MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced the completion of the Crane Creek/M-1 canal restoration project in Brevard County.
The governor held a news conference in Melbourne. at the Front Street Civic Center.
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The canal diverts stormwater flow from 5,300 acres of drainage area in Melbourne, West Melbourne, Melbourne Village and other areas of unincorporated Brevard County to the Indian River Lagoon, according to the St. Johns River Water Management District’s site.
“Over 100 years ago, the M1 canal was built to control flooding in the area, but it changed the way water naturally flowed between the St. John’s River and the Indian River Lagoon. Over time, storm water from more than 5,300 acres in Melbourne, West Melbourne, and nearby communities carried harmful nutrients into the lagoon, fueling algae blooms and damaging water quality,” DeSantis said.
To address the problem, the Crane Creek and M-1 Canal Project was launched. The project included building two pump stations, two pipeline force mains, and a stormwater treatment area.
It will substantially reduce nutrient loading by providing an alternative water supply to downstream users, restoring 7 million gallons of freshwater flow per day to the St. Johns River.
“The project protects water quality, safeguards wildlife, and strengthens the community’s way of life. And I don’t think that this is anything that anyone can dispute. Our administration has done more for the Indian River Lagoon than any administration in the history of the state of Florida, and we’re proud of that record,” he said.
DeSantis was joined by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert.
“We are helping protect two of Florida’s most important waterways each year. This project moves 2.5 billion gallons of water through a stormwater treatment area, where it removes approximately 24,000 pounds of nitrogen and 3,100 pounds of phosphorus, the equivalent of a dump truck full of nutrients,” Lambert said.
Watch the news conference below: