Presidents Report by Dennis Barnhardt
As I mentioned in our last newsletter LRCA will be focusing on the conceptual design option #5 pipeline, as well as some other options that are still on the discussion table. I also mentioned that this project is not going to an easy task by any means. The county claims they do not have the money for another pipeline and the water management district opposes the idea for the reason they believe the wetlands will be impacted by the drawdown on Lowry Lake.
The water management district suggested we conduct a study that would provide information and data, which would illustrate what the impacts would be to the lake and surrounding wetlands. So now it will be our task to find any grants, which would pertain to lake water management that we could apply for. This is where we could us your help. If you know of any such grants please conduct LRCA. Some time ago we were told by Florida Representative Joe Pickens and his Aide Jack Hall they would research some grants and appropriations from the legislature for funding.
There are a few citizens that believe the installation of Option #5 pipeline will dry up Alligator Creek (south) and that the flow of water would “be only a one time effect”. But the “fact” is we don’t know what the result of the pipeline will be until we actually put it place and test run it. We do know for a “fact” that it would not be a “one time effect” due to the “fact: that there are four surficial springs and Option #3 pipe feeding Lowry Lake, which will replace any water that is drawn out of the lake.
We do know for a “fact” the outfall of Lowry Lake was approximately at 130 feet a.s.l., which probably has changed over time due to erosion and washout to the creek system. We also know that Lowry Lake has been at lake stages of 132 plus feet
As was stated in the 2002 Schrueder Report, Investigation and Conceptual Design of Options for the Lake Brooklyn Watershed, Clay County, Florida, the intent of Option #5 pipeline was to operate by the opening and closing of the pipeline at predetermined schedules and only lower Lowry Lake by one to three feet.
If you recall we didn’t know how Option #3 pipeline would impact the Southwest Quadrant Lake until we ran some pilot tests to see which way would be the most beneficial way to operate it. Amazing enough and to the astonishment of everyone, we were able to leave the Option #3 pipeline open indefinitely.
What would be interesting in knowing is the difference in volume of water that the pipe would displace compared to the volume that the natural outfall displaces. We do know that once the pipe was opened the volume of flow in Alligator Creek would be substantially increased and the water level of Brooklyn Lake would rise at a much faster rate
It is an option worth researching and we believe by having it in place would serve as an alternate water resource should we need it.
Vice Presidents Report by Tom Jones (No report at this time)
Treasurers Report by Duane Gill (No report at this time)
Public Relations Committee Report
LRCA will be holding a forum for the Clay County Commissioner Candidates whom are running for our district, District #4. It was voted by the membership at the last membership meeting to hold a forum of the candidates running for Clay County Commissioner District #4. Those candidates who are running for commissioner are, Steve Allain, Ridge Atrews, Rick Bebout, David, Noakes, Tammy Stewart, Scott Taylor and James Trott. The members felt that we needed to know where the candidates stood on the issues concerning the lakes in Keystone Heights therefore they requested they we ask to them to be our guests and to come to our membership meeting on April 10th.
LRCA will ask them five questions that pertain to the issues. They will be allowed ten minutes each to respond to these questions. It was a unanimous decision by the members to postpone our own April elections in order to hold this special meeting with the candidates.
We encourage all of our membership and the public to be in attendance of the April 8th. meeting and meet the candidates who wish to represent us as “our” county commissioner.
Did You Know
Did you know that the old mining area with the levee and rim ditch system on top of the infamous Trail Ridge, which was created by E.I. DuPont back in the 1950’s and 60’s, acts like a “bathtub”? This concept was first introduced by the hydrologists, Peter Schrueder and John Dumeyer, of Schrueder Inc. Peter and John conducted the study, “Investigation and Conceptual Design of Options for the Lake Brooklyn Watershed, Clay County, Florida." According to them the area referred to as the “old mining area”, approximately 1200 acres or so, works like a bathtub capturing rainfall.
Our former Editor, Karen Lake, described the “bathtub” in an article she wrote for the Communiqué in August 2001 as such, “Peter Schrueder, hydrologist, explained that the unreclaimed mined area simulates a bathtub. The mined-to depths of 25 to 40 feet represent the bottom of the bathtub and the outer perimeter of the mined area represents the exterior walls of the tub. The reason this condition exists is because of the dredge mining process. The materials have been homogenized and washed and consequently, resembles sifted powdered sugar as opposed to granulated sugar. The soils on the other side of this invisible tub wall are the way they have always been. As the two different soil conditions meet, the tub wall is formed. The sifted sands lack nutrients to sustain vegetation and therefore, the sands act like a sponge and collect rainfall.
John Dumeyer, senior engineer for Schrueder Inc., explained that the levee, the fifteen foot above ground berm, is cosmetic. “It is a dike on existing grade. It is a bounding dam – not like a river or true dam,” states Dumeyer. There is reason to believe that there is seepage off-site to all directions under the levee. The levee does not hold back water that would otherwise be coming toward the Upper Etonia Creek Basin. It effectively held turbid water that was being settled from the mining process from flowing downhill.
The information presented is preliminary. However, because these conditions exist, we are able to talk about water harvesting ideas for capturing rejected rainfall – that is rainfall that is not being used by the ecosystem that it comes from. John engineered four options with two alternative choices. They include both controlled and uncontrolled ways of delivering more water into or around the creek system.”
We now believe this to be true. When we first installed the Option #3 pipeline we thought once the water in the Southwest Quadrant Lake had been drained the pipe would either cease to flow or would decrease to a mere trickle. But to our astonishment water has continued to flow through the pipe since November of 2004.
Since we have been receiving substantial rainfall the bathtub theory has proven to be a success. Peter and Johns theory that it would work as a reservoir, capturing rainfall and delivering the water down the creek system and chain of lakes proved to be more than just a theory. We didn’t know how the pipeline system would work until we installed it and put it to the test. (The point is we don’t know for fact how Option #5 will work until we install it and put it to the test.
News You Can Use
March 21, 2006
Well there is a new Mayor in town and her name is Mary Lou Hildreth. We would like to congratulate her and wish her well on her new adventure. Mrs. Mary Lou Hildreth had promised in her campaign to keep the issues of the concerns for the lakes an active issue with the city of Keystone Heights. Mary Lou is a charming and delightful lady, and we look forward to working with the new Mayor. Speaking of Mayors, we would like to thank the former Mayor Lyndel Hale for his dedication and service to the community. Lyndel proved to be a great asset to our organization and opened many doors that had been ajar for quite some time. Mr. Hale chose not to run again for Mayor but rather to dedicate more time to his family. Lyndel you will be missed but not forgotten.
