Our river.

[sheclown]

Ron Littlepage: It will take more than purple prose and lofty rhetoric to save the St. Johns

By Ron Littlepage Fri, Oct 17, 2014 @ 12:09 pm

We are often effusive in our praise of the St. Johns River.

We call it Jacksonville's greatest natural resource, the centerpiece of our downtown, a driver of our economy, a creation of great beauty that can soothe the soul.

All of that is true.

But as often as we praise the St. Johns, we also mistreat it.

ABUSING ITS BEAUTY

Our continual dredging of the shipping channel has changed the river's ecology for miles and miles upstream.

We have treated the river like a sewer for both human and industrial waste.

And to this day we are the source of pesticides and fertilizers that flow into the river from our roadways and lawns.

Those algae blooms that turn the river into a sickening, poisonous mess?

They're on us.

Moving forward, the future of the St. Johns is even more unsettled.

Sea-level rise is going to pour more saltwater into the freshwater stretches of the river.

The St. Johns River Water Management District is barreling ahead with plans to withdraw hundreds of millions of gallons of water a day from the river to supply new growth in burgeoning Central Florida.

But it will be OK, the district says, pointing to a study it did that said sea-level rise will add more water to the river as will the increased storm water runoff that will come with more development.

In other words, clean water will be replaced with salty, polluted water.

In Jacksonville, instead of paying for needed projects that would reduce the damaging nutrients we are sending into the river, we are buying credits for work that others have already done.

Add to that JaxPort's insistence on deepening the shipping channel even more.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says that can be done without damaging the river's health — too much.

But how much is unknown. Some experts said the impact will be very little. Other experts say it will be a lot.

The certainty is there will be environmental damage.

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT

It's not too late to save the St. Johns from a bleak future.

Removing the Rodman dam that blocks the Ocklawaha River, the St. Johns' largest tributary, would add more freshwater to the river.

We can clean up the mess that we send into the river.

We can elect leaders who recognize the folly of the water management district's withdrawals and who say that if more development needs more water, it will have to get it from sources like desalinization.

And we could tell JaxPort, which is owned by the citizens of Jacksonville, no to more dredging unless there are workable plans in place with money to pay for them that would mitigate the damaging impacts of the dredging.

I know the value of JaxPort to the city's economy.

I also know the value of a healthy river.

If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the river.

With what's facing the St. Johns River in the future, its death won't be from a thousand cuts.

It will be by sledgehammer blows.

Effusive praise for the river alone won't stop it.

ron.littlepage@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4284

[Know Growth]

Preceding Ron Littlepage,FTU Editor William Sweisgood produced steady column inches of River Support. Seems like ages ago if you think about it, or even if you don't.

Does it really matter?

Is it simply a mater of priorities?

A couple of weeks ago I spent time out and about a Duval River Tributary, Fishweir Creek with WJCT Environment & Health Reporter /Producer Peter Hayden.

Recently transplanted from a western arid state,Peter was shocked,amazed,incredulous that the Fishweir Creek Restoration effort had been subjected to so many years of fits, starts and delays.....including a recent spate of private dock building that has precluded certain restoration abilities,all under the supposed caring,watchful eye of COJ, Agency & Organization.Councilman Jim Love's office had to really scramble to respond to inquiry as to current Fishweir Creek joint City/Fed Restoration project status. (I gave Jim & Kevin a couple days head start    )

With microphone aimed towards me,Peter asked,"Why?". A searing,helpful question.I had not yet by then decided what message,outlook I would project to Peter.

My mind raced through images of endless editorial column inches,studies,meetings,Planners & Consultants,Organization,Board Members,Enviro Politics and even a Sociology text or three,"Service" and even a silly,giant award.

Clarity.

"It's simply about priorities"

'The little creeks,tributaries are a giant face of the river system.And even the biggest River tributary,The Oclkawaha River,once the scene of signature environmental message and cause,remains impaired,in limbo. Our very own Riverkeeper Board once dared not support Ocklawaha/Rodman restoration, for all their good reasons,priorities.

