Private property discharges into the City’s stormwater management system after all on-site provisions are met in accordance with the City’s land Development and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Regulations. The stormwater management system is an interconnected network of large drainage ways (canals) and smaller systems which include swales, pipes, and catch basin/inlets.

Together, these facilities provide flood control, erosion and sedimentation control and water quality for the citizens of the City. All existing man-made canals throughout the City are defined as primary stormwater conveyance facilities (drainage systems.). These large conveyance facilities receive stormwater discharged form secondary drainage system facilities such as spreader swales and pipes. Stormwater flows are either discharged, via the canal , to the Caloosahatchee River or to the Matlacha Pass from an adjacent spreader canal system.

There are approximately 400 miles of canal system within the City. Of this, approximately 295 miles are considered as freshwater and about 105 miles are brackish water, In addition, within these canals, approximately 27 water control structures (weirs) have been designed and placed to provide the following:

• Control the amount and timing of discharge of freshwater to adjacent marine waters;
• Create freshwater reservoirs to supply secondary irrigation demands; and
• Regulate flood levels throughout the City.

The canal system is critical to the proper functioning of all public drainage systems, navigation, and flood protection. In addition, the canals are an important asset to adjacent real estate value. Their usefulness must, therefore, be preserved through ongoing operation and maintenance.

• Removal of accumulated sediments deposited during storm events;
• Removal of invasive aquatic plant species which may reduce system function;
• Maintenance and repair of adjacent canal structures such as bank stabilization, mowing, and routine water quality monitoring; and
• Operation and maintenance of flow control weirs an appurtenant structures.

Secondary drainage facilities are comprised of those systems which discharge into the canals. In general they consist of shallow roadside swales, catch basin/inlets, and drainage pipes.

These systems convey surface water flows from both property lots and roadways to the primary drainage system. The city has approximately 2,400 miles of swales, 375 miles of pipe, and 45,000 catch basin/inlets. The City has implemented a modified roadside swale design which provides efficient water quality treatment prior to discharge into the primary drainage system. This pretreatment of stormwater in the secondary system is important to the long-term protection of downstream rivers and estuaries where aquatic wildlife and plants are a vital resource to the City and surrounding areas.

The existing primary and secondary drainage systems described above are crucial assets to the City. The ability to convey stormwater to the surrounding rivers and estuaries of this highly urbanized area must be ensured in order to protect property from flood damage and to protect the downstream aquatic plants and wildlife from harmful pollutants often associated with stormwater.

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Canal Maintenance Schedules

Browse the Online Canal Owner's Manual

For people who live on canals in Cape Coral. This guide will be your reference tool to help you understand the beauties and problems of the water in your backyard.