History:Cliff Creek Baffle Box Installation Completed 2020-06-10
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| Name | Cliff Creek Baffle Box Installation Completed |
|---|---|
| Date | June 10, 2020 |
| Description | Construction of the Cliff Creek Baffle Box in Melbourne, Florida was completed on June 1, 2020. It is the largest nutrient-separating baffle box east of the Mississippi River. |
| Region | Brevard County |
| Water | Indian River |
| Source | City of Melbourne Press Release |
Cliff Creek Baffle Box Completed on June 10, 2020
On February 19, 2020 crews began installation of the Cliff Creek Baffle Box, the largest nutrient-separating baffle box east of the Mississippi River. It is the latest in a series of baffle boxes being installed at points throughout Melbourne, Florida in an effort to reduce the amount of nutrient pollution going into the Indian River lagoon.
Baffle boxes are underground structures made up of chambers that trap debris, trash, and other pollutants from stormwater that flows off of streets and into storm drains after heavy rains. “Nutrient-separating” baffle boxes have an added feature that also removes nitrogen and phosphorus — the two most harmful pollutants going into the Indian River Lagoon.
The baffle box has been installed in the Cliff Creek neighborhood where it will remove pollutants from a 515-acre drainage basin roughly bounded by Stewart Road to the west, Sweetwood Drive to the north, U.S. 1 and the Indian River Lagoon to the east, and downtown Eau Gallie to the south. The Cliff Creek baffle box will remove 3,952 pounds of nitrogen and 797 pounds of phosphorus per year.
Work is underway on four more baffle boxes in Melbourne that are located at Spring Creek, Cherry Street, Grant Place and Apollo Boulevard near the intersection of General Aviation Drive that will be constructed and operational around 2022. Brevard County's Save Our Indian River Lagoon Fund provided financial assistance for the baffle box projects.
The Cliff Creek Baffle Box was constructed by Oldcastle Infrastructure.
