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The ‘Big Story'
for the District in Fiscal Year 1999-00, was the passage of two
Hurricanes, Floyd and Irene, in September and October of 1999.
Over 12 miles of dikes were severely damaged, requiring repairs
totalling over $3 M. The repairs were completed by late September
of 2000, with minimal disruption to the management process.
The annual, 1999,
mosquito breeding season also ended with a short Saint Louis
Encephalitis (SLE) transmission cycle, following the passage of
Hurricane Irene. The SLE transmission necessitated alteration of
the control program to target Culex nigripalpus (the SLE vector).
Chemical dosage rates were increased and spraying frequency
(repetitive night fogging) was increased, while we focused on
"at risk" areas, which possessed higher background
mosquito populations. Thirty percent more ground spraying actually
had to be performed to control mosquitoes during the year (1.3
Million Acres), partially due to the occurrence of SLE
transmission. Fortunately, no aerial spraying was needed along the
margins of the cities, and the local residents heeded the Public
Health warnings to avoid mosquitoes, so no one contracted the
illness.
Impoundment
improvements targeting management and restoration were
accomplished during the year, with help from the Indian River
Lagoon Surface Water Improvement and Management Program, along
with the Indian River Lagoon License Plate Grant Program. The
improvements included culvert installations, pump station
installations, and nearly 40,000 LF of Brazilian pepper exotic
tree removal.
Mitigation Banking
at Bear Point also moved forward with the approval of an |
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agreement with the
landowners for the development of a public-private partnership, and
with the submittal of a Mitigation Bank permit application. The
Mitigation Banking Instrument, currently under review, by State and
Federal agencies, may provide a total of 49.77 wetland mitigation
credits for County-wide estuarine projects, and is potentially valued
at approximately $3.7 M. Potential users include DOT (for bridge
construction), the County, the City of Port St. Lucie, and private
developers.
The District is nearing
completion of a very successful effort to acquire lands in the Indian
River Lagoon Blueway. Funding for portions of the Blueway was provided
by the County Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program. Joint-federal (USFWS),
State (CARL) and District acquisition initiatives at Bear Point (Phase
III), and at the Avalon Addition III site (CARL), are underway, and we
also learned that our proposal to have Jack Island Addition purchased
by the State of Florida was proceeding apace. The result of such
acquisitions will be improved impoundment management flexibility, the
ability to perform needed restoration of tidal access and water
quality to a number of impoundment areas, increased public
recreational access to the Indian River Lagoon, and ultimately
District fostering of public ownership of nearly 54 % of the land area
of the barrier island.
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Blind Creek Park and
Mosquito Impoundment |
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