SUN SENTINEL

April 27, 2007

 

Plan aims to help the Everglades by building 'flow-way' from lake

By George Andreassi

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-plakeo27apr27,1,7648505.story?ctrack=1&cset=true


 

A proposal to build a 25-mile-long, 10-mile-wide "flow-way" from Lake Okeechobee south to the Everglades -- which would provide an alternative to releasing lake water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers -- is gaining political traction.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers relieves high water levels in the lake by releasing billions of gallons of water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, damaging the water quality of the estuaries as well as local fishing, boating, tourism and real estate industries.

The lake water contains fertilizer, sediment and pesticides that run off farms and lawns into the waterways leading to the lake. Also, too much fresh water in the St. Lucie River has been linked to fish lesions and toxic algae blooms in 2005.

"The corps has been urged to re-evaluate this concept of a flow-way and the momentum on both the east coast and the west coast has been building," said Paul Millar, Martin County's water resource manager.

The flow-way would send the lake water south to replenish the Everglades and underground drinking water supply, environmental activists said. Plants and soil would filter out nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.


Supporters of the flow-way said they were encouraged that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., mentioned the proposal during an April 3 visit to the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in
Fort Pierce.


"I can't say that we put a rubber stamp of support on it," said Bryan Gulley, Nelson's spokesman. "But being a strong supporter of the
Everglades, as Nelson is, he's interested in looking into any proposals that might further restore the Everglades, including this one."


The corps and the Martin County Office of Water Quality are set to make a presentation about the flow-way proposal to the Martin County Commission on Tuesday. The Rivers Coalition, a group of local advocates for the St. Lucie River, is also expected to get an update.


Constructing the flow-way could be an alternative to an expensive rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding the lake, said Alan Bugg, the corps' chief of construction and operations.


Government reports show that if the lake's water level exceeds 18 feet, water can seep under the 35-foot earthen dike and compromise it. That could cause flooding in western
Palm Beach County, according to the Army Corps. "If this option were selected, then water would just be able to flow out the spillway and it would never rise up on the dike," Bugg said.

 

There is no cost estimate for the flow-way proposal, but the dike rehabilitation is expected to cost $846 million, Bugg said.


In addition to calculating the price tag of the flow-way, the corps must determine whether it fits with the projects in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Bugg said. The plan was formulated by the state and federal governments in an attempt to restore the environment and natural flow of water into the
Everglades.


A decision on the dike options is expected in late summer or early fall. Congress has the final say, Bugg said.


George Andreassi can be reached at george.andreassi@scripps.com.