Florida’s Big Dig
The story of the Intracoastal and other thoughts on water, waterways, land, and ecology
Category: Uncategorized
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Of the 34 million acres or so that make up the State of Florida, water comprises a substantial portion of it. At the top of the water management pyramid sits the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. Under the Department, five Water Management Districts manage a system of nine primary canals and their basins…
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In the years after the end of World War Two, Sam Griffiths, owner of the Pelican Harbor Yacht Club and a power boat enthusiast himself, organized the ultimate power boat race, the Gold Coast Marathon, which ran in the Intracoastal Waterway from his Club just south of the 79th Street Causeway to West Palm Beach,…
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MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS IN DISTRICT CANALS The year 2015 marks the Centennial Celebration of the Lake Worth Drainage District. In 1915, as a result of state legislation, this District came into being to drain excess water during the rainy season and contain water during dry seasons through an intricate system of monitoring, pumps,…
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Ft. Lauderdale attorney and historian William G. Crawford, Jr., author of the award-winning “Florida’s Big Dig,” was interviewed to air on C-Span 2 Book TV Saturday, May 16th and again Sunday, May 17th, 2015. The link to the interview at any time: http://www.c-span.org/video/?325649-1/book-discussion-floridas-big-dig#. Copy and paste to browser to view interview. The 2008 winner…
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The City of Fort Lauderdale has promoted itself as the ‘Venice of America’ for almost a century because of its more than one hundred miles of manmade and natural canals throughout the 36-square-mile city. But before it proclaimed itself the ‘Venice of America’ beginning in the 1920s, its weekly newspaper advertised the town on its masthead…
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As of yesterday, a dangerous navigational hazard has not yet been marked at Watts Cut (AICW mile marker 503). A concrete pole was driven in an angle into the bottomland of the Intracoastal Waterway. http://cruisersnet.net/cruisersnet-marine-map/?ll=32.61883333,-80.359&z=1 Under certain tidal conditions, the pole cannot be seen above water. Striking the pole at speed will result in a…
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Florida requires three “readings” before a bill can become Florida law. The legislation for a statewide anchoring law may die within the 60 day legislative session for lack of a scheduled third reading– or not”. http://www.waterwayguide.com/latest-news/news/5008/florida-anchoring-legislation-update-for-april-23
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William G. Crawford, Jr., lawyer, historian, and author was interviewed about his award-winning book by C-SPAN for airing the weekend of May 16-17, 2015, on C-SPAN 2 (Book TV). The 20-25 minute interview will run continuously during this block.