The Drought Worsens and the Lakes Continue to Drop
The lack of rainfall continues to add to the deficit of the accumulative average amount we should be seeing for this time of the year. The months of June, July and August are normally the months we would receive the heaviest amounts of precipitation. We are now running a deficit of 9 inches +. Along with the rainfall deficit we are seeing high soaring temperatures reaching 90+ degrees with heat indexes in the triple digits, which only compounds the evaporation rate.
Ironically Alligator Creek has once again dried up. But the Option #3 pipeline is still flowing water into Blue Pond and Lowry Lake. On a recent field visit (June 16th.) by Lyndel Hale, Dennis Barnhardt, and Paul Catlett and Mathew Corby (as escorts), everyone was quite surprised, despite the drought to see the water still flowing out of the Southwest Quadrant Lake pipeline into Blue Pond. This just validates the credibility of the worth of installing the Option #3 pipeline.
Prior to the installation of the pipeline (Feb. 2003) Lowry Lake water level was at 129.51 ft. above sea level, Magnolia Lake was at 112.47 ft. a.s.l., Brooklyn Lake was at 88.26 ft. a.s.l. The pipeline was completed and opened October 1, 2004. In March 2006 (prior to the drought) Lowry Lake was at 132.18 ft. a.s.l., Magnolia Lake was at 124.35 ft. a.s.l., and Brooklyn Lake was at 104.28 ft. a.s.l.
We believe that the Option #7 pipeline has also contributed to the additional water drainage. According to David Wright, a spokesperson for E.I. DuPont, the Option #7 pipeline has been turned off since November of 2005 due to the reason there has been a shortage of rainfall, therefore they needed to use the water to recycle back to the plant for their mining process.
According to David Wright in an article published in the Lake Region Monitor July 13,2006 “The company promised to send its mining separation water toward the Keystone area, rather than sending it toward Bradford County as had been done for many years.” “The company expended funds to install a pipe to do just that. Wright said the pipe had been turned off since last November because of the long dry spell, which has only recently been broken.” “The premise of sending water has to do with rainfall and excess discharge.” “DuPont recycles a relatively constant quality of water for its mining operations. Its reserve is stored in a series of lakes, reservoirs, holding ponds and ditches, most of them on Camp Blanding or DuPont property. Only when there is sufficient rain and DuPont sees an excess capacity in its water reserve does the company turn on the pipe that feeds into Alligator Creek and ultimately into Lake Brooklyn.”
The fact is back in June DuPont was sending discharging water towards Starke from their “holding ponds”. So the question is if there isn’t any excess of water then what was this water they were discharging to Starke considered as?
As of July 26th. L.R.C.A. was informed by Keystone Heights Mayor Hildreth that David Wright told her by phone conversation the Option #7 pipeline was now opened and flowing into the rim ditch. Thank you David. Thanks DuPont.
Ladies and gentlemen this just confirms the fact we need to keep pursuing every option we can in order to find ways to improve our watersheds water resources.
Treasurers Report by Duane Gill
Lake Region Council Association Inc.
Financial Report Calendar Year
From 07/01/2005 to 06/30/2006
Beginning balance $ 1,450.91 Ending balance $ 1,336.58
Revenues
Membership Dues $2,765.00
Donations $1,112.50
Total Revenues $3,877.50
Expenditures
Office Supplies $6.10 (Bank checks)
Postage $661.65
Newsletter printing $2,096.50
Bank Service Charges $120.00
*Gifts of Kindness $700.00 (Salvation Army—Katrina)
Taxes / Cooperate Filings $61.25
Scholarship Fund $250.00
Newspaper Advertisement $96.33
Total Expenditures $3,991.83
* “Gifts of Kindness” were expenditures given in the form of a donation.
Did You Know?
Back in the month of April 10th. LRCA held a forum for the candidates who are running for office on the county commissioners board for Clay County Commissioner District #4 (Republican) . Seven of the candidates appeared before the membership and board. LRCA had given each of the candidates a list of five questions that we felt addressed our concerns of the issues with the representation that Keystone Heights would receive by their seat as commissioner. We gave each of the candidates a copy of the five questions the board had put together a month before they were to appear at the forum. We did this purposely to give them a chance to research their answers and their thoughts concerning the lake issues.
Due to the request of our readers and members we were asked to publish what the candidates had to say about the issues.
First, here are the five questions the LRCA board decided to ask of the candidates.
1. Are you in favor of the (Lowry Lake) Option # 5 pipeline project, which was created by the hydrologic firm Peter Schrueder Inc.?
2. Are you in favor of Option # 6 well, an augmentation well to be used to pump the water into Brooklyn Lake? (also an option designed by Peter Schrueder Inc.
