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achieve with the acquisition of the Flowage Easement and Hold Harmless Agreement by <br />obtaining over 7,171 acres of the Corrigan property, which is everything they own west <br />of the I-95. This acquisition gives them the ability to operate the Upper Basin projects, <br />specifically the Blue Cypress Water Management area, which houses a significant <br />population of Snail Kites. <br /> <br />Director Christianson <br /> briefly described the two properties to be <br />exchanged and provided data from appraisals that had been done. At the request of <br />Commissioner Davis, Mr. Christianson explained that the Flowage Easement gives them <br />the right to flow water onto the eastern side of the Corrigan property. It also gives the <br />Corrigans the right to build a blockage to stop the water, and the obligation to maintain it. <br />Similarly, if for any reason, water gets onto the 7,171 acres, the District would be held <br />harmless from any claims by the landowners. <br /> <br />Director Christianson <br /> clarified for Commissioner O’Bryan the <br />conservation significance between the appraisals and the conservation value map. He <br />explained that the Flowage Easement is required over the entire 7,000 acres because <br />historical records suggested that the St. Johns River surpassed the ten mile ridge and <br />spilled into the Indian River Lagoon. <br /> <br />Charles Lee, <br /> Director of Advocacy of Audubon of Florida, through a <br />PowerPoint presentation, disputed Director Christianson’s value analysis of the <br />conservation land, having said that the land was no longer needed for conservation <br />purposes. He emphasized that nothing about the property’s environment had changed so <br />it should still be the same as when originally acquired. He felt that even though there was <br />once an intention to use it as a reservoir, the reality is, the tract was acquired with the <br />observation that it had conservation value and he thought it should remain that way. He <br />suggested the District budget the funds and buy the 460 acres because he did not want the <br />ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER <br />5 <br /> <br />MANAGEMENT DISTRICT <br /> <br />June 6, 2007 <br /> <br />