Florida’s Big Dig

The story of the Intracoastal and other thoughts on water, waterways, land, and ecology

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about

I am Bill Crawford. I was born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., bisected by the Intracoastal. I graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, with distinction, concentrating in finance. I obtained my juris doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law. I have practiced law for more than 43 years. I am a professional historian and author of the award-winning book, “Florida’s Big Dig,” (2008) the story of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. I have practiced law in Florida since 1975. Along the way, I developed a keen interest in researching and writing history, publishing numerous scholarly journal articles and one award-winning book, “Florida’s Big Dig,” the story of Florida’s Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, using my legal pbackground to understand legal transactions, deeds, wmortgages, bonds, preferred stock, and legal descriptions of land and water. In recent years, I have maintained a limited practice consulting with other professionals on various historical land and water issues, including sovereign, riparian, and submerged land rights, focusing on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and Florida inland waterways. I maintain a broad regular website here at www.floridasbigdig.me and a website solely on how the book was researched as well as some of the major themes explored. The website on the book itself is at www.floridasbigdig.com. The website on contacts for professional services is at www.floridasbigdiglawyer.com?. A fifteen-page outline of my book

  • Finnish canal boat

  • SpaceX  launch of Falcon 9 at Launch Complex 40 failed; Once again the News Industry has failed the American public.

    SpaceX launch this morning exploded after liftoff with two satellites to be placed in orbit.

    Again, news reporters and newspapers have again failed to do their job.

    Federal taxpayers are entitled to know what billionaires like SpaceX paid the federal government for the use of federal property accumulated over FIFTY YEARS.

    What did SpaceX pay for the use of federal property, intangible property like research and development, and engineering; and for tangible property like water, roads, electricity, sewerage, treatment, real property, (the flight looked like it flew over the Intracoastal Waterway) so how much was paid for overflying the ICW?

    How were the payments calculated?  Who calculated them?   What manual or guidelines were used? The public demands answers. I demand answers. And I will not rest until I get the answers.

    TheThe above is NASAs videotape of liftoff to explosion; not the SpaceX cheerleader version.

  • The Florida ibis — a wading bird

    More than 160 white ibises are housed at the University of Florida’s new Wetlands Ecological Research Aviary in Gainesville. The ibis is about the size of a chicken and has a long, decurved bill and blue eyes. Researchers at the facility will help federal and state agencies and other wildlife managers determine safe mercury levels for wildlife, especially for wading birds in the Florida Everglades. (AP Photo/University of Florida/IFAS/ Josh Wickham)
    More than 160 white ibises are housed at the University of Florida’s new Wetlands Ecological Research Aviary in Gainesville. The ibis is about the size of a chicken and has a long, decurved bill and blue eyes. Researchers at the facility will help federal and state agencies and other wildlife managers determine safe mercury levels for wildlife, especially for wading birds in the Florida Everglades. [The above photo depicts gray ibises.] (AP Photo/University of Florida/IFAS/ Josh Wickham)

    Wading birds like ibises and egrets fail to thrive when water levels are too high for wading birds to reach aquatic plants and animals.  Likewise, during periods of drought and water levels that are too low, the number of marine plants and animals diminishes.  Good ecology attempts to balance all needs to the extent that those responsible for water management can manage those resources responsibly.

  • Benchmarks

     

    ALL:  As of 6:23 PM EDT, I have posted 508 posts on this website, principally on upon the earth, water, land, some of the underpinning behind my book, “Florida’s Big Dig,” the story of the Intracoastal Waterway, from 1881 until 1935.”  Although I did not apply for the award my book was awarded the Rembert Patrick Award in 2008, for the best academic book on Florida history.  It has been continuously in print since 2007.  Recently,my publisher and Kinderbooks reached an agreement to publish the book as an electronic book, with all the bells

  • Welsh canal boat

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  • Scottish canal boat

     

     

    Scottish canal boat
    Scottish canal boat

  • How the Scottish Falkirk Wheel operates

    This video is eight minutes long, narrated by a Scottish narrator with English subtitles.  To be clear, the narrator speaks English with a Scottish inflection.  If you desire English subtitles or you are hearing impaired, there is a button on the control panel which you may push to enable this feature.

    The Scottish Falkirk Wheel opened in 2002 to connect two different Scottish rivers, one River eighty feet higher than the other, much like the older wooden canal locks except tha the Falkirk Wheel uses the Archimedes principle so that while one group of boats in a caisson filled with water ascends to one River, the second group of boats in a caisson filed with water descends to a second intersecting River below.

     

     

     

  • United States Drought Monitor > Home

    United States Drought Monitor > Home

  • Great Blue Heron

    Lake Okeechobee

  • Irish waterways history

    Irish waterways history