WHEN TO DREDGE?

RECOMMENDED WHEN THE “THROAT” OF THE PASS FALLS BELOW 200 SQUARE FEET IN CROSS- SECTION

PROBLEMS DOES NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HEALTH (NEEDS) OF THE MANGROVES IS A SNAPSHOT – ONE EVENT –WHO DECIDES WHEN TO TAKE SNAPSHOT & BASED ON WHAT CRITERIA? –EFFECT OF LUNAR CYCLE –WIND DIRECTION & SPEED –VOLUME OF WATER FLOWING THROUGH THE THROAT –SEASONAL WEATHER PATTERNS

PROBLEMS (CONTINUED) DAMAGES CAUSED BY DREDGING: –TO SEA-GRASSES –TO BENTHIC COMMUNITIES –TO EBB-SHOAL WHEN BRINGING IN THE DREDGE EQUIPMENT –DISTURBING EXISTING SEA-LIFE –BLOCKING ACCESS TO GULF FOR SEAGATE RESIDENTS, WHILE DREDGE ON LOCATION

PROBLEMS (CONTINUED) RECOMMENDATION DOES NOT MEASURE THE EFFECT OF: –RAINFALL IN THE MANGROVES –WATER ENTERING FROM NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES –FRESH WATER UP-WELLING THROUGH-OUT THE SYSTEM –THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT THESE CREATE IN THE FLUSHING OF THE “THROAT” –DOES NOT ADDRESS SEASONAL DIFFERENCES IN RAINFALL/DROUGHT

SUGGESTION WE NEED TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE “THROAT” THIS CAN EASILY BE ACCOMPLISHED IT HAS BEEN DONE SINCE 1998 MEASURE THE QUANTITY OF WATER ENTERING THE BAYS MEASURE THE EFFECT FLOOD AND EBB TIDES HAVE ON THE BAYS MEASURE HOW LONG WATER REMAINS THIS CAN BE DONE ON A DAILY BASIS, NOT ON A “SNAPSHOT” BASIS

CONCLUSION DREDGING SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HEALTH OF THE MANGROVES USE TIDAL FLOW DATA TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE “THROAT”.