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bsmart

brain
Aug 19, 2005
1,390
6
41
Atlanta, GA.
I am unclear on the management of the outfall on the coastal dune lakes. Could someone give me a rundown on what exactly is proposed to be managed and why? Why are some property owners pushing the CDLAB to manage outfall at the coastal dune lakes...this is the only aspect of this that I am unclear on.

Thanks y'all.

Brian.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
I believe these are the owners that built there homes in what are essentially "flood planes" of the dune lakes and now everytime they're threatened they want a bull dozer to dig out any sand stopping the water. Then we will put the bull dozer away and marvel at the beauty of nature.
 

NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
I can give a little background. The first permit to manage an outlet was given for Lake Powell. The alleged reason was to open the outlet when the lake level rose above a certain height, to lower the water in the lake because of septic tanks and docks being underwater. Since then Walton County has pursued permits to do the same thing with Eastern, Western, Alligator and Oyster lakes. I'm not sure what the status of those permit applications is - someone will probably come along and tell us. Except in the case of Oyster Lake, it is more the level of the water in the lakes than the location of the outlets. At Oyster Lake, there is an owner on the east side of the outlet who is involved in a lawsuit with the county. He wants the outlet "managed" so he can build on a lot there. His lawsuit has also halted the restoration plans for Oyster Lake. The county got a grant to build a bridge on 30A there where it crosses the outlet. There is an old culvert there that blocks inward flow of gulf water into Oyster Lake, it is at the wrong elevation for natural functioning of the outlet.
I'm told that in the good old days some of the lakes, especially Powell and Western, stayed open for longer periods and more frequently and that the salinity was higher - lots of salt water fish were caught in those lakes. But the sand has built up at most of the outlets in the last few years. It used to be more common for locals to open the outlets frequently with shovels and such. In the overall long term picture I think these swings in salinity and vegetation have happened lots, but folks have a hard time taking a longterm view. Also in the past before all the development, well, if the lake level stayed high for a while it didn't bother anyone much, and when it finally opened up it didn't threaten anyone who built close to the outlet. The county has also been trying to get rid of all the septic tanks around the lakes - not sure what the status is of those, but personally I don't swim in the outlets when they open up.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
NDY, Lake Powell used to be an Inlet, I can scan in some pics of Pinnacle Port back when they advertised the ability to launch and go to the Gulf. The funny thing is that Lake Powell is probably one of the larger examples that coastal dune lakes don't neccessarily open all the time. Perhaps they go thru decades of closure?
 

NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
NDY, Lake Powell used to be an Inlet, I can scan in some pics of Pinnacle Port back when they advertised the ability to launch and go to the Gulf. The funny thing is that Lake Powell is probably one of the larger examples that coastal dune lakes don't neccessarily open all the time. Perhaps they go thru decades of closure?
I've heard that, it is what I was sort of referring to. Also heard there used to be dolphins living in the lake, ala Flipper. I've been told, but don't know it for a fact, that the locals used to routinely keep Lake Powell open with shovels. But the thing is, the sand has really built up at all the lake outlets, even as the beaches in general have eroded, and we have not had a tropical system for what, two years now? A storm surge would probably sweep all that build up away. It could be a change in the weather patterns we are seeing that is keeping the lakes mostly closed, or it could be part of a cycle. The problem is that our historical knowledge of the lakes is very short compared to the time the lakes have been around. Even 100 years is not much in the geological time frame. So yes, they might go through decades of closure, and maybe decades of being open too, for all we know. :dunno:
My real point is our collective reluctance to take that longer view - if we knew there were decades long closures and we still built docks and septic tanks, well then we are building stuff that will require "management." Likewise if we accepted the fact that the outlets meander over decades, we shouldn't be building so close to the outlets that we then need to armor up the outlets to keep them in one place.
 

scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
Let's just put the entire world in a NO-GROW BOX.

Or just start using some common sense before laying the foundation or signing the paperwork!

Don't build low in a flood plain and want lakes dug out to save your property, don't build as close as you can to the ocean and then want public land for a seawall, don't build in a planned resort community and then complain about renters making noise, don't build next to an airport (or the largest air force base in the US) and complain about plane noise, and don't build tens and hundreds of units and then biatch about "your" beach being crowded! :angry:
 
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NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
Let's just put the entire world in a NO-GROW BOX.
I don't really think that is necessary. I do think we ought to have some appreciation for natural systems, especially rare and special ones like the coastal dune lakes. And a few thoughts for future generations might be in order as well. Too bad you seem to think there are only two available boxes, no grow and grow without limits. :bang:
 
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