Good to see Ron's reference to the River's largest tributary.And can we sense Ron's acknowledgement of the need for action other than 'lofty rhetoric'? (Column Inches)
Gosh,one might even imagine the restoration of the Ocklawaha might be an issue in the Governor's races- supposed simlar candidates.
As in previous Governor's campaigns.

On second thought,maybe a few more column inches are in order. 

[sheclown]

The Riverkeepers position on the deepening of St. John's:

Opposing the Harbor Deepening

St. Johns Riverkeeper has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for more than two

years on the proposal to deepen the St. Johns in an effort to protect the river and to ensure the

community has the necessary facts and information to make a fully informed decision. On March 7,

2014, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) posted the Final Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) regarding the proposal to dredge the St. Johns River from 40 to 47 feet to accommodate larger

ships for the expansion of JAXPORT.


St. Johns Riverkeeper cannot support the proposed plan to dredge the St. Johns River due to the

following reasons:


 The USACE analysis is flawed and incomplete, significantly underestimating the potential

threats to the health of the St. Johns River.


o Salinity will move farther upstream, adversely impacting hundreds of acres of wetlands

and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAVs) and further stressing numerous trees in

some sections of the river and its tributaries, such as Julington Creek and Ortega River.


o Critical habitat for fisheries and wildlife will be lost.


o USACE used two different salinity models for the main stem and tributary analyses.


Use of different models for the salinity intrusion model makes evaluation unreliable.

o USACE's river channel sedimentation model does not provide necessary information to

establish environmental effects for sedimentation.


 The mitigation plan is woefully inadequate, failing to offset the damage that will be incurred

from dredging.


o Pre-project mitigation is limited with no net benefit to the river.


o Post-project mitigation is unlikely due to vague criteria, the lack of specific thresholds,

and the absence of a USACE commitment to corrective action.


 The federal and local economic interest has not been demonstrated or verified, as required by

Federal Law.


o A multi-port analysis assessing competition among regional ports has not been

conducted.


o Local job projections have not been independently peer-reviewed or verified.


o Economic methods and assumptions are not adequately documented.


For the above reasons, St. Johns Riverkeeper opposes the proposed dredging and the continuation of

this project as it currently stands. Further review and a more comprehensive analysis are necessary

to adequately determine the economic viability of the proposed dredging and ensure the protection

of the St. Johns River. Based on the shortcomings of the studies that have been conducted to date

and the unanswered questions that remain, no decision should be made until the above issues and

concerns are addressed and fully resolved.

[Know Growth]

didn't you expend a lot of gravitas on your attacks on anyone who didn't believe that the opening of mellow mushroom would immediately result in mass vehicular homicides, crime and a sudden collapse of the real estate market?

What is the thing you are trying to convey here?  Support the river?  How?  Whats the next step?

is it a real thing or is this just some crusade to shut down another group who isn't on the 'in' circle, the way the avondale nonsense was?

Some clarity would be helpful.

Well after all,WJCT Fishweir Creek was a focus on a RAP boundary
And I can even manage to tie local alcohol establishment to River health history.........Hic!,I'll have another Jon Boat!!


I received some compliments from the WJCT Sedimentation piece that aired last Wednesday. I have not listened to it. I am sure Peter did a masterful job- I stayed out of the way and tight lipped as much as possible,deferring to historical records and some discussions of definitions,assumptions.

Ron Littlepage makes a good point regarding the role of prose,review of advocacy. Mention of Ocklawaha worthy of applause,a good start towards a finish. I do believe I discussed Ocklawaha with Peter.

I believe we could be entering a period of rejuvenation, truly a period of restoration and good possibilities for the River,which is after all, about ourselves. Our very own River Keeper organization has matured, tempered under fire and water. The Ocklawaha River's decades old signature organization which helped usher the modern Florida environmental movement, Florida Defenders Of The Environment, has similarly re-energized. Many groups are working in concert.Rather "Radical" shift. And this is no longer the Jacksonville that state conservationists once cautioned themselves over,no longer the driver based on Jacksonville's Roselle Street,the seat of the Barge Canal Authority.

Too often,the conservation message,advocacy is hijacked by the despoilers,who define the conservationists-a debilitating, garbled message that instills a sense of futility amongst the public and casts River Advocates as unreasonable, selfish and worse,extremist,exclusionary,an effect far overpowering Editorial pronouncements.
(Indeed as we see here by your response,this is simply human nature,well beyond sole River issue.)

Breweries sprouting up around Roselle Street,the site of the former Canal Authority,craft brews names reflecting the River is a great stride and I ain't kidding!
We are in a state of "Crafting" , create so to speak.

[kitester]

Speaking to the Fishwier Creek issue...... On at least two occasions over the years the plans to clean out the creek have been thwarted by those who live in the area. The plan to rebuild the original marsh island near the mouth of the creek with dredge spoil would protect docks and home owners from high water waves like the ones that damaged so much property when the last minor tropical storm hit the area. BUT it would also block the open water view. Since that complaint would sound like whining about the view, a more popular argument argument was found to oppose the project. It was said that dredging the creek would disturb the turtle population and upset the "natural ballence." Here is another example of hijacking the environmentalist movement to benefit a narrow, selfish point of view. There is no natural ballence in the creek. It is nothing more than a silted in drainage ditch that drains water from the area just west of Hwy 17. There used to be otters, bass, brim and shrimp 20 years ago. The truth is that the bio-diversity that did exist there has been lost over the years due to the build up of sediment that chokes the mouth of the creek. Manatees used to swim up the creek. The mud is so thick and has been for years that signs to maintain slow boat speeds to protect them are a joke. The creek is diverted by sediment islands that should be removed. The Army Corps would rather back away from angry property owners who wish to keep a view. There are plenty of other projects they need to do. Why would they want to fight. They don't have time for that.

[Know Growth]

It's much more transparent that what you profile Kitester- and that in itself is a clear message.The small creeks are a big face of River Advocacy.

Fishweir is in fact a 'top ten' Duval Tributary, a system that is composed within many square miles of the Westside- not simply a ditch flowing from US 17.The historical location of US 17 simply reflects the last  narrowing of the creek shores right there,as it quickly widened to the east.
Some sediment impacts hail from Lane Avenue/ Home Depot construction- the City Of Jacksonville back then quick to secure Affidavit from contractors assuring no soil lost from the site.This per Carter Bryan/Waterways.During that event, a neighbor was told "Lady if you don't quit complaining we are just going to fill the creek in"
Glad I wasn't living around here then!

There are still vestiges.

In fact,after many years of fits and starts related to federal funding,the preferred alternative was in fact compromised to a spate of private dock building during the past couple of years,the emergence of the docks smack dab at the site of envisioned restoration of historical wetlands. This in part as a result of "Streamline" Federal/State permitting procedures that reduced threshold for impact notice level. While one of our very own has been at the head of DEP. Ron Littlepage once championed the relationship.

So with truly number 1 alternative dashed, the COE conjured up the "Island" concept.

Ultimately,the Restoration benefit will prevail.Even if it means tearing down some recently constructed docks??  )Or working around and within the docks?- COE position was 'no way'.

I need about $20,000 to hire the right folks to really figure it out.

[Charles Hunter]

I've heard the head honcho from JaxPort say that the "monitoring and mitigation" after the fact of dredging will be dependent on future funding from Congress.  So, don't expect any "mitigation" if the dredging is the disaster that many fear.

[Know Growth]

Thank you Charles.

The Federal funding is via COE "Section 208".
A few years ago we were half way through a pivotal $50,000 study and the balance had to be returned 'for Iraq'.

My local Congressman is loathe to speak to an insider like myself bout the Creek,politics. (Although once,while we were side by side in Barber chairs, I garnered a few tidbits. It's simply a matter of Priority)

Fishweir is a joint City/Fed proposal- any semblance of existence totally absent from recent past City budget cycles- Fishweir Creek's own Council person was completely unaware of Creek status inquiry a couple of weeks ago. It was decided that any mention of Fishweir status at recent Fishweir neighborhood meeting would not occur-my inquiry just in time for WJCT Reporter inquiry to Jim Love.


