City staff will be meeting with Lake Masters (Aquatic Weed Control Contractor) this week to develop a plan of action to address the city’s canal concerns.
The reduced levels of maintenance over the past four years has allowed invasive water plants to increase their hold over many of the City’s canals. The unusually hot and dry weather pattern that we are experiencing in South Florida has led to very low water levels (see SFWMD report) which is resulting in one of the worst algae blooms in recent memory. The combination of these circumstances has created an unacceptable situation in our canal system.
The City’s Mayor and Commission have been in conversations with City staff discussing the issues that residents are bringing to them in reference to the condition of the canals in the City. In response, Public Works is battling the recent issues with all the tools at their disposal which includes granular and chemical spray treatments along with mechanical removal of debris and dead weeds. The department is also in the process of hiring additional personnel to help tackle the issues. “The canal bank restoration has been in the City’s Capital Improvement Program for a long time now. I’m happy were finally making some progress,” said Acting City Manager Dan Holmes. “We have been inundated with complaints referencing our canals because they were once a prize possession in the city. We are preparing now, to get the work started so that we can get them back in top condition and full of life.”
The City will discuss the recent algae blooms, the invasive weed growth, granular and chemical spray treatments, the removal of debris as well as the low water levels in the canals.
Public Works Director, Manny Diez feels confident the project will provide the City’s canals the much needed restoration which will account for happier residents who live alongside these once adored waterways.
Please stay tuned for more details on this and other Public Works projects….
For more information on this project, please contact the Public Information office at 954-535-2838.
###
