Controlling back flow of canal water into the neighborhood during periods of high tide and heavy precipitation normally takes the form of a control device at the discharge end of an outfall. One alternate approach is to construct a large pump station with sufficient capacity to discharge the quantity of surface runnoff collected in the basin. A pump station would elevate and discharge storm water to either the Osceola canal, or the South Fork New River, and would enable isolation of the area from the effects of reverse flow from either of those two water bodies. For example, pump station operation is dependent upon the supply of electricity, which is often lost in major storm events. In such events, emergency operations attention must be dedicated to the City's wastewater pumping facilities.
Maintenance costs associated with the operation of a pump station are also quite high.
Once a retention area is created, the connection to the Osceola canal could possibly be eliminated, again possibly enabling isolation of the area from the effects of reverse flow. In any event, further studies will have to be undertaken in order to verify the feasibility and impact of these and other possible solutions. Due to the complex nature of the required analysis, and the lack of in-house resources currently available to dedicate to such an undertaking, we are planning to negotiate a task order for the further study of this area with the City's next General Civil Engineering Consultant. As soon as a General Civil Engineering Consultant is under contract, we will prepare a task order for assignment under that contract for the River Oaks neighborhood drainage study as described above. This will ensure responsible use of taxpayer money.