The September 26 Rivers Coalition meeting featured a presentation by Col. Brandon Bowman, the new Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, of updates on the Corps’ projects. A representative from the South Florida Water Management District was also scheduled to give updates on their projects but was trying to deal with Hurricane Helene and unable to join us, and Col. Bowman had to leave early for the same reason. The updates were thus somewhat incomplete.

Col. Bowman reported that, after a seemingly-endless process, the new Lake Okeechobee Systems Operating Manual which replaced the 2008 version is now in effect. It will prevent discharges from the lake 95% of the time, give the Corps much more flexibility in managing the lake, and involves local stakeholders in the decision-making process. These are real positives for the St. Lucie Estuary.

Meanwhile, the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area northeast of Indiantown is now in the testing phase. It was designed to treat runoff (rainwater) before it gets into the St. Lucie Canal, and is already reducing phosphorous content by 80%. During the testing process, the C-44 water level is being held at 10 feet, but will go up 15 feet when the process is completed in 2026. The C-44 is thus an important step forward to make Estuary water healthier.

The Corps’ other big project impacting us is the huge A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area south of the lake. When it’s done, the Corps will be able to send a lot more water south; enough to lower the lake level by half a foot, in fact. Alas, these things take a long, long time to build; the A-2 won’t be fully operational for another 6-8 years. Col. Bowman stressed, however, that only water from the lake will flow through the A-2 project; it is not a place for Big Sugar to dump their runoff.

John Maehle, from Martin County, reported that they have planted 13 acres of seagrass so far this year. He also proudly announced the county has met 100% of their regulatory benchmarks, adding that “we always try to exceed them, not just meet them”.

Finally, a sour note: Mark Perry reported that conditions in the Estuary were “very bad” due to all the rain runoff of late which have lowered salinity levels significantly. Given all the rain Hurricane Helene dumped on the West Coast, Georgia and North Carolina, though, “very bad” is a whole lot better than what those folks have to deal with. 

-- Walter Deemer, Martin County League of Women Voters