- Leon County has received $800,000 of federal funds to protect part of Lake Jackson known as Fords Arm.
- The money will be used develop the last phase of Leon County's Fords Arm Restoration Project, said Leon County Public Works. Goals of the project include improving water quality and preventing flooding.
- Watch the video to find out why this money is needed and when neighbors can expect to see changes to the area.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
New money will help one of our Northwest Tallahassee treasures, that’s Lake Jackson.
Leon County has secured 800,000 dollars of federal money to build improvements in part of Lake Jackson: Fords Arm.
Nikki Paden with Leon County said Fords Arm has one of the highest pollutant loads within Lake Jackson.
Sophie Wacongne-Speer has been watching over Lake Jackson for many years.
"I’ve lived off Fords Arm on the other side, for now, 12 years," said Wacongne-Speer. "There are still signs that storms bring silt to, into the system."
Wacongne Speer said silt carries excess nutrients that can encourage too much plant growth, including invasive plants, that can impact the native ecosystem.
"If you get totally crowded out by invasives, the whole system breaks down, started with the bugs that can’t eat it," said Wacongne-Speer.
The funding will help improve water quality and prevent flooding in the area.
"We really care about what’s in the water," said Anna Padilla with Leon County Public Works, who described what the money would be used for. "[To] fund the construction to replace the culverts under Timberlane road, as the water comes down under Meridian [Road], on its way out to lake Jackson."
Padilla said the project will help the protection of our natural resources, and neighbors will see updates too.
"They’ll see improvement with that road over-topping less frequently, they’ll see improved water quality, just a better product overall," said Padilla.
Wacongne-Speer said she is excited to see how this funding can really help the southern part of Lake Jackson.
"In terms of the health of the lake, that’s what really excites me," said Wacongne-Speer.
Padilla said they are still in design phase for the project. She said they’re waiting for money to come down from the federal level. They anticipate construction will start later in 2024.
