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Ten Mile

The Ten Mile Watershed is located near the geographic center of Lee County. It encompasses approximately 68 square miles. The Six Mile watershed contributes 55 of the 68 square miles within Ten Mile Canal Watershed. The cross hatched area shown on page 46C-W4 contains the other 13 square miles. Most of the references to Ten Mile Canal watershed will be for the portion that does not include the previously studied Six Mile Cypress Watershed. The watershed is bounded on the north by Hanson Street and its extension east to Ortiz, north along Ortiz to SR 82, SR 82 southeast to Gunnery Road. The easterly boundary follows the extension of Gunnery Road southwest to the intersection of the west section line of 21-45-26, then follows section lines and quarter section lines as described in the Six Mile Ordinance until it intersects with Alico Road. The southern boundary is along Alico Road to US 41. At US 41 it goes south to Park Road, then follows west along Park Road to Ten Mile Canal. The western boundary is the western dike along Ten Mile Canal. This dike extends north to Hanson Street. The majority of the non-Six Mile watershed portion of the Ten Mile Canal watershed is that portion of the watershed north and west of Six Mile Cypress Parkway within the above described boundary.

The entire watershed lies to the east of the main conveyance which is Ten Mile Canal. The configuration of this watershed was created by construction of the Ten Mile Canal dike in approximately 1920. Very little has changed the watershed boundaries since this construction. At that time, the dike/canal was a part of the Iona Drainage District and referred to as the "Line A Canal." The main purpose of this dike/canal was not to provide a conveyance for this area but to provide a shield to prohibit water east of the dike from going west to the Caloosahatchee. Construction of this canal and its dike on the west side removed the upstream portion of several watersheds. Those watersheds that were changed were Carrell Road Canal, Winkler Canal, Whiskey Creek and Hendry Creek. The Carrell Road and Winkler Canal watersheds are within the City of Fort Myers. The greatest effect was on Hendry Creek since the majority of the Six Mile Slough Watershed was connected to Hendry Creek. The watershed boundary shown in the 1991 draft Soil Conservation Service report is similar to that shown on page 46C-W4.

Other less dramatic changes to the watershed have been made by the construction of Alico Road. Alico Road provides a distinct boundary for water that used to flow south into the Estero River and Mullock Creek watersheds. This water now flows west to Ten Mile Canal and enters Mullock Creek much farther downstream. Flow can occur both east and west across the east boundary. Antecedent conditions and rainfall are two primary factors in the determination of flow direction along this boundary.

Construction of Six Mile Parkway has solidified the watershed divide between Six Mile Cypress Slough Watershed and the remainder of the Ten Mile Canal watershed. This boundary was poorly defined prior to the construction of the road. There is very little deviation now of the watershed boundary along this roadway. There are locations that allow water to discharge from Six Mile Slough west in a more direct route to Ten Mile Canal. One is just north of Penzance Road. The second is at the north side of Daniels Parkway. These conveyances are strictly controlled and only used during times of high water in Six Mile Slough. A map of the watershed is shown on page 46C-W4.

The dike along the west side of the canal has been breached by road crossings. Most notable are the Six Mile Cypress Parkway road and ditches, the south ditch along Daniels Parkway, Colonial Boulevard road and swales and Winkler Boulevard. Overflow from the canal will occur during periods of high stages in the canal. To date, water has not been conveyed through these breaks in quantities that have been detrimental. Design of facilities west of the dike and canal should plan on receiving water from Ten Mile Canal as water levels approach the top of bank.