Shark River Slough & Tamiami Trail USACE Project

[Amazon Bill]

Anyone know when the Corp will finish the Tamiami Trail Bridge project at Shark River Slough? See the USACE newsletter that is posted for more information.

I am interested in when they will remove the pavement and embankment allowing the north canal water to flow across the old road bed and southward into Shark River slough.  This is an incredible change in mindset for the 'Glades, that is worthy of recognition by the paddlers.

Who thinks it would be a cool adventure to ride that first wave of water under the bridge on a big adventure to reach a southern back country chickee?! Count me in!

[Amazon Bill]

Tamiami Trail Bridge Project - I contacted the the Army Corp to find out about when the sheet flow under the bridge will be open. The existing US 41 roadway and embankment excavation is scheduled to completed August 2013. Roadway traffic is scheduled to be diverted up to the new 1 mile bridge section earlier in the year around February 2013. The water level that corresponds to the 1 mile bridge section is the S356 headwater in the L-29 canal. When the project is complete the clearance from the design high water elevation (8.5 feet) to the bottom of the bridge will range from 6 ft at the end of the bridge to 14 ft at the center of the bridge. There will be plenty of room to paddle a canoe underneath, but we may have issues navigating the thick vegetation in this area.

The new Google Earth image shows the construction happening (photo attached) and a kmz as well.

Call me crazy, but I think following the water under the bridge to the WWW would be pretty cool and a good promotion for the Glades. That road has blocked the water for along time and seems appropriate for us canoeers to celebrate this paradigm shift and how we think and engineer the Glades. Cane Patch is 35 mile from the bridge. Seems like a night in the canoe is required to make the trip. Is there a possible trip to go from this bridge down south to a camp without spending a night in the boats?    Who else is crazy enough to do this trip?

 

 

 

[Terry]

Go to "Tamiami Trail Canal to Miami River" or search on "Harneys Trip" on this website.

Yes, there has been plenty of discussion of doing a Col. Harney trip from the Miami Circle

to Flamingo.

It's possible to paddle from the Francis Taylor Wildlife Management parking lot at

Tamiami Trail and L-67 to Canepatch in one day.   I did it in 2008, but a trip from the

Miami Circle would include a stop somewhere along Tamiami Canal, probably near

Krome and another probably at the pad at the southern end of L-67.   Incorporating the

new bridge, Miami Circle, Fort Dallas and Col. Harney could get some good media coverage.

Starting at the Shark Valley Tower Airboat Ramp would make the Tamiami Trail - Canepatch

one day run much more reasonable.   Don't rule out the possibility of securing permits to do this,

if this is frequently requested the park could consider a process for it.   The concession and

Main Highway is already established. 

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Is anybody else interested in running the Shark Slough come October ??

[Daniel Madrigal]

I am interested, been wanting to do it for a few years now. Let me know if it is going to go down! 

[Amazon Bill]

Yes, sounds like a seriously great adventure! It's the first slough trip for me, so I'll need to get prepared and familiar with the trip parameters. Is there a photo or GPS route I can load and study? Is it a two night trip?

[Amazon Bill]

After review of Terrys May 10 2012 reply. In GE I found an airboat trail that goes east of Gumbo Limbo all the way to Cane Patch. Is this the route?

 

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Yup that looks like 'Main Street' .. I'm itching to do this run .. let's DO IT!

(small group 2 - 4 people) ??

[Amazon Bill]

I am pumped! The Slough, Cane patch, Labyrinth which are 'firsts' for me. I use a 2 person canoe and need to fill the 2nd seat. What's the routine for leaving and picking up the cars?

[Amazon Bill]

This is a untested or field verified route. At L67 there is a slight break in the west bank and the brush is about 300 feet wide. Anyone have an idea what type of brush that would be? Maybe tall sawgrass? The new GE aerials are very good and detailed.

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

I think I remember Terry posting that this is exactly the way to go. Maybe a recon day paddle to scope it out?

[Terry]

The ground tested and currently correct door out of L-67 is at

44.689'N and 40.411'W (the yellow line on this map).  There's an

airboat trail spur off Main Street that runs up to the closest point

to L-67 at 40.048'N and 42.338'W.   From 44.689'N and 40.411'W

to 40.048'N and 42.338'W, shown by the yellow line, you're on your

own through open grass but it's got many sparse spots so it's not

too slow.   Be careful not to let your eyes take you to Vulture Hammock

after passing through the L-67 Door, there's tall thick grass fingers

running north/south that will restrict your east/west movements.  Once

you pass through the L-67 Door go straight to 40.048'N and 42.338'W.

When you get to the airboat trail it's just flat out paddling on the spur

then Main Street all the way to Canepatch.

There's an airboat trail that connects to L-67 at the very end of the canal

but it takes you far south to paddle back northwest to get to Main Street.

The far southern end of L-67 is also not very good paddling so don't

be lured into going to the end of L-67 it is not the best way.

The other two lines on this map (shown in blue) have not been tested and

just appear to be possibilities from the aerials.  These two routes may

exist but earlier probes have shown no obvious openings at the

canal.   I plan on exploring these two blue routes this season by taking

the yellow route down to the intersection and probing back toward the

canal.

[Amazon Bill]

I am interested in a recon trip.