Project Summary

The concept of water farming is to take approximately 239 acres of fallow citrus grove at the City’s McCarty Ranch Extension and convert it into a “water farm,” a shallow water storage facility, capable of receiving water diverted from the C-23 Canal, reducing the need to discharge. This is the first of six total phases.

The static volume of the “water farm” allows for the diversion and storage of 1,311 acre feet of water. This phase will enable the City to test, model and prove the dynamic storage volume using evapotranspiration and ground water recharge.

The City proposes to store, or “farm,” more than 3,503 acre-feet of water per year during the wet season in this phase.

This phase of water farming could reduce the C-23 Canal discharges by as much as 3%, and at build out, up to 21%, with potential to be even higher.

Project Benefits

• Reduced discharges from the C-23 Canal into the North fork of the St. Lucie River
• Will hold back 1,000 acre-feet of rainwater and 2,500 acre-feet of water pumped from the C-23 Canal
• Reducing nutrient load of the storm water before it leaves the City
• Reducing Nitrogen and Phosphorus levels entering the Indian River Lagoon
• Reducing freshwater discharges and relat-ed negative impacts on the Indian River Lagoon