Everglades Recreational Meeting Notes

[N. Cook]

Thanks to Jeff and David (CONVERTED) for adding to the number of duckhunters attending the meeting. Hot issue continues to be the filling of canals and access, especially from HOLIDAY PARK and the TAMIAMI TRAIL. Hydrogists again outlined models, some of which were more acceptable than those presented in the past. The U. S. Park people seem to be stuck on backfilling all canals and going for a "pristine" result. That may be fine for their park, but it is not acceptable for Areas 2 and 3 and still have any public access or fishing. Navigating in the dark up a partially filled remnant of a canal looking for "plugs" and weirs is not acceptable for the miles duckhunters now run on L67 to access points. There were many positive comments from all agencies....but none of them will convert to dollars at any bank. These meetings are too long and complex to cover here.....if you want more info just give me a call. The fact that not a single hunter from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami has attended these meetings that directly effect their access and future use of the areas is dissapointing....and I am being polite. Newton

[Converted]

I wanted to expand on this a bit Newton.

There are a couple issues that are critical in this process.

1. The "political" heads of the varous agencys do seem to be commited to maximizing public access and public use. The scientists however still have a real problem with leaving the L76 open. They have agreed to "run the numbers" of our proposals and see what is feasable. The "dirty little secret" is that there is currently no computer model that can "run the numbers". They say it is under development. May be available on this date or that date but the fact remains that even after the new models are put into use there will have to be alot of tweeking before they are reliable. I hope this isn't just a "feel good" exercise that will be all for not when the "science" comes back and says the canals must be filled.

It is difficult to get folks thinking of canals and leeves as two seperate structures. Leeves are impediments to sheet flow. Canals are only a problem under very low water conditions. As was pointed out at the meeting, in low water conditions the canals may be a good thing to help get some fresh water south.

2. The water level in WCA 3B continues in my opinion to be "glossed over". It is likely that the water levels in 3B will be so high that the existing tree islands and shallow water areas used by mammals and wading and nesting birds will be lost. Did congress actually intend to destroy wildlife habitat in one part of the glades to improve it in another? There needs to be a comprehensive study of what the water levels in 3B will be after Modified Waters. Any negative effects on wildlife need to be mitigated. This is another good argument for using the leeve fill material as man made tree islands rather than using that material to backfill the L67.

[neckringer]

Newton,
I dont know why but a lot of the people I have talked to lately dont care if the canals are filled in or not.
There is a lot of mixed emotions about that down here.
The bass fisherman (S.A.F.E.R) are the only ones I even hear talking about it.

The recent jump in sales of mudmotors is not helping. Im sure the owners belive they dont need a canal.
The guys with airboats dont need canals.

Like always im sure once they do come up with a plan for the canal im sure the other (jon boaters) that have not been to meetings and have no clue what is going on will be the ones mad in the end.

As far as using the gravel from the levees to make islands this does not work as good as it sounds there are quite a few of them in area 3a north . For the most part there is little if any vegitation growing on these islands because they are rock. Yes it is a "dry spot" for deer and other mammals to lay up on during high water conditions.
The only tree that I have seen grow on rocks are holly trees and we dont need any more of them.

this is not far from us losing our buggy rights and access in the big cypress. No body ever showed up to those meetings just a small select few. But there are plenty of people who complain about it now.

They always seem to have the meetings for different areas a little to far from the people who actually use them.

[N. Cook]

Thanks Dave for the reply. What the mud motor and air boat people don't seem to understand is that the Park people do not want them in the glades at all and unless they are willing to put in off of roads and park along a berm that also could be declared illegal by the highway patrol, they could well be just as out of luck. There will be no Holiday Park or decent ramps anywhere on the Tamiami Trail when they are only used by airboaters and a few duckhunters during 60 days of season.....only the demand of hundreds of fisherman, actually thousands, make the year round need of ramps and parking neccessary. Airboaters particularly are under attack and considered nusciences in the glades by the envioro folks and the park people....and only one guy shows up at the meetings representing their club.....he fights like ****, but it is obvious where the bias is.