The transformation of a Department of Highways drainage "ditch" into a wetland/open water habitat wasn't restoration but rather cosmetic surgery brought on by necessity. Compare the above photo with this picture we took in May 2014 when we first visited this part of Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area. We didn't return until February 2022 and we were absolutely astounded with how it had been transformed.
Historically there has never been a wetland of any sort on the land that's now the natural area, but the Florida Department of Highways had dug a dry stormwater retention pond back in the 1980s to handle runoff from Hypoluxo Road and other streets. During a rain, water would flow into it, then flow out into a nearby canal. The highway folks wouldn't let the county backfill their pond but they were jiggy with the idea of converting it into a pond/wetland with permanently standing water. The county's Department of Environmental Resources, which manages the scrub and every other natural area in Palm Beach County, changed the contours of the pond to give it a more natural look.
They removed 10,000 cubic feet of fill, dug the pond to two-and-a-half feet below the water table and raised a drain so that there always would be standing water here. They planted 10,000 individual grass plants of various species around the perimeter and added spikerush, duck potato, bulrush and other emergant aquatic plants to provide habitat for animals. It's not perfect but it is a sight better than what was here previously. Next Photo.
