTRIX will prioritize the improvement recommendations and potential land acquisitions using a natural resource economics model that balances economics and natural resource function measurements. This highly ambitious and innovative project has the potential to greatly improve water quality and quantity within the HSCA and Naples Bay.