RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Matrix — Department of the Treasury OMB Approval No. 1505-0250

Applicant Name:

Initial

3. CUMULATIVE DIRECT COMPONENT ALLOCATION AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO APPLICANT: $6,527,584.45

8a. Direct Component 

Contribution

8b. Other RESTORE Act 

Contribution 

8c. Other Third Party 

Contribution

8d. Total Contribution

Planning assistance Collier County/Rookery Bay 

National Estuarine Research 

Comprehensive Watershed 

Improvement Plan Project 

Development and PermittingPhase 1

Collier County $1,532,077.76 $1,532,077.76 01/01/18 12/30/20

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

$1,532,077.76 $0.00 $0.00 $1,532,077.76

Collier County

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505-0250. Comments concerning the time required to complete this information collection, including the time 

to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220.

$1,532,077.764. TOTAL ALLOCATIONS PLUS KNOWN FUNDS NOT YET DEPOSITED IN TRUST FUND FOR DIRECT COMPONENT:

1. MULTIYEAR PLAN VERSION (INITIAL OR AMENDMENT NUMBER): 2a. DATE OF INITIAL MULTIYEAR PLAN ACCEPTANCE (mm/dd/yyyy): 2b. DATE OF LAST MULTIYEAR PLAN ACCEPTANCE:

12. ESTIMATED TOTAL FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ACTIVITY(IES) (refer to 

Instructions)

8. Estimated Total Funding Contributions For Proposed Activity(ies)(refer to Instructions)

Please note: Grant awards may reflect non-material changes in proposed dates and 

estimated funding.

6. Activity Title (Static Field) 7. Location (Static Field) 

5. Primary Direct Component Eligible 

Activity Further Described in Application 

(Static Field)

9. Proposed Start Date 

mm/dd/yyyy

10. Proposed End Date 

mm/dd/yyyy 11. Status (refer to Instructions)
RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Narrative

Department of the Treasury

OMB Approval No. 1505-0250

Directions: Use this form for the Initial Multiyear Plan and any subsequent amendments to an 

accepted Multiyear Plan. For amendments, include only new and/or materially modified activities.

Multiyear Plan Version (Initial or Amendment Number): Initial

Date of Initial Multiyear Plan Acceptance:

Date of Last Multiyear Plan Revision Acceptance:

Eligible Applicant Name: Collier County

Name and Contact Information of the Person to be contacted (POC) on matters concerning this Multiyear Implementation Plan:

POC Name: Gary McAlpin

POC Title: Manager, Collier County Coastal Zone Management

POC Email: GaryMcAlpin@Colliergov.net

POC Phone: (239)252-5342

NARRATIVEDESCRIPTION:

1. A description of each activity, including the need, purpose, objective(s), milestones and location. Include map showing the location

of each activity.

Project Description: 

The Collier County/Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Comprehensive Multi-Year Implementation Plan is a 

planning assistance project for project development and permitting of restoration projects identified in the Collier 

County's Comprehensive Watershed Improvement Plan. The document can be found electronically at http://

www.colliergov.net/your-government/divisions-a-e/capital-project-planning-impact-fees-and-program-management/

restore.

Need: Approximately 70% of Collier County’s 2,300 sq. miles has been altered since the 1950's in order to accommodate 

coastal development. In addition to shoreline modifications, extensive canal construction for urban and agricultural 

drainage has changed the timing and quantity of freshwater inflows to coastal waters. These changes have dramatically 

affected water quality and quantity of many County estuaries. Prior to intense development, rainfall either infiltrated into 

the surficial aquifer or flowed through extensive wetlands into the coastal waters of the County. The project development 

and permitting of this project will be the first step in rehydrating and restoring at least a portion of the historical flows

within the region helping to reestablish historical wetland hydroperiods to some degree. 

Purpose: The purpose or intent for the watershed improvements outlined below is to develop the conceptual design of the 

Collier County Comprehensive Watershed Improvements Plan (CCCWIP) to a level that will allow the County to apply for 

the appropriate federal and state permit(s) and provide adequate site analysis to develop a preliminary design that is

demonstrated to be constructible, permitable and does not create adverse impacts to the surrounding properties or 

environmental and water resources. 

