Mitigating wetland impacts for a 30-million gallon per day water reclamation facility expansion

Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility Expansion Wetland Mitigation

To meet the community’s increased wastewater treatment demands, Hillsborough County needed to expand their Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility and retire two outdated plants. With more than 11 acres of forested freshwater wetlands likely impacted, the County needed a trusted technical advisor experienced in wetland mitigation.

Our team of ecologists and engineers was engaged to assess, plan, permit, and implement a wetland mitigation program. We began by assessing potential wetland impacts, mitigation areas, and functionality of areas degraded by the site’s historic agricultural use. After submitting an extensive permit application and design plans to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the team was quickly notified there were no outstanding items. What could have been a contentious regulatory process was navigated deftly due to our proactive problem-solving and a consensus-building approach with multiple agencies, client representatives, and stakeholders. We also provided construction plans and oversight, native planting, and invasive species control, and are currently conducting maintenance and monitoring for wetland enhancement and creation.

Our high quality standards for design and implementation have resulted in created and restored wetland systems that are already providing valuable wildlife habitat and water quality functions.