You may notice increased activity at the project site in the coming months as the wetland team begins a study to gather important site-specific information. This information will help guide the design of the park’s layout and wetland ponds.
Constructing each study area will take a few weeks and require the use of heavy equipment, such as excavators, bulldozers and backhoes. After construction, the project team will monitor each area for approximately six to ten weeks. In total, there will be two to four study areas and the study is expected to last six to nine months.
The purpose of the study is to determine the rate at which water percolates into the ground at the property. The soil in southeast Alachua County differs across locations, making it important to collect site-specific information for the park’s design. As part of this process, two to four 1-acre shallow ponds will be constructed in areas that represent the average soil conditions on the property. Water from GRU’s drinking water system will be used to fill these ponds during the study.
The data collected during this phase will provide insight into how the wetland ponds will percolate.
Once the study is completed, we will drain the ponds and remove the piping and other temporary infrastructure. The wetland team will be on site throughout both the construction and study phases to monitor and record the results.
Once a conceptual layout of the wetlands is developed, the wetland team will hold a public workshop to gather community feedback on the park’s design.
For more information, please email southwest_nature_park@gru.com.