N. Cook
11-03-2005, 01:15 PM
A number of subjects were covered as the different staffs reviewed the damages and plans to recover from WILMA.
Most important to waterfowlers:
The WCAs are all above schedule, with WCA 2 and WCA 3 too high and will remained closed to access. The gates at station 12c and 12d into the park have been cleared of vegetation and will remain open till Nov. 15 (would normally be closed now). Every effort is being made to get the WCAs down, with minimum water going south out of the lake.
On the subject of restriced draining into the Park, the new Administrator has expressed a more receptive attitude toward studying and then acting on blockages below the Tamiami Trail. This could be helpful in coming years.
The lake is at 17 feet and still rising. Not good. The Kissimmee River valley received 10 inches of rain which will further impact the lake. Water will flow at a high rate east and west into the estuaries until the lake is at 15 feet. Vegetation was further damaged with much of it blocking the canals. House trailers are sunk in the Moorehaven Lock system, blocking the locks. Facilities around the lake were damaged. The lake sloshed to a 19 foot depth at one end and 7 foot depth at the other....water quality further reduced.
STAs with "summersive" vegetation had the vegetation "rolled up" and tossed on the dikes. STAs with "mix community vegetation" faired better. This supports the move to the "mix community" plan.....with sawgrass and other vegetation versus hydrilla. STA 1W access is blocked by down power lines.
(one of the PortaJohns was pictured sunk in the very middle of a cell). Levees sustained various levels of damage.
I spoke with Jerry Krenz, SFWMD Recreation Manager, and we will be traveling to STA 1W Monday to try to reasign parking spots, determine if the west entrance will be ready for season, and set up a two way traffic pattern as two things will prevent the current circle drive around the cells. One: the downed power strutures along the east side and , Two: a new pump station construction project just east of the check station on the levee, blocking the road.
LOXAHATCHEE REFUGE (WCA 1) has a lot of vegetation damage and tussock blockages. Water quality is murky, but this usually improves faster than the lake.
All in all, not good for a normal opening, but the ducks will go where they are going to go and we will follow!
Most important to waterfowlers:
The WCAs are all above schedule, with WCA 2 and WCA 3 too high and will remained closed to access. The gates at station 12c and 12d into the park have been cleared of vegetation and will remain open till Nov. 15 (would normally be closed now). Every effort is being made to get the WCAs down, with minimum water going south out of the lake.
On the subject of restriced draining into the Park, the new Administrator has expressed a more receptive attitude toward studying and then acting on blockages below the Tamiami Trail. This could be helpful in coming years.
The lake is at 17 feet and still rising. Not good. The Kissimmee River valley received 10 inches of rain which will further impact the lake. Water will flow at a high rate east and west into the estuaries until the lake is at 15 feet. Vegetation was further damaged with much of it blocking the canals. House trailers are sunk in the Moorehaven Lock system, blocking the locks. Facilities around the lake were damaged. The lake sloshed to a 19 foot depth at one end and 7 foot depth at the other....water quality further reduced.
STAs with "summersive" vegetation had the vegetation "rolled up" and tossed on the dikes. STAs with "mix community vegetation" faired better. This supports the move to the "mix community" plan.....with sawgrass and other vegetation versus hydrilla. STA 1W access is blocked by down power lines.
(one of the PortaJohns was pictured sunk in the very middle of a cell). Levees sustained various levels of damage.
I spoke with Jerry Krenz, SFWMD Recreation Manager, and we will be traveling to STA 1W Monday to try to reasign parking spots, determine if the west entrance will be ready for season, and set up a two way traffic pattern as two things will prevent the current circle drive around the cells. One: the downed power strutures along the east side and , Two: a new pump station construction project just east of the check station on the levee, blocking the road.
LOXAHATCHEE REFUGE (WCA 1) has a lot of vegetation damage and tussock blockages. Water quality is murky, but this usually improves faster than the lake.
All in all, not good for a normal opening, but the ducks will go where they are going to go and we will follow!