N. Cook
11-06-2006, 05:01 PM
The SFWMD, FWC, FDEP, USACE and other agencies have been conducting and will be conducting meetings deciding how the Kiss. River and all lakes from Toho to Okee. will be managed. Managed means water movement, depth, aquatic plant management, water quality parameters, fish, waterfowl, wading birds, alligator, snail kite and all animals habitat, etc. etc.
Scientific measurements are being established for all the parameters.
I attended my second of these meetings today.....it is a real battle to get through the science with all the complicated numbers and formulas and to the basic need we are pushing for......food and habitat for ducks.
We have some good allies at the FWC and with Dr. Paul Gray at Audubon. However, the hydrilla issue is one that causes difficulty as the FDEP is dug in on the need to "eradicate" it although the ability to do so with current chemicals does not exist. They insist hydrilla cannot be managed at a percentage good for ducks and wildlife...."it will take over a lake in a short time"...." we must get it all or try to get it all and at least supress it". Of course the remaining damaged natural vegetation is of little or no use to the fish and birds. The FDEP is just doing what state law says they should do, but the mandate needs changing.....it says "manage to the least feasible" level. LEAST FEASIBLE is not rock solid...but it is not good terminology for the existing situation. We may have to go for a change of the wording of the regulation.
The targets for the management document are being established, we will need to be at the next meeting to see what comes out.
Scientific measurements are being established for all the parameters.
I attended my second of these meetings today.....it is a real battle to get through the science with all the complicated numbers and formulas and to the basic need we are pushing for......food and habitat for ducks.
We have some good allies at the FWC and with Dr. Paul Gray at Audubon. However, the hydrilla issue is one that causes difficulty as the FDEP is dug in on the need to "eradicate" it although the ability to do so with current chemicals does not exist. They insist hydrilla cannot be managed at a percentage good for ducks and wildlife...."it will take over a lake in a short time"...." we must get it all or try to get it all and at least supress it". Of course the remaining damaged natural vegetation is of little or no use to the fish and birds. The FDEP is just doing what state law says they should do, but the mandate needs changing.....it says "manage to the least feasible" level. LEAST FEASIBLE is not rock solid...but it is not good terminology for the existing situation. We may have to go for a change of the wording of the regulation.
The targets for the management document are being established, we will need to be at the next meeting to see what comes out.