COE project managers are in fact based in Jacksonville- their take is that it's in the City's hands. COE was moved to post current info.
( I will look up contact info and post here on MJ for those interested)

Approx $5,000,000 split a certain way between City,Feds. The $$$ has shifted downward- curious.Are we designing according to predetermined dollar amount, or to restoration scope requirement??

The COJ Storm Water Fee was another interesting avenue to review. City siting on Millions.Sedimentation creates acknowledged upstream flooding impacts. Ron Littlepage Fishweir editorial suggested a need for such then undefined "tax".
Why no use of COJ Storm Water funds? Legal? Water quality vs quantity? Or simply Priority?

Federal Assessment,Alternative is weighted heavily in Environmental "Unit" comparatives. A 900 + page document.

In fact,simply digging out, establishing traditional depth might lend plenty of social and environmental benefits.

I fully expect that Fishweir "restoration' could become an element in Port endeavors.

I recall a Waterways Commission review of another dredge proposal- review of bids. In fact,at that time,there was only one bid for that project. Discussion ensued about the City having it's own Dredge,Waterway Maintenance Division. Cheaper. Cheaper.

[UNFurbanist]

Looks like we are on another one of "those lists" for how terrible the water quality is here.
http://folioweekly.com/H2OH-NO-THE-RESULTS-ARE-IN-JACKSONVILLES-WATER-IS-PRETTY-BAD,11315

[kitester]

So let me see if I have this right........ The creek is seen as an important tributary but .........

1.The process of permitting dock construction was "streamlined" to benefit property owners desire for dock construction.
2. The new dock owners opposed the original dredging project.
3. The idea of a dredge spoil island was invented to placate the new dock owners.
4. The spoil island proposal has not been fully studied or funded so its dead in the water(so to speak).
5. So we are at an impass because dredging in and around docks is too expensive and removing these permitted docks would be a legal tangle and the alternative is not really an alternative.
6. Funding could be obtained from the water runoff "tax" if it was actually available.

It seems to me that the true priority here is not the proper restoration of the creek, but protection of new dock/property owners for docks that should never have been permitted. Lets get one thing straight. Fishwier Creek might have been an important tributary at on time......now it's just a drainage ditch full of mud.

[sheclown]

" may have caused irreversible damage to South Florida coral reefs."

28 Oct 2014

Dredging of Ship Channel in Miami Damaging Coral Reef, State Says
A report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection details damage to coastal aquatic life.
By Joey Francilus (Patch Staff) Updated August 20, 2014 at 3:47 pm 1
Dredging of Ship Channel in Miami Damaging Coral Reef, State Says

An ongoing project to deepen the channel linking PortMiami to the Atlantic may have caused irreversible damage to South Florida coral reefs.

The PortMiami Deep Dredge project is expected to deepen the Government Cut seaport channel from 42 to 52 feet below sea level, accommodating the widening and deepening of the Panama Canal for larger freight ships.

An impact assessment released by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Monday says silt from the dredging of the Government Cut may have contributed to stress on coral reefs off the southern tip of Miami Beach.

The assessment says weekly reports showed "continuous elevated stress" on naturally-occurring and artificial reefs just off the southern end of Miami Beach.


Along with the release of the study, the FDEP sent a warning letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency overseeing the dredging, on Monday saying they may have violated of state environmental laws with the deposits of dredged silt found on the reefs.

In the letter, the FDEP says the federal agency possibly violated state statutes prohibiting damage to any state-owned "air, waters, or property, including animal, plant, or aquatic life," holding liable anyone who does so with the cost of said damage.

A local marine activist says changes to Biscayne Bay will be irreversible.

"Once we inflict enormous environmental damage on the bay, we can't go back," said Miami fishing captain Dan Kiplis, who is part of an environmental group against the dredge project, to the Miami New Times.

The study and letter come merely two days after the opening of the PortMiami tunnel, which provides direct highway access from mainland Miami to the port in Biscayne Bay.

