Terrible new threat to the Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park

[danvolker]

I just found some very disturbing activity going on, which I think is absolutely destructive to the BHB underwater life now, and may be catastrophic to the area over the next 9 months...the duration of the Project....

Apparently, "someone" decided to build up the mangrove islands...the "manmade Mangrove Islands" immediately south of the Lake Worth Bridge....There is an enormous mountain of Silt/Fill piled up right by the foot of the Lake Worth Bridge on the South West area( Bryant Park), along with some huge crane and large barge activity.... They are dumping fill into the water, trying to raise the height of the manmade mangrove islands, to about 7 feet or so higher than they are presently, and this is projected to take another 9 months--a time period where if nothing changes, we could expect the BHB Marine Park area to be subjected to such massive levels of Silt from all this fill, that all the sponges and the majority of benthic life will be destroyed...not to mention the use of the BHB area for diving will be over for this 9 month period.

I suggest EVERYONE try to get the real story of what is going on, and WHY there are not FUNCTIONAL PROTECTIONS in place to prevent the massive silting that can be seen from aerial flyovers, extending from the Lake Worth Bridge area where the fill is causing the massive silt and turbidity, all the way to the BHB Marine area and the Palm Beach Inlet.


In all fairness, I still need to get a Flyover by Jimmy Abernethy, to show aerial Proof ofe where most of the silt is coming from...there are a couple of other projects going on RIGHT NOW, near DownTown West Palm....we would need to see from the aerial video, if the main turbidity appears to originate at the Lake Worth Bridge area, or if it is a combination of existing projects...whatever we can see and get proof for, there will need to be changes in the method of restricting the silt flow from each area.

It may well be that someone got legal permission to dump all this silt, but I see it as imperative that we ASK our Envronmental Agencies to step in and FORCE the Engineers responsible for this silting, to cease the project until they can continue the project without creating the massive silt zone that will be absolutely destructive to a valuable County Marine Resource.

 

[The Chairman]

Horrible news. People usually have no idea about the havoc they are causing the environment. Contact your local DEA. Building projects HAVE to control their silt.

 

[Reck Diver]

You're a tad late getting to the table. This project started several years ago. Many of us volunteered in the initial mangrove planting. Phase two is now well underway. Funny now all-of-sudden it is an environmental calamity.

A look at the science shows the long term benefits this project will have for the Lake Worth Lagoon.

For those that do not know, the lagoon was originally a freshwater lake and wetlands that was totally destroyed when the Palm Beach Inlet was created. This killed ALL life in the lagoon, until the saltwater species could adapt and inhabit the waterway.

A bit of turbidity from the project will only affect the divers viz.

Before any more kneejerk reactions, read this:
Snook Islands Natural Area

Oh yeah, note the Dept. of Environmental Protection is a partner in the project.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

South Cove Natural Area

Is this the project you are worried about?

 

[danvolker]

You're a tad late getting to the table. This project started several years ago. Many of us volunteered in the initial mangrove planting. Phase two is now well underway. Funny now all-of-sudden it is an environmental calamity.

A look at the science shows the long term benefits this project will have for the Lake Worth Lagoon.

For those that do not know, the lagoon was originally a freshwater lake and wetlands that was totally destroyed when the Palm Beach Inlet was created. This killed ALL life in the lagoon, until the saltwater species could adapt and inhabit the waterway.

A bit of turbidity from the project will only affect the divers viz.

Before any more kneejerk reactions, read this:
Snook Islands Natural Area

As is typical, Reckdiver enjoys urinating in the drinking water of others.....Metaphorically speaking.
Reckdiver, it is very clear you have disdain for the divers that enjoy diving the Blue Heron Bridge area....
However, this is a valid user group of a County Resource, one that the County of Palm Beach has decided to promote and protect. Meanwhile, the project by the Lake Worth Bridge was a way that former mayor Rodney was able to get county funding for the mangrove project, and use garbage silt that the County did not have any good place for....So Rodney succeeded in getting Lake Worth to essentially be a new garbage dump for dredged silt.
The area is not going to appeal to many nature lovers, because it is so contiguous to residential areas....it is too much like seeing wading birds in some marsh--and then realizing in the bigger picture, that this marsh is in a puddle in between I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. Sure there is a nature value, but in the case of the manmade mangrove islands of Lake Worth, they do not have the right to destroy the marine life of the Blue Heron Bridge area, for what was originally just a garbage dump for silt.

I would actually LIKE to see them make these Islands nicer....it beautifies the Intracoastal...But this will require much more responsible engineering practices or monitoring of turbidity. We should NEVER be seeing 2 foot visibility at the BHB Underwater park area, because of a Municipality being allowed to dump garbage silt into the Intracoastal.... I am wondering if the town of Lake Worth, is getting PAID for allowing the dupmping of this garbage silt/fill into the Intracoastal, in their water rights area by the Lake Worth Bridge and mangrove Islands previously created by Lake Worth designating this as a dumping site for excess "garbage" silt.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Why don't you get a copy of the permit Dan? Before you go off, why not find out what is allowed and what is not? I seriously doubt that the permit was issued with an understanding that a turbidity plume is allowed to migrate for miles. Most likely, the permit has very specific requirements for silt screen, turbidity monitoring, performance criteria and probably specifies what is to occur if these conditions are not met.

