Myakka river watershed management plan

Sarasota County is seeking professional engineering firms to develop an updated Myakka River Watershed Management Plan and Best Management Practices Alternative Analysis through a Request for Professional Services (RPS). The project aims to comprehensively assess flood protection and water quality levels of service within the approximately 139-square-mile Myakka River Watershed, which ultimately discharges at Charlotte Harbor. Key deliverables include updating existing StormWise hydrological models, developing a Capital Improvement Program, and identifying at least ten cost-effective projects for flood protection and water quality improvements. The consultant must provide detailed technical analysis using an "intermediate-high" sea level rise projection for 2100, create conceptual design plans, develop associated models and GIS files, and prepare a planning-level Engineer Opinion of Probable Cost. The solicitation was posted on October 2, 2025, with proposals due by October 28, 2025, and the project is expected to be completed within 24 months. Interested vendors must register on the OpenGov Procurement platform and can submit questions through the platform's Q&A feature.

While no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are explicitly mentioned, the contract requires extensive technical qualifications and specific insurance coverage. Required insurance includes Workers' Compensation, Business Automobile Liability, Commercial General Liability, and Professional Liability with specified minimum coverage limits. The project will utilize existing watershed models, specifically converting models from Interconnected Channel and Pond Routing (ICPR) Version 3 to Version 4, and incorporating recent LiDAR data from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Previous technical reports by firms like Jones Edmunds & Associates and Collective Water Resources have laid groundwork for this comprehensive watershed management planning effort. Although a specific contract value is not disclosed, the extensive scope of work, which includes detailed hydrological modeling, water quality assessments, and infrastructure analysis, suggests a significant investment in understanding and improving the watershed's resilience and management.