County commission renews data collection agreement
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to continue an agreement that allows the collection of critical data for water resources modeling and assessment of flood conditions.
Commissioners approved an annual joint-funding agreement to continue cooperative work with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The agreement includes water resources data collection at 12 sites on various rivers and streams throughout Lee County. The county has contracted with USGS since 1973. The new annual term will begin Oct. 1.
The total cost is $317,850; the USGS cooperative share is $112,956 and the county’s cost share is $204,894. Lee County received $65,000 in grant funds from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to assist with its cost share. Funding is included in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.
The program with USGS includes reading of continuous stage recorders and groundwater levels in several Lee County watersheds, including Briarcliff Ditch, Gator Slough, Imperial River, Orange River, Spring Creek, North Branch Estero River, South Branch Estero River, Six Mile Cypress Creek, Popash Creek, Telegraph Creek, Ten Mile Canal and Whiskey Creek.
The data obtained is necessary:
– For the proper calibration of computer models developed as part of the Lee County Surface Water Management Master Plan.
– To provide real-time hydrological information to assist in flood/storm response.
– To document pollutant load reductions in fulfillment of our Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements.
The additional data and accurate surface water models aid in the design and review of development by helping to determine the impact they may have on surface water flow over a large area.
While the data collected under the agreement is for staff use, residents can view real-time flood information collected by one of Lee County’s partners, Hohonu. Through this partnership:
– Deployed flood sensors quickly provide information during a storm event and integrate their data with partners like the National Weather Service.
– Residents can view specific locations where sensors are.
Visit the Hohonu dashboard at https://dashboard.hohonu.io/ or download the TideCast by Hohonu iOS app for real-time water-level updates.
To learn more about the different types of flooding experienced in the community, visit leegov.com/flooding.