The County and its consultants would meet with various agencies with all available data compiled in a useful format for 

such meetings, to determine what, if any, additional data are necessary for project permitting. This phase is necessary 

to determine which permits and regulatory requirements may or may not be necessary for the project. Below is a 

detailed listing the milestones to be accomplished.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a

valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505-0250. Comments concerning the time

required to complete this Information collection, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should be directed to the Department of the

Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220.
1. Preliminary data compilation

a. Development of background information, including a detailed project description, site location and

anticipated environmental issues

b. Compilation of relevant available data (including GIS data) to coordinate with regulatory agencies in

identifying potential environmental issues and permitting requirements 

2. Agency coordination

a. Coordination and meetings with state and federal regulatory agencies for necessary monitoring and

permitting requirements for species, habitats and wetlands and may include:

i. Meeting with Florida Forestry Service (FFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), FFWCC and NMFS to

review listed species and habitats potentially impacted by the proposed project and develop list of species for 

which surveys should be implemented and discuss permitting requirements 

ii. Meet with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection

(FDEP) to review preliminary wetland data (GIS based) and determine level of effort for wetlands delineation and 

anticipated permitting 

iii. Meet with USACE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the level of effort for

NEPA analysis 

b. Participation in design plans to identify potential environmental permitting issues and action alternatives

3. Coordination with Regulatory Agencies regarding model comparisons

a. It is anticipated that the nearby restoration efforts for Picayune Strand have the potential to complicate the

permitting associated with the County’s project. While the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Big 

Cypress Basin (BCB) has been fully aware of the County’s project on a staff level, projects being completed by state 

and federal agencies need to be coordinated, at a technical and staff level, with the County’s project. This effort 

would involve maintaining close coordination between the County’s modeling team and the BCB and others as 

related to the use of the USACE’s Gridded Surface/Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA; aka “Geisha”) model. 

4. Evaluate Project Effects on Groundwater Elevation

a. In coordination with the ongoing coordination effort of the County and other agencies modeling efforts, this

project would help the County in the permitting stages of project development. This effort could require

modification of prior estimates of the amount of change in groundwater elevations and working those refinements

into the County’s model (and gaining consensus with other agencies). This effort would focus on refining estimates

of changes in groundwater elevations in the following locations (see map below):

i. Northern flow way

ii. I-75 Canal and South Belle Meade spreader

iii. Picayune Strand State Forest and Picayune Strand Restoration Project

iv. Six L’s agricultural area

v. Urban areas along Henderson Creek and south of U.S.41

5. Preliminary data collection to evaluate changes in habitat, actual rates of infiltration and evapotranspiration and

changes in water quality associated with project implementation 

a. Florida Forestry Service highlighted the fact that it will be vital for the County to know the impacts of its own

project on things like water levels, habitat and water quality. As such, this effort is anticipated to be designed as a 

Before and After, Control and Impact (BACI) study design and would involve setting up a series of randomly located 

sampling locations in areas likely to be impacted by project components (the Impact stratum) as well as areas 

outside of the footprint of the project (the Control stratum). As well, data would be collected both Before project 

completion, as well as After project completion. Collected data would be used in any required modifications of the 

modeling effort. The following components would be involved: 

i. Site selection of 60 locations, to be distributed as 30 random locations within the area likely to be impacted

by project implementations, as well as 30 sites likely outside the influence of the project. Sampling locations will be 

surveyed in. 
ii. At each of the 60 locations, bi-annual and quantitative sampling of the vegetation

1. Species richness

2. Species diversity

3. Percent native vs. non-native

iii. each of the 60 locations, quarterly recording of water levels and/or groundwater levels

1. Via use of piezometers and/or staff gages

iv. At each of the 60 locations, quarterly collection of water quality data (for surface water samples) for the

following parameters

1. Water temperature

2. pH

3. Dissolved oxygen

4. Specific conductance

5. Total nitrogen

6. Total phosphorous

6. Coordinated efforts of other entities

a. Coordination between the County, the City of Naples and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

(RBNERR)

Objective: Project development to the 30% design level to plan and permit the CCCWIP.

Location: Collier County is located in southwest Florida with a 43-mile coastland along the Gulf of Mexico. The County is 

one of the state's largest counties (land area), yet more than half is underdeveloped and in conservation. The project 

locations within Collier County will begin to rebalance two (2) ecosystems - Naples Bay and Rookery Bay National Estuarine 

Research Reserve (110,559 acres) while rehydrating a significant portion (10,000 of the 78,615 acres) of the Picayune 

Strand State Forest.

