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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/26723| Title: | Final Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment : Río Antón Ruíz Restoration Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) Section 1135 Project |
| Authors: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Jacksonville District |
| Keywords: | Environmental protection Restoration ecology Puerto Rico |
| Publisher: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Jacksonville District. |
| Abstract: | The purpose of the Río Antón Ruíz Restoration Project is to preserve the Pterocarpus forest and the biodiversity of both the freshwater and saltwater fauna and flora within the Humacao Natural Reserve (HNR) in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completed a Section 205 Flood Control Project in 2001 which reduced flood damages to the coastal communities of Punta Santiago, Verde Mar, and Villa Palmira, near Humacao, Puerto Rico. The 205 project included construction of a levee, interior drainage canal and culverts, as well as a diversion channel. The 205 flood control project was successful in protecting the coastal communities from flooding; however, the construction of the diversion channel has had negative impacts to the Humacao Natural Reserve ecosystem. The diversion channel has allowed the increase of salt water intrusion into the freshwater ecosystem, thus changing the biodiversity of the lagoon system and deteriorating the overall health of the Pterocarpus Forest and ultimately leading to the decline of the Pterocarpus population. The authority for conducting this feasibility study is the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP), Section 1135 of the Water Resource Developmental Act (WRDA) of 1986, as amended, “Project modifications for the improvement of the environment.” The Federal Interest Determination (FID) was approved on February 26, 2016. Río Antón Ruíz is located in the Municipality of Humacao on the southeast coast of Puerto Rico (Figure ES-1). The project area includes a lagoon system and a Pterocarpus forest in the Humacao Natural Reserve (HNR). Six lagoons encompassing approximately 615 acres (249 hectares) compose the system: Mandri 1, 2, and 3; Santa Teresa 1 and 2; and Palmas (Figure ES-2). The Mandri lagoons and the low coastal floodplain serve as detention areas during floods. The coastal communities of Punta Santiago, Verde Mar, and Villa Palmira are the main populated areas within the watershed. The HNR represents an outstanding example of several Caribbean coastal vegetation types, including palustrine emergent and forested wetlands, grassy uplands, estuarine emergent, scrub-shrub, and coastal lagoons. The old-growth Pterocarpus forest, located along the middle reaches of the Río Antón Ruíz, is the largest and best preserved in Puerto Rico. The edges of the Mandri lagoon system are dominated by red, black, and white mangroves. The purpose of the Río Antón Ruíz Restoration Project is to preserve the Pterocarpus forest and the biodiversity of both the freshwater and saltwater fauna and flora within the HNR in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The HNR lagoon system, one of the largest remaining forested freshwater swamps in Puerto Rico, is dominated by approximately 371 acres of protected Pterocarpus trees (Figure ES-2). |
| Description: | Feasibility Report/Environmental Assessment |
| Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/26723 |
| Appears in Collections: | Environmental Documents |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final FR and EA Rio ANton Ruiz Restoration Project_2017.pdf | 40.04 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |