If they knew it was going to be a El Nino year why was the water not managed?
Mary Perry from Florida Oceanographic speaking at a press conference in 2015. Behind him Ed Fielding, Martin County Commissioner, Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, Sewalls Point Commissioner, and Maggy Hurchalla, past Martin County Commissioner.
Mark Perry, the executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society said they knew it was going to be an El Nino year and it would bring lots of rain. This could have been avoided.”
“The Governor and the legislature have to be clear this year and take the money from amendment one and put it towards buying the land. They can budget 705 million over 20 years.”
“In the meantime Lake O is at the highest its been in ten years. It has got to be let out of the lake for the safety of the people who live near it.
Local experts say oysters and other marine life are already dying off after record rainfall led to the biggest freshwater discharge into the St. Lucie Estuary in years. Billions of gallons of dirty water is being pumped from Lake Okeechobee each day in an effort to lower water levels.
Local scientists say it has already hit the waters around Sandsprit Park where The Department of Health has advised that no one enter the water due to increased levels of bacteria and toxic algae. Experts believe this is just a sign of worse conditions to come.”
This is correct and this is why the water should have been been managed better. This year there was less water sent south so far before the rain then in the last two years.
Last September, South Florida Water Management District is brought in Gov. Rick Scott’s former general counsel as its next executive director.
The district’s governing board voted unanimously to work out a separation agreement with Executive Director Blake Guillory, who stepped down Sept. 30 from the $165,000-a-year position. They they offered the job to Peter Antonacci at the same annual rate.
Board Chairman Daniel O’Keefe said Antonacci will provide the agency with “expertise and experience, particularly in Tallahassee.”
“I think that he will bring a skill set that could be very beneficial to this water management district at a time when we have a focus on identifying the projects we want to complete over the next 10, 15 years,” O’Keefe said.
Maybe Mr Antonucci has experience in Tallahassee but obviously not with the management of water.
