Update...WCA 2 and 3 High Water/closure

[N. Cook]

I sat next to the CORPS Kim Taplin today at the SFWMD WRAC Lake Okeechobee Cmte. meeting and she confirmed the S 12s will be closed Nov. 1 no matter what the water levels are in the WCAs. (This is to protect the dozen or so Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows nesting)

She did say they were letting water out other conveyances as best they could but the "inflow/outflow" was not taking very much off the depth.

I made a strong protest (along with the representative of the Miccosuski Tribe whose land is flooded) and asked the District to see if they could do a "position statement" to the USF&WS and USDOI like they did when the ENP tried to close down 1/3 of Florida Bay to fishing....No committment.

The water is pooled up against the Tamiami Trail, 6 foot deep in places and every thing else north is being destroyed, tree islands, drowning small animals, deer on the levees stressed and no food...a real disaster.

This is only going to be resovled politically....it is time to begin a campaign to get the state and federal representatives to look at what is happening and get pressure put on the DOI to make a change that takes into account the other creatures, including endangered ones like the Snail Kite into some consideration versus this one species that has basically destroyed the ecosystem of hundreds of thousands of acres of marsh.

[novaalex]

I agree that the pressure must be turned on! I have begun contacting people personally and I am more than willing to work with others on this very important project. What do you suggest Newton?

[David B]

Newton,

I have nothing but time on my hands. Do we have a specific contact list? I will gladly make phone calls and send emails.

David B

[N. Cook]

Some players in this issue:

Paul Souza
Supervisor USF&WS
paul_souza@fws.gov

Col. Paul Grosskruger
District Commander USACE
paul.l.grosskruger@saj02.usace.army.mil

Greg MaY
Executive Director South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
USDOI
gmay@sfrestore.org

Patrick Kenney
National Resource Specialist USDOI National Park Service
pat_kenny@nps.gov

Dan B. Kimball
Superintendent Everglades National Park USDOI
dan_kimball@nps.gov

Ken Haddad
Executive Director FFWCC
ken.haddad@myfwc.com

Chuck Collins
Regional Director FFWCC
chuck.collins@myfwc.com

Shannon Estenoz
Governing Board SFWMD
sestenoz@sfwmd.gov

Michael Sole
Secretary FDEP
michael.sole@dep.state.fl

Terrance (Rock) Salt
USDOI
rsalt@sfrestore.org

also your local State and US Representative

[novaalex]

I have sent emails to this list as well as to the Commissioners at FWC. I think this needs to be moved to the Members Forum as well so that we can ask all of our members to help us out with emails. We cannot afford to wait any longer. This year we really face the possibility of an extended closure and we need to do all that we can to assure that the Glades are open:

Key points:
It should not be closed to duck hunters because of the deer herd. The deer do not habitate the same area the duck hunters use and it could be opened with parameters that would include no runiing within 50 yeard of established tree islands or levees.

Enforcement or the lack thereof should not be an issue, as responsible hunters we can police ourselves just as we do at many WMA's that do not have a man check station!

[N. Cook]

Nothing wrong with lobbying for an opening to access before duck season...that is probably more of a FWC call and we probably will be able to work out an open area even if the water does not go down all the way to "schedule".

All the others on the list probably could care less about making duck hunters happy.

What is needed is to keep the S 12 's open after Nov. 1 so the water will recede. This is an annual contentious issue with the Miccosukee and recreators and even some environmentalists who see the damage to the tree islands and habitat and the creatures in WCA 2 and WCA 3 as being worse than what may or may not happen to the few Cape Sabel Seaside Sparrows who have moved into the Everglades area. They are "endangered" and the USF&WS has ruled that the ground they nest on must be "dry" and to keep it dry 45 days during nesting seasons the S 12s that drain WCA 3 are closed Nov. 1.

No matter that another endangered species, the snail kite, has been run out of the (WCAs) glades by the persistent high water. Plus the elimination of small animals and the tragic condition of malnourished deer by the drowning of tree islands.

Basically, we should be petitioning these officials to change the USF&WS rule that is destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of the Everglades and the creatures that live there to try to save a declining species that should not be where it is to begin with. That, in fact, if the area the CSSSS has migrated to was allowed to flood naturally they might even go back to their natural habitat where they would probably do better.

[novaalex]

I agree Newton. I just got an email from Chuck and he says that he is working on it and will see what accomodations can be made for duck hunting. I dont necessarily like that language. I expressed to him that the monitoring is fine but if there are going to be concessions or compromises we want to be in the loop before hand to discuss them and help mitigate any potential issues.

[duckmanJR]

Newton,

I have nothing but time on my hands. Do we have a specific contact list? I will gladly make phone calls and send emails.

David B


ditto that...

[novaalex]

We haven't even begun with mass emails or calls and I think we are already getting some indications that things will kick off in time. Scouting may be limited/non-existent and the actual hunt times may have constraints but I believe it just might get done!

[LockedWings87]

anything i can do? Just let me know.

[Raul G]

Great exposition of a chronic problem down here and no compromise and long-range plan in effect. I wish I could volunteer time but I can't but I can write as many emails as needed to whomever. I agree the aggregate flora and fauna should be weighed versus/along with the sparrows and I certainly have not seen any deer in the past twenty years in our sector- and that in both high and low water regimes. Anybody know the "magic" water depth that will allow access? Any relocation/breeding schemes for the sparrows? I hope we stay dry for the next few weeks.

[novaalex]

Doing my part to make the public forum interesting!

[godvlman]

If you look at the past there has been no "magic depth" that has been established to allow/ prevent waterfowl hunting in the WCA's, and there should be no "magical depth" thrown into play this year. Waterfowl hunting come high water or low water has always been allowed in the WCA's here in the south!!!

The water has been higher in past years with access granted as it should this year... I dont think you will hear anything untill the deer quota hunts are over.

[David B]

John,

I missed meeting your Brother last week. He was slipping around with Mark up here. Will you be joining them anytime? If so, plase call me first. I would love to meet up and BS, Scout or go have lunch.

[godvlman]

I will see ya next week... I will shoot ya a PM

Sounds great!!!

[mountainref]

I e-mailed the entire list. I will be letting my friends know to do the same.

[mountainref]

I recieved a call from I believe Chuck Collins Thursday. He told me that the everglades restrictions will be lifted by the start of duck season. He said their could possibly be some restrictions, but had no further information.

[N. Cook]

As per the WRAC meeting last Thursday everything is on track for an opening....only another storm could set us back.

[Raul G]

Good news, I'll try and keep the "faucet" closed tight. Meanwhile, I guess we can wash our vehicles and not feel too guilty about it, heck, I may even water the lawn.

[Ross R]

I have been taking extra long showers to do my part to help get the water down so that we all can hunt the opener in the glades :) Don't know if you all have been watching this but... I hope it doesn't drench us this week.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v192/rreeder23/paloma.gif