The Teague Hammock Preserve Restoration project was started by Enviro-Tech Systems, Inc. in July of 2021 and completed in May of 2022. Historically, the area was heavily impacted by the installation of drainage and conversion for agriculture, which fragmented historic drainage patterns.
The Teague Hammock Preserve Restoration project was started by Enviro-Tech Systems, Inc. in July of 2021 and completed in May of 2022. Historically, the area was heavily impacted by the installation of drainage and conversion for agriculture, which fragmented historic drainage patterns. The project is located within the C-24 canal drainage basin, which is considered a major contributing source to the impairment of the lower St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon Estuaries. The goal of the project is to provide an additional 300-acres of groundwater recharge and natural area storage that will reclaim agricultural water discharges and restore priority wetland habitat for threatened and endangered species.
Restoration of wetlands reduce nutrient concentrations to downstream waters, attenuate flooding, increase storage and hydroperiods, and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. Additionally, the project will reduce the future costs to manage invasive/exotic vegetation. Once completed, this project will reclaim and store agricultural runoff before it reaches the C24 drainage basin. By restoring wetlands in the preserve, St. Lucie County can help clean surface water impacted by agricultural operations before it reaches tributaries to the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. The newly restored wetlands will significantly reduce unwanted nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus, helping to improve water quality as this runoff is slowly released back into the estuaries.
To this end, the construction activities performed by ETS include earthwork, mowing, ditch cleaning, grading, improving and constructing berms, levees, and dikes as well as the construction of outfalls, flap gates, culverts, and low water crossings.
