SUN
SENTINEL
Plan aims to help the
By George Andreassi
A proposal to build a 25-mile-long, 10-mile-wide
"flow-way" from
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.
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
"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
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
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
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.