-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
-
Hello all! We will be performing a website & forum update soon. You may get logged out so now is the time to make sure your email address in your account is correct - go to your account to check it and update it now. Send us a message with your username and/or email address if you need help.
Salt Water in Eastern Lake
- Thread starter heathernken
- Start date
heathernken
Beach Lover
its about time
In response to Dunelaker, there has not been any similar significant inflow in he past year since I have been here full time. It is ridiculous that the county continues to monkey with the outflow and that there are people running around claiming that the lake is dead, however it has been nearly devoid of salt water creatures for some time. Seems to me that if the meddlers would just put up with the high levels and just wait til it breaks through on it's own, the force would dig a deeper channel on its own and it would get us closer to the lake resuming its tidal ways after draining. Now we have some real salt water and I am hoping to see the salt water grasses that are nearly dead in my yard returning and I wont miss the weeds either. It also seems to me that to claim that these problems we have seen since 2005 are from that guy dumping the sand are crazy. Remember all of the dunes in front of the houses one the beach before Dennis? I submit that the sand from those missing dunes did not just wash away but was spread over the entire beach, raising the overall beach elevation, changing the outfall. I'm quite certain something similar has happened before and is quite natural- just hasn't happened since people have lived here, which isn't very long in the big scheme of things. One more observation- Although I hate that the meddlers get their way, I think that isfthe lake was full last night rather than empty, it would not be full of salt water right now as the surge would have had nowhere to go. I certainly don't thing the county planned it that way though- just luck I'd say.
In response to Dunelaker, there has not been any similar significant inflow in he past year since I have been here full time. It is ridiculous that the county continues to monkey with the outflow and that there are people running around claiming that the lake is dead, however it has been nearly devoid of salt water creatures for some time. Seems to me that if the meddlers would just put up with the high levels and just wait til it breaks through on it's own, the force would dig a deeper channel on its own and it would get us closer to the lake resuming its tidal ways after draining. Now we have some real salt water and I am hoping to see the salt water grasses that are nearly dead in my yard returning and I wont miss the weeds either. It also seems to me that to claim that these problems we have seen since 2005 are from that guy dumping the sand are crazy. Remember all of the dunes in front of the houses one the beach before Dennis? I submit that the sand from those missing dunes did not just wash away but was spread over the entire beach, raising the overall beach elevation, changing the outfall. I'm quite certain something similar has happened before and is quite natural- just hasn't happened since people have lived here, which isn't very long in the big scheme of things. One more observation- Although I hate that the meddlers get their way, I think that isfthe lake was full last night rather than empty, it would not be full of salt water right now as the surge would have had nowhere to go. I certainly don't thing the county planned it that way though- just luck I'd say.
TreeFrog
Beach Fanatic
I haven't seen the outfalls from all the lakes, only Western, Eastern, Deer, and Camp Creek. But of those four, only Eastern has a broad and straight pool. The rest are narrow and meandering, like a creek. I've seen older aerial photos that show a similar outfall from Eastern. I'm assuming the change is from the major dig-out that Dunelaker refers to.
Since Gustav washed so much sand into the Eastern Lake outfall, it seems possible that it could evolve back into a narrow and meandering outfall, if left alone.
Since Gustav washed so much sand into the Eastern Lake outfall, it seems possible that it could evolve back into a narrow and meandering outfall, if left alone.
DuneLaker
Beach Fanatic
HeathernKen, While we didn't have a hurricane last year, there were a number of openings last year and inflow was documented. Welcome to Eastern Lake. I or my family has had a home here over 50 years. I agree with a number of your statements. I was also here for a number of hurricanes and tropical storms, including Hurricane Ivan. If you watched my video of Ivan coming into Eastern Lake, you would see for yourself the inflow of surge. Will have to have a program one day or get help with posting videos. My earliest photo of Eastern Lake that I have handy is from 1930 and I have one of outfall about 1945. In the meantime, good article in Northwest Florida Daily News today on positive progress being made on management plan for Coastal Dune Lakes. We do need to address the process of opening. The trigger point issue is very flawed, IMO. Way too low and perhaps should not exist at all. Certainly should not be based on someone's dock or room built in a flood plain. Thanks for your interest.
heathernken
Beach Lover
Do you know...