Funds Requested: Collier County is requesting $1,532,077.76 to begin the project development and permitting

of the CCCWIP. 

2. How the applicant made the multiyear plan available for 45 daysfor public review and comment, in a manner calculated to obtain

broad-based participation from individuals, businesses, Indian tribes, and non-profit organizations, such asthrough public meetings,

presentationsin languages other than English, and postings on the Internet. The applicant will need to submit documentation (e.g., a

copy of public notices) to demonstrate that it made its multiyear plan available to the public for at least 45 days. In addition, describe

how each activity in the multiyear plan was approved after consideration of all meaningful input from the public and submit

documentation (e.g., a letter from the applicant'sleadership approving submission of the multiyear plan to Treasury or a resolution

approving the applicant's multiyear plan).

During the past year, Collier County conducted a highly participatory process to review and gain approval and support for 

the multi-year implementation plan. This included multiple presentations to the City of Naples City Council and the 

Collier County Board of County Commissioners as an information item. The Collier County Board of County 

Commissioners approved the Multiyear Implementation Plan by resolution which was adopted on October 10, 2017.

The legal advertisement for the Collier County Multi-Year Implementation Plan was published twice in the Naples Daily News

(a newspaper of local circulation) on Thursday,
June 15, 2017 and then again on July 20, 2017 in both English and Spanish requesting public comments during a 45 day 

comment period from Thursday, June 15, 2017 to August 31, 2017 and again from July 20, 2017 to September 4, 2017, 

respectively. The re-advertising on July 20, 2017 was a compliance issue from the U.S. Treasury’s review of the County’s 

Multi-Year Implementation Plan (MYIP). A revised MYIP was re-posted to the County’s website in order to comply with the 

legal advertisement regulations. In addition, Collier County Communication Support Division distributed a Notice of Public 

Meeting that was sent to the community at large and all the local media. The notice was also posted on the County’s 

website at www. Colliergov.net and on the media board in the Communication Support Division. No comments were 

received during the 45 day period. 

Collier County Coastal Management Section hosted two (2) public meetings to discuss the plan on Thursday, June 22, 2017

and August 17, 2017 at 2800 North Horseshoe Drive, Suites 609/610 (Growth Management Office) at 5:30 p.m. and 5:00

p.m. , respectively. No interested citizens and/or representatives from local agencies were in attendance (sign in sheet 

attached) at either meeting.

Prior to the public meetings, and in addition, Collier County worked diligently to gain the support and partnership of a 

number of interested local groups and organizations. Letters of Support are included in this plan. The 

groups/organizations include:

Audubon of the Western Everglades/Audubon Florida

South Florida Water Management District - Big Cypress Basin 

City of Naples

Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 

Fish and Wildlife Service

Florida Wildlife Federation

Florida Forestry Service

Collier County Watershed Technical Advisory Committee 

Collier County Board of County Commissioners

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Over the past year or more and during the development of this project, the Coastal Management Section

Manager, Gary McAlpin, has provided public information presentations to the community during the 

development of the watershed plan and the MYIP through numerous meetings with the following:

Comprehensive Watershed Improvement Program (CWIP) Technical Advisory Ad Hoc Committee 

July 8, 2016 (Item 7)

Collier County Board of County Commissioners 

September 27, 2016 (Item11B) 

May 23, 2017 (Item 16A18) 

October 10, 2017 (Item 16A_) - The Collier County Board of Commissioners 

approved the Multiyear Implementation Plan by Resolution 2017-183

City of Naples

September 19, 2016 (Item 8)

3. How each activity included in the applicant's multiyear plan matrix meets all the requirements under the RESTORE Act, including a

description of how each activity is eligible for funding based on the geographic location of each activity and how each activity qualifies

for at least one of the eligible activities under the RESTORE Act.

The Collier County/Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Comprehensive Multi-Year Implementation Plan

project meets the RESTORE Act criteria of planning assistance as defined in 31 CFR
34.201(j) of the RESTORE Act. The project development and permitting funding is planning for the eligible activity of

Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches and 

coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region per 31 CFR 34.201(a).

