Page 4 - Abacoa Community News - April '21
P. 4
Page 4, Abacoa
GOverNmeNt
Commissioner’s Update
Sound Water Strategies • Section Seven Drainage Improvement Project Engineers’ Central and Southern Florida Flood Resiliency
• Loxahatchee River Sediment Study Study, and to appropriate funding for the implementation in
By Commissioner Maria In February, the county commission unanimously passed the Army Civil Works program, in partnership with SFWMD,
Marino a resolution urging the state to implement specific activities for flood and storm damage reduction.
Water resources in Palm to help improve the quality of water resources including grant These partnerships are vital to executing sound water
Beach County are part of programs, technology, collaboration on the implementation strategies and I look forward to reporting on further progress
a complex, interconnected of projects, and supporting SFWMD to identify and prioritize as these projects move forward.
system, and decisions additional funding. The commission also approved a Please contact me if I can assist you at (561) 355-2201
made at the regional, state resolution urging Congress to fund the U.S. Army Corps of or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.
and federal levels can
dramatically affect local Northern Notes
communities. While Florida
averages five feet of rainfall
per year, it is essential that Hurricane Season May Start
we support strategies to store, filter and send water to critical
facilities, drinking water resources and wetlands, and reduce Earlier In The Future
what is lost to tide.
Most of the fresh water we use in South Florida comes By Katie Roundtree,
from surficial aquifers and the Floridan Aquifer system. The Finance Director, Northern
aquifers are composed of multiple layers of porous rock and Palm Beach County
supply approximately 90 percent of the state’s drinking water, Improvement District
according to the South Florida Water Management District. In February, it was
Rainfall mainly recharges the aquifers, but they also receive announced that a committee
water from lakes, streams and groundwater flows. within NOAA (National
The C-51 Reservoir project – 15 years in the making – Oceanic and Atmospheric Hurricane Wilma – NOAA
is under construction on Southern Boulevard near 20 Mile Administration) is
Bend. This reservoir will store excess storm water for later determining whether the official start date of the Atlantic hurricane season to
distribution during the dry season. Additional benefits will hurricane season should May 15, matching the first day of hurricane season in the
include enhanced flood protection and water quality, and begin on May 15 rather eastern Pacific. June 1 is an arbitrarily chosen date; some
will help combat saltwater intrusion and provide other than June 1, as is the current think it’s time to change the definition to reflect reality.
environmental benefits. internationally recognized start date. This is in response to Even though there is discussion about moving the
Two main environmental initiatives this project will weather patterns over the past decade and tropical activity hurricane season start date to May 15, the ending date
serve are the restoration of the Lake Worth Lagoon and starting earlier than June 1 over the past six consecutive of Nov. 30 has not changed. The height of hurricane
the Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration Project. The years. Since 2000, 11 storms have been named prior to the season is August through mid-October, later in the
Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee River is one of only official start of the season. It is a trend that they believe season. Typically, August has more than three times
two rivers in the state and the only river in South Florida will continue into the future. more storms than July or double the amount of June and
with the national designation as a Wild and Scenic River. In response, NOAA may begin issuing daily tropical July combined. As the oceans heat up, activity increases.
These delicate ecosystems are vulnerable to harmful algae weather forecasts as early as May 15. As to moving the Storms form more frequently and are much more intense
discharges from Lake Okeechobee and saltwater intrusion. start date of the official hurricane season to May 15, in than storms earlier in the season.
Having reservoirs, stormwater treatment areas and flow ways their annual hurricane plan, the World Meteorological So, what does this mean to those of us in South Florida?
over wetlands allows us to send clean water east to the lagoon Organization announced the National Hurricane Center Not much. Hurricanes will not suddenly decide to form
and gradually north to the Loxahatchee River Watershed. “will determine a quantitative threshold for adding or earlier because of a shift in dates. This doesn’t give a green
Sending filtered fresh water in, and keeping saltwater out, is removing dates from the official Atlantic Hurricane light to the atmosphere to stir up storms prior to June 1.
what helps fresh water aquatic species thrive in their habitat. Season,” and “will then examine the need for … potentially It simply means that we need to be more vigilant, prepare
Palm Beach County is an active partner with the moving the beginning of hurricane season to May 15.” early and pay attention to weather trends and forecasts a
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the Warmer waters, potentially from climate change, have bit sooner in the year than in the past. Hurricane season is
Florida Department of Environmental Protection and local caused tropical storms to develop earlier than June 1 on a long stretch, but it’s the price we pay to live in paradise.
stakeholders in achieving restoration of our critical resources. a more consistent basis. Better modeling technology and NPDES Tip: Hurricane season begins officially on
The county, along with local districts and municipalities, satellites have led to the ability to track and name storms June 1. Make sure your yards and trees are trimmed early
has requested more than $2.8M in appropriations this year more effectively than in the past. Storms that may have to avoid flying debris during a storm. Dispose of your
from the State Legislature toward projects to benefit the been missed before can now be monitored and forecasted trimmings and clippings properly. Do not put them into
Loxahatchee River, including: more accurately. There have been calls for years to revise storm drains or lakes!
• Sawfish Island Restoration
• Seminole Avenue and Pennock Industrial Park
stormwater improvements ASSET ADVISORY SERVICES
• Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
Living Shoreline (erosion control)
• Loxahatchee River Mile Six Gap Closure and Oxbow Invites You to a
Restoration Maintenance (preventing saltwater intrusion)
• Sims Creek Preserve Hydrologic Restoration SHREDDING EVENT
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