WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS TO BE SUMMARIZED
As the future of our troubled St. Lucie estuary remains unknown, the director of the South Florida Water Management District will appear at the Rivers Coalition on April 25 to give the District and Corps of Engineers perspective on what improvements may be ahead.
Concerned citizens should be sure to notice that the meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, at Stuart Hall. No admission, and parking is free.
Whether the St. Lucie river gets the long-term help it needs depends to a large extent on involvement by the public.
Melissa Meeker, executive director of the District since last June under the Scott administration, plans to describe ideas for various projects that may lessen the discharges and pollution the estuary has suffered for many years.
Meeker's appearance will be an opportunity for river advocates to ask hard questions on just what may be done to improve the estuary and overall Everglades.
Discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie canal totaled more than 300 billion gallons in 2005 alone, though dry years since then have held down the onslaughts.
The Rivers Coalition has fought for creation of a flowway that would take up to six billion gallons or so a day south from the lake instead of officials' sending it to the two large east and west estuaries, as is done in wet years.
A question sure to be asked of the District director is this: How much of that desired six billion gallons would be addressed by plans being discussed?
When the big rains return, assuming they do as predicted, the public outcry will intensify once again, but now is the time to take preventive steps. Let's restore the the St. Lucie to its once pristine condition as North America's most biologically diverse estuary.
Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday April 25 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Night Meeting
Thursday May 31 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday June 28 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Wednesday July 25 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Night Meeting
Thursday August 30 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday Sept 27 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Wednesday October 24 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Night Meeting | 