It may not be difficult to document that turbidity monitoring requirements are not being adhered to. If you begin to objectively document failure to comply with the permit, then it should not be that hard to demand that construction cease until the project has been brought into compliance. In my experience, some contractors will cut corners to expedite the project. Unless someone calls them on it, they will continue to do what has been "good enough". Adressing permit compliance from a knowledgable and objective perspective will be more effective than bad mouthing the goals or attributes of the final completed project. You opportunity to bitch about the project itself has passed. The contractor doesn't give a crap if the project is silly, wasteful or superfluous, he just has to build it. Your goal should be to see that the construction is done in a legal manner.

 

[danvolker]

I have been doing more looking in to this issue of horrible viz and sand transport.....Jimmy Abernethy is probably going to have to head back to the Bahamas before he can get a chance to do an aerial video for silt plumes...for this week, but he is promising as soon as he gets back from this trip, to make the aerial a priority.

I spoke with Carmen Vaire of ERM, and it is not looking so likely that the Lake Worth Project could be the major factor causing this level of silting, given the extreme measure they are already taking.....There were some people that were diving south of Peanut Island by Rybovitch ( there is a reef there actually) and the vis was closer to 10 feet, while by Annies dock it was more like 3 feet...this is indicating that we are getting an ocean influence far worse than past Hurricaines have caused....and in fact, there are shipwrecks exposed right now, that have not been sticking out of the sand for decades! A lot of sand got picked up, and may still be transporting....It also looks like huge amounts of fresh water have been released through the canals, and we may have some kind of a "multiple causation" issue making the viz and silting as bad as it is.
I think it is still crucial that we get some Helicopter time to look for Silt plumes where they don't belong. Again, unless Jimmy gets out today, this will have to wait a week.

 

[deeper thoughts]

I guess the local news stations are aware of this?

 

[danvolker]

I don't think the News is aware of it, but before I would go to the News, I will want to be 100% sure I know where the silt and suspended sand is originating from, and also that if someone was responsible for this, that they knew and had been informed of the issue and then gotten an answer from them on what changes we could expect....Right now, without the aerial video, I don't know that I would want to assume I know enough to talk to the news..

I have seen plenty or aerial videos on the past, that leave no doubt whatsover where the silt is coming from...
For the next few days, lets just hope that this is more about left-over sand transport from Huricaine Sandy..and that it will clear soon!!! If anyone else gets a chance to do a fly over, please let us know!

 

[Reck Diver]

Horrible news. People usually have no idea about the havoc they are causing the environment. Contact your local DEA. Building projects HAVE to control their silt.

You have been duped.

I guess the local news stations are aware of this?

A google search of the Snook Islands Project or Lake Worth Lagoon Restoration will reveal numerous newspaper articles. It has also been highlighted on television. One of the national fishing shows shot a program there recently for their 2013 season. It will highlight the work on the Snook Islands Project.

Aside from the open meetings where the community was welcome to participate, this project was scrutinzed by environmental groups, the media and the Palm Beach County Commission. It is hard to find anyone, except for the op and a few cranky ex-NY Lake Worth bloggers, giving negative comments on the project.

Terrible new threat to the Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park

Dan, when did that area become the Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park? The only places I've seen that name used is on your posts and on your on-line magazine.

Though taken from another thread, Zieg is correct. There is no "Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park" ; nor is it, as the op has suggested - a Marine Sanctuary.

I just found some very disturbing activity going on...

The Project Began in 2003, phase one was completed in 2005 Over 7 years ago.... Where ya been?
Here's a link www.pbcgov.com/erm/downloads/pdf/newsletters/spring2012.pdf

Apparently, "someone" decided to build up the mangrove islands... but I see it as imperative that we ASK our Envronmental Agencies to step in and FORCE the Engineers responsible for this silting, to cease the project until they can continue the project without creating the massive silt zone that will be absolutely destructive to a valuable County Marine Resource....
I spoke with Carmen Vaire of ERM...

"The phase-two Snook Islands project will help clean water in the Lake Worth Lagoon and will create more habitat for fish and birds," said Carman Vare, an environmental program supervisor with Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management, which is overseeing the project. I guess Carmen is quite close to the project. I wouldn't be surprised if the op's conversation gave her a chuckle. I do like that op went for the shoot first aim later approach.

Here's the link: Phase 2 of Snook Islands habitat to begin in Lake Worth next week | www.palmbeachpost.com

..use garbage silt that the County did not have any good place for....So Rodney succeeded in getting Lake Worth to essentially be a new garbage dump for dredged silt.

Phase one; completed in 2005 used fill previously excavated from the Lake Worth Lagoon's turning basin & the Palm Beach Inlet, which was piled on Peanut Island. Phase two (the current operation) uses fill excavated from Okeeheelee Park. The fill was not obtained from Chernoble; Three Mile Island or the Love Canal. BTW, I don't think former Mayor Rodney Romano had much to do with the project other than staging areas located within city limits.

All Bullsh**t aside, I could go on. The point is that this project is very important for the water quality in the Lake Worth Lagoon. It is water quality, not silting, that is the primary enemy to life in the lagoon.
A previously dead "benthic zone" in the lagoon will now have seagrass and oxygen and light. New oyster beds will filter filter lagoon water 24/7. This healthy habitat will support life up the entire food chain. It will benefit all recreational users of the Lagoon, including the divers who enjoy diving in it at the bridge.

-RD-

---------- Post added November 20th, 2012 at 10:49 PM ----------

Should anyone want to go through them.... here are the plans to the project from the Department of Environmental Management

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...IT2FAG&sig=AHIEtbRXlypyAtHeltMVAaz2_g1GYFO7Mg