Page 16 - Talk of Tequesta- March '23

Page 16, The Talk Of Tequesta

norThern noTes

Know The Flow

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Flood control in Florida District (SFWMD) or other natural waterways. Floodgates
is a shared responsibility may be opened, and water levels might be lowered in
that provides maximum anticipation of heavy rains to accommodate direct rainfall
benefit only when all and inflows from the “secondary” systems. During and
components (primary, after heavy rains, excess water is routed through all
secondary and tertiary) are available “primary” waterways to regional storage areas
designed and constructed or coastal discharge points to relieve flooding as quickly
to work together and are and safely as possible.
maintained in proper
working order. Florida is What Can You Do To Help?
more complex than many
states, where one entity Residents And Business Owners
is usually responsible for providing local and regional ○ Make sure drainage gates, ditches and swales in your
drainage for the community. Some areas have no formal neighborhood are clear of debris.
drainage systems and are prone to routine flooding; ○ Remove loose items, including yard debris, from
others may be covered by several organizations or your yard. Debris and litter can clog storm drains and
governments providing varying service levels. Depending The excess surface water slowly drains to community cause flooding.
on conditions, water may have to be routed through lakes or on-site ponds via street and yard drainage grates, ○ Check your community retention pond or lake for
several interconnected, though independent, conveyance swales, ditches or canals. Water then drains from the obstructed pipes and contact the appropriate authority
systems – each of which must be properly maintained and community or “tertiary” system through underground for removal (could be your HOA, city, county, or local
functioning – to provide flood protection for south Florida pipes to the “secondary” system, in this area mainly drainage district).
neighborhoods. operated by Northern Palm Beach County Improvement ○ Find out who is responsible for drainage in your
So, what path does storm water typically follow from District (Northern) or the city or county. Maintenance and community. Visit SFWMD.gov/FloodControl.
your neighborhood to its final destination? Here’s an upkeep of community drainage facilities are typically the Homeowner Association Officials
example. Five inches of rain falls in 24 hours over an responsibility of homeowner associations. Familiarize yourself with your particular drainage
inland community. This rain follows a wet period, so The “secondary” drainage system is usually a network system and how it fits into the overall south Florida
groundwater levels are already high. According to most of canals, structures, pumping stations and storage areas. drainage picture. Specifically, learn how the system
approved drainage designs, some water is temporarily These systems can cover several hundred square miles and works and how to maintain the facilities under your
stored in public recreational areas, yard swales and streets. serve many communities. In communities maintained by responsibility properly.
Northern, storm water systems are gravity-fed or pumped Report the location and condition of any clogged or
using storm water pump stations. Water moves through damaged facilities to the proper authority (homeowner
TheaTre happenings from page 15 a series of lakes and canals via weirs (fixed structures), association, city, county or local drainage district, or the
operable gates and pump stations. These systems move South Florida Water Management District) in advance of
spun out. In, Franz Lehar’s Vilja Graham had the audience water through multiple communities at times, so the and during the summer rainy season. Please make a note
sing the chorus; she conducted them well! A Berlioz aria “downstream” effects must be considered when moving of important telephone numbers and keep them handy.
from Les Troyens did not belong here, but again, it showed water from one area to another. The storm water systems NPDES tip: Your neighborhood drainage system
her magnificent ability with scales and runs. Returning discharge into local canals managed by either Northern is not a garbage disposal – don’t treat it like one.
after a superb performance by the orchestra of Debussy’s or other municipalities. Northern uses a telemetry system Encourage residents to take responsibility and to not
Prelude a L’apres midi d’un faune she sang Gershwin’s to monitor and remotely open and close gates and pumps. dump chemicals, fertilizer, paint, oil, etc. in inlets or
Fascinating Rhythm at speed, and Richard Rodgers Sound Weather conditions and water levels are monitored around pipes. Discourage sweeping of lawn clippings and dirt
of Music – the song. the clock. These systems discharge water in the “primary” into street drains and disposing of lawn clippings and
A high school performance of this musical decided her flood control system as long as carrying capacity is other debris (wood, concrete blocks, Christmas trees, etc.)
to switch from 12 years of piano to singing. Our gain! available. directly into retention lakes. Keep drainage facilities clear
Her encore, perfect for her true mezzo range was, Climb Finally, the water flows to the “primary” drainage of vegetation, trash, improperly and illegally discarded
Every Mountain for which Graham rightly received a long system operated by the South Florida Water Management appliances, shopping carts, tires, cars, garbage bags, etc.
standing ovation.
Intermission over, the large audience stayed for Dimitri
Shostakovich’s (1906 to 1975), 10th Symphony written
in 1953. The composer and then leader of Soviet Russia,
Marshall Joseph Stalin, had their differences, going
back to 1936 when Stalin wrote a denunciation of Lady
Macbeth of Minsk, Shostakovitch’s most successful opera
with 180 performances, in the newspaper, Pravda; Stalin
was exercising cultural control over him. The composer
retreated to the shadows writing only small chamber
works. Reinstated in 1940, given honors galore, he was
again censured with Prokofiev this time in 1948 by
Stalin for “formalistic perversions and anti-democratic
tendancies!” But Shostakovich had the last laugh. At the
death of Stalin in 1953 he returned to the symphonic genre
after an eight-year silence and made the 2nd movement
of the 10th Symphony a “Musical Portrait of Stalin.” In
total, Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies.
Palm Beach Symphony played this 10th Symphony
like demons possessed. It was a magnificent performance.
Briefly, the 1st movement marked “Moderato” was a
sincere work re-establishing the composers’ bona fides.
It rambles and uncoils in heavenly ways so pleasing
on the ear. Movement 2, Allegro, the Stalin portrait, is
rambunctious, noisy, with militaristic brass featured
prominently. The 3rd movement is contemplative. Using
signature notes to spell out his own name, he also spells
out, in notes, the name of a pupil from before 1948, pianist
and composer, Elmira Nazirova, who said of him “he was
a muse, a symbol of beauty and musical inspiration.” The
last movement is full of merriment using folk dances and
repetitive note codes spelling his own name about 14
times throughout the orchestral sections. It has a sunny
conclusion – and was met by thunderous applause and a
standing ovation. Their next concert is on March 14 with
Misha Dichter playing Gershwin’s only Piano Concerto.
Stravinsky’s Firebird suite ends the program. You can
contact the box office at (561) 281-0145.