Are these meetings that you mentioned in your earlier post open to the public? I would like to get involved in this process. I feel strongly that the continual intervention by the county is detrimental to the lake and my property. I believe that if left alone perhaps the outfall would be back to its pre dennis self. Their intervention prolongs these high lake levels and exacerbates the problem. So everyone has been crying cause there has been very little salt water in the lake. Now its full of salt water, the outfall has closed and the level is very high and many dock are underwater again. Are they going to open it again without telling anyone and let out the salt water we have been wanting for so long? They need to leave it alone.
Are these meetings that you mentioned in your earlier post open to the public? I would like to get involved in this process. I feel strongly that the continual intervention by the county is detrimental to the lake and my property. I believe that if left alone perhaps the outfall would be back to its pre dennis self. Their intervention prolongs these high lake levels and exacerbates the problem. So everyone has been crying cause there has been very little salt water in the lake. Now its full of salt water, the outfall has closed and the level is very high and many dock are underwater again. Are they going to open it again without telling anyone and let out the salt water we have been wanting for so long? They need to leave it alone.
DuneLaker
Beach Fanatic
Volunteering for Coastal Dune Lakes
The meetings of the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board of Walton County are open. I don't have their schedule, but you could contact Julie Terrell, Director, of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), at 850-729-6456, and she might get it for you. CBA works with LakeWatch that monitors the dune lakes and helped convene the recent Coastal Dune Lake Management Plan meeting along with this board. Her email address is terrellj@owc.edu They are always looking for participants, volunteers and donations. Walton County Code Enforcement is 622-0000. They might direct you to issues and meetings.
The meetings of the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board of Walton County are open. I don't have their schedule, but you could contact Julie Terrell, Director, of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), at 850-729-6456, and she might get it for you. CBA works with LakeWatch that monitors the dune lakes and helped convene the recent Coastal Dune Lake Management Plan meeting along with this board. Her email address is terrellj@owc.edu They are always looking for participants, volunteers and donations. Walton County Code Enforcement is 622-0000. They might direct you to issues and meetings.
Last edited:
TreeFrog
Beach Fanatic
I suspect HeathernKen will be happy to participate in Dune Lake Advisory Board meetings, as those meetings are moving toward a long-term solution (having been to a couple myself). But it is the Dune Lake "Advisory" Board, and it appears to me that one or more county agencies actually control whether or when the county will dig out the opening.
In the short term, what we need is a way to try to prevent the short-cutting of due process and/or open review that DuneLaker seems to imply happened in the most recent opening.
Is that Code Enforcement or someone else?
In the short term, what we need is a way to try to prevent the short-cutting of due process and/or open review that DuneLaker seems to imply happened in the most recent opening.
Is that Code Enforcement or someone else?
DuneLaker
Beach Fanatic
One of the items to come out of the Dune Lake Management meeting was that we should work more closely with our legislative delegation for a number of reasons. I would suggest calling, writing and visiting with our state senator, Senator Don Gaetz and our state representative for SoWal, Representative Marti Coley. Walton County also has Representative Don Brown as a state representative (he's term limited, so new rep after Nov.) All of the Northwest Florida delegation should be interested in the well being of the Coastal Dune Lakes, from both an environmental and economic standpoint. Other points of contact might also be the DEP and the Army Corps of Engineers. As a navigatable waterway, the outfalls can and often do fall under the jurisdiction of the Corps. The water in the lakes is in most cases, state property. If the county doesn't seem to be following proper procedures, then perhaps assistance can be supplied by other avenues. Regardless, we need to meet, inform and coordinate with our local state legislative delegation. They can often assist with communication with regulatory state agencies and may provide funding when the priority is explained.
Last edited:
TreeFrog
Beach Fanatic
The lake outfall is shallow now, only a few inches. All this week, now that the Labor Day crowd is gone, there has been green heron feeding in there each morning. Today, it was joined by a blue heron. Sorry, no pics - my little pocket camera doesn't zoom enough and I knew I'd scare them away if I got close enough for a photo.