3. What are your ideas or suggestions for an alternative water resource? (an example for an alternative water source, there was a suggestion to acquire the well and pump from E.I. DuPont after they were finished with their operation at the Trail Ridge Refinery. Optional: Would you be in favor of this idea?)
4. What idea or plans would you bring forth to protect the water resources we have currently recovered and to protect our natural recharge area?
5. We understand that we are a small community in the corner of this county and have at times felt neglected. As the county commissioner for the Keystone Heights area, what are your plans for better representation to our community?
Due to limited amount of space we will give a brief description of their reply. (In Alphabetical order)
Candidate # 1 Steve Allain
Yes ( We need to clean out the creek bed)
No –Not in favor.
Finding more drain off from Alligator Creek.
I will work with the lake associations.
I will step forward and I will be a chairman for this area, coming here once a month.
Candidate # 2 Ridge Atrews
(Mr. Atrews has dropped out of the elections)
Candidate # 3 Rick Bebout
Yes - Keep all options open and on the table.
Yes - I am in favor of all of the options.
Yes I am in favor for the Dupont Well.
Investigate more and do more research on water resource protection. No more mining operations in this area.
Visibility, accountability and I will work for this organization in the local government and in Tallahassee, will work for my district and my county. Will bring your county back to you. Time to reenergize and not sit back because the lakes are drying up.
Candidate # 4 – David Noakes
Yes – Will fill up Lake Brooklyn more, will bring more business into the county.
No – I believe this will work like recycling of water on the lake.
I am in favor of the cleaning of Alligator Creek, allowing more flow thru Alligator Creek.
Deter people from pumping water to water lawns. We need to ask for more rain with prayers!
If elected you will get sick of seeing me. Any problem you would have I will take of.
Candidate # 5 – Chereese Stewart
Yes – Greatest way to stabilize the lakes. Will give it my all to get permit from SJRWMD.
No – Not enough information on this. Who is going to maintain this? Will there be access to area? Is this gong to affect the animal and plant life. May not make sense to pump & recycle water by pumping. Use other means.
Start off at the top and feed (water) always down to lakes. Water resources.
Support all options and actions already in place. Work together as a group to get water back to levels needed. Open to new ideas. We need to protect the recharge area.
I know what it is to be neglected! I will set up office somewhere in Keystone to continue to support lakes and issues working with the City and taxpayers to get funds for lakes. I will do my best to get the issues to the Board of Commissioners.
Candidate # 6—Scott Taylor
Yes – We need a unique county commissioner to deal with the County, Camp Blanding and SJRWMD to get this project put thru.
No – Not enough data out there. Is there enough money out there? Need more information on this in the long range.
Will support the take over of DuPont Well. Money is the root of this issue.
Did read about special taxation district for the issue. I don’t know if there is enough support for this (money) issue.
Will join this organization and be apart of this organization. One Saturday a month I will be in this area, City Hall or Fire Station for public meetings. Will post in newspaper when we will be in the area for all issues in the area that need attention. Want to be apart of the team of keeping our lakes full.
Candidate # 7 – James Trott
Did not answer this question!
Need more information on this. Need to look at the conditions of the quality of the water in lakes also not just quantity.
I can work with the Army Core of Engineers to help with these issues. Have to work with EPA system telling them we are a very important asset to this area. There is no quick fix will take a long time to address.
Did not answer this question.
I will maintain all resources in area. Will work hard for this area.
We just recently heard there are now two other candidates who have thrown their hats in for the office of Clay County Commissioner District #4 and they are Theresa Noakes and Richard Fain. This makes for a tough campaign with so many candidates running at one time. It’s as if you were at a turkey shoot with a flock of turkeys and only one shot in your rifle. Please do not misunderstand, we are implying these ladies and gentlemen are a bunch of turkeys, it just makes the decision very difficult as to which one to vote for.
The fact is we need someone who will recognize Keystone Heights as a prosperous community and who will listen to our concerns. The primary election is September 5th
News You Can Use
Camp Blanding will be opening Lowry Lake and Magnolia Lake to anglers July 28, 2006. Public access to the lakes will be from 7:AM to 1:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Anglers will have to check in at the Treat Road guard shack off of S.R. 21. The lakes will be closed on days that military training is being exercised. Florida National Guard Adjutant General Douglas Burnett was quoted as saying, “Many have fished these lakes for years and we disliked not being able to provide this privilege after Sept. 11th. Now we can restore some of these opportunities.” Some of the thanks goes to Joey Tyson, owner of the Bald Eagle Tackle for his persistence in requesting the lakes be reopened.
