| 20 July 2009
St. Lucie River Estuary was once considered the most biologically diverse estuary in North America.
Conservationists and Anglers have been aware for a long time of the effects of Lake Okeechobee flood water releases. Now the groundswell of concern is uniting an uncommon group to stop the outdated practices that lead to severe habitat decline.
"Enough is enough," Florida Sportsman founder and editor Karl Wickstrom said. "Remember the green slime of 2005? It's coming back." Last Thursday, the corps started "pulse" releases from the St. Lucie Locks of water drained from local lands. This week, water managers again talk about lake discharges.
Four years ago, hurricanes stirred up pollution from Lake O's bottom and the overflow went to the rivers, turning the water brown and coating the surface in neon green algae. Health officials posted signs warning residents not to touch the water. While Florida plans to buy U.S. Sugar lands so that more excess lake water can slide south on a slow, cleansing journey before it gets to the Everglades, those plans won't help this year.
Several speakers pointed out that $4 million in federal stimulus money, planned for a project to use oysters to clean the St. Lucie, will be wasted if discharges resume. If too much fresh water hits the estuary, where fresh and salt water mix, oysters die.
In 1998, Henry Caimotto of the Snook Nook Bait & Tackle Shop in Jensen Beach gathered 30,000 petition signatures demanding an end to discharges that degrade the rivers. That year, lake discharges sickened and killed fish and water birds and chased away tourists. The lawsuit has been ongoing since 2005. Why did Martin County Commissioners vote to join in now? Because with Lake Okeechobee at more than 13 feet and a wetter-than-usual forecast for the summer, water managers are poised to open the gates again.Complete text by Sally Swartz available :The Palm Beach Post - Column : "Martin's watershed moment"
(http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2009/07/19/a18a_swartzcol_0719.html)
Additional information can be found at :
Rivers Coalition -'Dedicated to restoring and preserving our St. Lucie River'
(http://www.riverscoalition.org/)
