If you notice a new pond in Apalachicola’s Battery Park some time from now, it’s not a natural phenomenon, but a new stormwater treatment project. The Northwest Florida Water Management District gave the City the funds for the pond.
With a grant of 71,500 dollars, Apalachicola is now tasked with designing a stormwater treatment area in the city’s downtown. Water Management District’s Spokeswoman Lauren Engel says the whole idea is to clean dirty run-off water before it hits Apalachicola Bay, and to do so looking good
“Stormwater ponds can also be, you know, nice areas to walk around. It’ll be in the Battery Park, which I believe is where the seafood festival is held every year. It’s a pretty popular park in downtown Apalachicola.” Says Engel.
Along with freshwater levels, water quality is a big concern for the Bay that’s a big economic engine for the region. The pond, though only in its engineering phase for now, is being designed to cut down pollutants like fertilizer from entering the bay.