SFWMD manages an extensive, heavily utilized 2,000 mile long canal network and several surface-water impoundments totaling more than 1,000 square miles. Dredging is a vital component that allows SFWMD to carry out its mission to maintain South Florida’s water systems, and ensuring safe and efficient conveyance through its watershed. Since the creation of a Lake Okeechobee outlet to the Gulf in 1882, dredging has been crucial in sustaining its navigability.
The dredging of lake bottoms to create navigation canals, the filling of surface lakes for land reclamation and building construction, environmental dredging, and maintenance dredging of South Florida’s canal system and rivers have contributed to sustaining the region’s growing population, economy, and environment. The sizeable accumulation of sedimentation in their canal over the years have SFWMD policy makers concerned today, as the lack of dredging is presenting a threat to the SFWMD accomplishing its mission.
Piedroba was contracted in March to commence a dredging feasibility study that would allow Piedroba to assist SFWMD with identifying different options to meet their extensive dredging need for decades to come. Piedroba's principal Dr. Luis Prieto-Portar is enthusiastic about continuing a relationship with SFWMD: 'Throughout my career I have worked closely with SFWMD, and I always enjoyed their innovative approach to obtaining there mission. We are appreciative of being part of their team once again, and we look forward to being of service'.
SFWMD is a regional governmental agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state, covering 16 counties from Orlando to the Florida Keys and serving a population of 7.7 million residents. It is the oldest and largest of the states five water management districts. Created in 1949, the agency is responsible for managing and protecting water resources of South Florida by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply. A key initiative is the restoration of America's Everglades – the largest environmental restoration project in the nation's history. SFWMD is also working to improve the Kissimmee River and its floodplain, Lake Okeechobee and South Florida's coastal estuaries
Piedroba was recently contracted by the Odebrecht USA - Central Florida Equipment joint venture to provide geotechnical consultancy services on the Fort Lauderdale Airport runway extension project. The extension of the southern runway, Runway 9R-27L, is necessary in order to accommodate larger commercial jet aircraft.
The consultancy work requested to be performed by Piedroba is mainly geared towards expanding and elevating Runway 9R-27L to an overall length of 8,000 ft and width of 150 ft, with an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) at both runway ends, constructing a new full-length parallel taxiway 75 ft wide just north of Runway 9R-27L, and constructing connecting cross-field taxiways from the new full-length parallel taxiway to the existing taxiways and north runway. About Odebrecht USA
Odebrecht entered the North American market in 1990–a natural step for a company with a global vision. Since then, Odebrecht USA has delivered vital infrastructure projects for federal, state and local governments, as well as important private developers. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Odebrecht USA also has offices in Louisiana and Texas.
Diverse in site, scale and purpose,Odebrecht’s projects in the United States reflect arange of construction services for ports, airports, mass transit, rail, general building, bridges, highways, and environmental projects such as dams, levees, and floodwalls. In addition to engineering and construction expertise, the Odebrecht team has proven its skills in program management, procurement and construction, construction management, project finance and development, and design-build.