Jan. 15th, 2012 - Tavares, FL
By Vance Jochim, FiscalRangers.com
The water levels in Lake County Lakes Dora, Beauclaire, Harris, Eustis & Griffin should now cease dropping due to a new Florida State water district policy demanded by many Lake County residents, boaters and FiscalRangers.com readers at recent public hearings.
The St. Johns River Water Management District Board ( "St. Johns District" ) is a Florida STATE agency which controls lake and river waters in about 15 Florida Counties including Lake County. They have the legal authority to control and set water flow between lakes. They held a Board meeting at their headquarters in Palatka, FL on January 10th and approved a revision of a previous controversial staff policy to shutoff water flows from the headwaters source of Lake Apopka to Lake Dora, Eustis, Harris & Griffin. That policy had been implemented in early December, and lake water levels in Lake County had dropped 3-6 inches in four weeks due to the policy.
This was after a public hearing on January 5th in Howey-in-the-Hills was attended by 300-500 citizens supporting different alternatives to the shutoff policy.
You can read a lot of earlier background details HERE in our previous blog posting with links to articles in the local papers and TV station reports on Orlando Channel 9 and the Orlando Fox TV station. http://webworks.typepad.com/lakecountyfiscalrangers/2011/12/update-lake-dora-water-flow-from-lake-apopka-shut-off-by-st-johns-river-water-management-district-.html
Background:
The St. Johns District staff implemented a new "pilot" project for the second year that shutoff water flow from Lake Apopka to the Lake County lakes in early December. It would have been in effect until April 14th. As part of that policy, they also shut off water flow from Lake Eustis to Lake Griffin for the second year. Lake Griffin water flows were thus much lower last year, and residents on that Lake attended a St. John's District meeting in early December in Apopka and lobbied for water flow to be opened up from Lake Eustis to Lake Griffin. The result was that water levels in the "superpond" of Lake Dora, Harris & Eustis started dropping about one inch per week.
On January 5th, after notices from this blog as well as local papers and emails sent to two large, local boating clubs, 300-500 people showed up and supported a new option that opened up water flow from Lake Apopka into the Superpond, and also expanded water flow from the Superpond to Lake Griffin. That new alternative was then discussed at the Jan. 10th St. Johns District Board meeting in Palatka and they approved the new option. The result should be stable water levels in the Superpond and Lake Griffin, but Lake Apopka will drop 2-3 inches.
However, the new policy as defined by the staff, would only be implemented until Lake Griffin water levels are "restored", thus they could then shutoff water flow again from Lake Apopka.
My Observations:
I was at the January 5th and the January 10th meetings.
I was there today with two others from the Sunnyland Antique Boat Society. We gave public input, as well as Robert from the BCC ED department and the executive director of the Lake County Water Authority.
Here is a link to their press release on our Lake Water level issue. It described the new policy approved by the Board to allow 23 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water flow from Lake Apopka into Lake Dora (much better than the prior ZERO water flow policy), and also 23 cfs from Lake Eustis into Lake Griffin.
http://webapub.sjrwmd.com/agws10/newsrelease/ViewNews.aspx?nrd=nr12-003
Notice they give staff direction to adjust water levels BACK to zero flow once Lake Griffin levels are “restored”
The Board approved the change of water flows and “The Board also directed District staff to make further adjustments as needed based on water quality and to shift to 0 discharges at all three structures once the benefits of the 23/23/0 cfs discharges and rainfall had restored the level of Lake Griffin.”
They never discussed or acknowledged that they would take economic impacts into their analysis. Thus the above means once Lake Griffin levels are “restored” they will shutoff water flow again.
At no time, either at the Jan. 5th or 10th meetings, did staff indicate they would consider economic impacts as a factor in their water level decisions. They even said at the Jan. 5th meeting that they did not develop any kind of economic impact study.
They did not discuss the affect of springs in Lake Apopka as a source of added water, nor did they make any commitment to maintaining a specific minimum water level in the Lake Dora/Harris Chain of lakes.
They did not discuss the volume of outflow of water from the locks which are opened every half hour.
Additionally, it appears to me that the Lake water levels they cite in their graphs are OFF from those we see in real life on local lakes. The Chief of Staff said he would follow up on the apparent large discrepancy. For instance, why can Channel 9 show reporter Berndt Petersen standing on the dry lake bed between docks on Lake Griffin and say the lake level is down THREE FEET while staff is saying that lake is only a few inches down? Or, how can they say that Lake Dora is only down about 1 inch in the last month when two of us from the Sunnyland chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society each see a drop of 4-6” on Lake Dora. I will personally follow up on that issue.
Here is a Fox Orlando TV report by Tracy Jacim after the Jan. 5th meeting.
Additionally, it is clear that the spokespeople from the Lake County Water Authority ( LCWA - not the same as the St. Johns District - they have no authority for setting water levels, but they can lobby for policies) appear to favor ZERO water flow into the Superpond and agree with the staff’s early decision. They are not interested in economic impacts except favoring highly fluctuating water levels favoring the fishing environment which contradicts the desire of boaters and waterfront owners to have water levels above the minimum water level standards at all times. Thus it is my opinion we cannot look to the Lake County Water Authority Board for leadership on the water level issue.
The Dora Canal connects Lake Dora and Lake Eustis and is an important boating channel which is hard for boaters to use if water levels are down. The St. Johns staff also said they would rely on the Lake County Water Authority to clear the Dora Canal to reduce concerns about low clearance through the canal. The LCWA Exec. Director said at the Jan. 10th meeting that they had cleared the Dora Canal in the past – but that is not completely the experience of our boating members in the Sunnyland chapter. The props on many of our inboard engined boats can get easily damaged by submerged logs in the Dora canal. They need more clearance than most current outboard fishing or other boats and the shaft and structure holding the propellers are easily damaged by submerged logs and stumps. I have been told that the Sunnyland Antique Boat Society will monitor actions to improve the navigability of the Dora Canal.
There were no commitments to timeframes, unlike business which would always require a specific time for completion.
It really does not appear anyone has previously questioned the St. Johns staff or board on the validity for their minimum and maximum water levels, the “regulated” levels, or the lack of economic impact analysis in their decision making. If permits related to waterfront projects require environmental impact studies, why aren’t their decisions subject to economic impact studies????
Conclusion:
For now, the Lake County lake water levels may remain stable due to the impact of having 300-500 citizens appear at the Jan. 5th meeting.
However, the St. Johns District staff still seems to focus on Lake Apopka water quality much more than the economic impacts of lowering water in the Superpond and Lake Griffin.
But, now this blog and other Lake County boating groups will be monitoring their actions much more closely.
Additionally, thanks to support from Lake County Commissioner Leslie Campione, the St. Johns Board was presented with a Lake County Board resolution on the matter. She also said they would look into having the Lake County Economic Development Dept. create an economic impact analysis related to Superpond Lake issues. Such an analysis is needed, since the St. Johns staff has not expressed an interest in developing one.
Vance Jochim
FiscalRangers.com
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