Collier County improvement projects will be carried out in the Gulf Coast region including any adjacent land, water and 

watersheds within 25 miles of those coastal zone areas identified in 33 U.S.C. subsection 1321(a)(1)(33)(B) and further by 

Treasury regulation 31 CFR 34.201. Improving the health of the County’s watershed areas will restore near shore and 

eventually offshore water quality. Improved water quality (both freshwater and saltwater) provides protection to the 

entire marine ecosystem, including seagrass beds and the benthic and pelagic species and habitat they depend on.

4. Criteria the applicant will use to evaluate the success of the activitiesincluded in the multiyear plan matrix in helping to restore and

protect the Gulf Coast Region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Success will be evaluated by the completion of Phase 1 planning needed to obtain permits for the CCCWIP. The following

milestones shall be marked as measures of success for this project: 

Preliminary data compilation 

Agency coordination

Coordination with Regulatory Agencies regarding model comparisons 

Evaluation of Project Effects on Groundwater Elevation

Preliminary data collection to evaluate changes in habitat, actual rates of infiltration and evapotranspiration and 

changes in water quality associated with project implementation

Coordination between the County, the City of Naples and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve 

(RBNERR)

A portion of this project verifies and establishes pre-project conditions for water quality, vegetation, surface 

water, groundwater saturation, habitat studies, monitoring regimes and success criteria will be established through

permit development and issuance through the responsible federal, state and location permitting agencies. A 

monitoring program will be a requirement of permit issuances. Post construction monitoring and scope 

modifications will be a requirement of each regulatory agency.

5. How the activitiesincluded in the multiyear plan matrix were prioritized and list the criteria used to establish the priorities.

Collier County has selected this planning project as their top priority for use of RESTORE Direct Component funding.

Collier County’s Comprehensive Watershed Improvement Plan (CCCWIP), located in Southwest Florida, utilized 10 major
studies and reports commissioned by various local, state and regulatory agencies over the past 15 years to reduce

freshwater flows into Naples Bay, restore fresh water flows into Rookery Bay, improve water quality and re-hydrate 

approximately 10,000 acres of the Picayune Strand State Forest/South Belle Meade area by linking hydrologic and 

ecological restoration project that will function on a regional basis. The project borders Federal CERP-Picayune Strand 

Restoration Project currently being executed by the US Army Corp of Engineers and South Florida Water Management 

District, and, once completed, will allow the County to manage its natural resources in a more holistic and comprehensive 

manner.

These projects have been confirmed by the CCCWIP study (Attachment 1) that the Naples Bay has been adversely 

impacted by an abundance of freshwater from the Golden Gate Canal while Rookery Bay is adversely impacted by too 

little freshwater inflow. Approximately 70% of Collier County’s 2,300 square miles has been altered for development over 

the years. Prior to development rainfall either infiltrated into the surficial aquifer or flowed through extensive wetlands 

into the coastal waters of the County. Most of the alterations were due to the coastal development since the early 1950s, 

as dredge and fill became the established method to meet the growing post war demand for waterfront housing. In 

addition to shoreline modifications, extensive canal construction for urban and agricultural drainage has changed the 

timing and quantity of freshwater inflows to coastal waters. These changes have dramatically affected water quality and 

quantity of the county estuaries. In additional to the impacts to Naples Bay and Rookery Bay, over time there have been

noticeable impacts to the Picayune Strand State Forest. There is general consensus that the Belle Meade area of the

Picayune Strand State Forest is in need of rehydration. With the implementation of these improvements at least a portion

of the historical flows would be restored within the region helping to reestablish historical wetland hydroperiods to some

degree.

6. If applicable, describe the amount and current status of funding from other sources(e.g., other RESTORE Act contribution, other

third party contribution) and provide a description of the specific portion of the project to be funded by the RESTORE Act Direct

Component.

The County intends to pledge all of the RESTORE Direct Component funds ($6,527,584.45) and Spill Impact

Component funds ($12,000,000) to design, permit and construct the projects associated with the planning project. The 

County is also requesting additional RESTORE funds from Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), 

RESTORE Comprehensive Plan Component and future funding from the RESTORE Direct Component for projects 

including in any amended multiyear implementation plan. 
Collier County 

Comprehensive Watershed 

Improvement Plan Projects