AMI Swales May Ease Flooding, Filter Water
By Grace Agostin, The Bradenton Herald, Fla.
Feb. 25–ANNA MARIA — A $600,000 storm drainage project for the city of Anna Maria is under way to help reduce flooding and improve water quality.
City officials have done preliminary work for the installation of retention swales and a stormwater filtration system.
The project will cover about 30 acres in select areas from Willow Avenue to Pine Avenue and Gulf Drive North to South Bay Boulevard.
George McKay, public works director for Anna Maria, said the project will protect internal canals in Anna Maria from vegetation debris and silt.
McKay said heavy rainfall causes vegetation to flow into the canals, eventually carrying pollution to Tampa Bay.
“It’s been a problem for many, many years,” McKay said. “What we’re trying to do is clean the water before it gets there.”
Southwest Florida Water Management District provided a grant to pay for half of the project, and Anna Maria will pay the remainder.
Retention swales, which will be constructed at rear property lines, are expected to treat water through evaporation and percolation.
The swales will run between the joint backyards of property owners, and will require trees, plants, fencing or sheds in the path to be removed.
The city notified residents of that earlier this month in a letter.
“I think people are sensitive about the need of vegetation around here,” McKay said. “In the long term, the water that’s going through is going to be somebody’s benefit.”
John Thompson, who is a part-time resident on Willow Avenue, said some residents are unhappy with the slope that swales will create in their backyards.
“From what we understand, they’re going to build ditches, there’s no need for that here,” Thompson said. “That will ruin this backyard, it has no drainage problem at all.”
McKay said the swales will be depressions that sit about a foot below existing ground level.
Denise Tenuto, a project manager for Southwest Florida Water Management District, said swales are a common solution for stormwater treatment.
“That helps increase the storage of the city’s existing drainage, which will reduce flooding,” Tenuto said. “This project in particular was a great fit for us because the overall effects of the improvements will reduce pollutants in Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Sound.”
Tenuto added the storm filtration system being installed will also protect those water bodies through sedimentation.
“That process is going to remove those solids that have been historically discharging into the systems we want to protect,” she said.
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