The Deep Dredge project is scheduled for completion in 2015.

http://patch.com/florida/sarasota/dredging-ship-channel-miami-damaging-coral-reef-state-says

[Know Growth]

Fishwier Creek might have been an important tributary at on time......now it's just a drainage ditch full of mud.

.....so let's just leave it that way!?

Fishweir ain't going away, may be destined for National recognition,'coverage'.
The whole episode might seem as if a Carl Hiaasen novel scenario. Good read!

Kitester your comments are ever so helpful for insight in to failed river advocacy elements,as suggested by Ron's editorial,the subject of the original post.

No doubt the private owners of the recently constructed docks "Care" for the River. And perhaps even $$support River "Advocacy"
**A public records information request regarding the four new docks was successfully secured- see DEP public records request profile site**

The health,restoration of area tributary waterways,as defined,all part and parcel of the larger "System" and in fact important stand alone components in their own right is directly tied to the well being of human community.The COE Fishweir Assesement clearly refers to community interest, wellbeing.

The "Little" waterways are the Big Face of the River. And the assumed "Little" waterways are typically much more vast,complex and influential than you profile here Kitester.

As beat up and impaired as Fishweir is,the creek system still exhibits profuse life,vitality. A certain "Key Indicator" threatened species appeared during certain study and assessment period. The profile of species present impressive,as is the 900 page COE assessment profiling repair need.
Massive trash loads flowing in at Roosevelt Blvd. not a part of the project-assumed COJ will address with structure nearby but not within Study Area. A whole new Priority 

Fishweir Creek is one of ten Duval County tributaries identified as impaired and deserving of restoration efforts.

It's an aged priority list....creek # 1 is/was McCoys and $500,000 was quickly spent.....related to the Super Bowl.

[Know Growth]

Next up here in this thread,"Failed Advocacy" narrative in a couple of days I may write about how the keynote speaker for COJ River Summit 1 Herb Hiller stormed out of River Summit 2 very near the beginning of #2 meeting proceedings to deliver fiery interview with WJCT. We both spoke with WJCT and the party pooping message disappeared from the airwaves by 5 PM,(we had learned to skip engagement with the FTU) yet the subject matter still festers as noted in the October 2014 Ron Littlepage piece here.

[Know Growth]

" may have caused irreversible damage to South Florida coral reefs."

COE Job #1 is to build project as directed by Congress. Public comment,ancillary matters such as mitigation etc. addressed but Job #1 is the driver.

An area COE lesson lies with the USACOE review of FDOT Brannon Chaffee (Beltway North Leg) permit application during the Delaney era. COE permit manager was overwhelmed,and looked to the Water Management District for guidance. Mayor Delaney's letter of support for project created noted relaxed agency position.Citizen Conservation Organization Florida Wildlife Federation monitored closely to assure appropriate mitigation to the extent possible,reasonable. (The best "Heavy Lifting" is rarely profiled in the Florida Times Union.... )

***And USACE Colonel Joe Miller,who attended Brannon Chaffee ground breaking ceremony and in fact called me that morning to apologize......... curiously then became COJ Public Works Director....for a short period of time  ***

The USACOE/WMD permit file was subject of an inordinate number of public review information requests.

[kitester]

Growth,

You said that 500k was spent on Mc Coy's Creek. And that was just because it was somehow related to the stadium and the Super Bowl? What did they spend the money on? Talking about how to clean up the creek? 500k just about buys the silly environmental studies that hold up real progress. Watch out for those "key indicator" "threatened species". Got any idea which ones "popped up"? I have no doubt that at one time Fishwier was very alive and vibrant. There are mullet there which do attract some birds. But if you paddle the creek you can see its choked with huge sediment islands.  Water run off pipes indicate where the original bank should be. In some places water run off pipes are over 40 feet from where the edge of the creek is today. It would be great to see a restored natural creek there again, but the fact is that nothing can be done to turn back the clock. I wonder what it would really cost to just bring in a dredge crew and clean this sewer out? I bet just a very small fraction of what it costs to host a horrible profecional football team would do the trick.