10/23/1985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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We are less enthusiastic about development plans for the eastern third of the property. The northernmost marina (111) would provide 343 berths for boats ranging from 30 to 80 feet in length, in an existing 20 -acre basin with an existing 50 -foot -wide, 4 -foot -deep (controlling depth) channel to the Intracoastal Waterway. The other three proposed marinas would be dredged from uplands and existing wetlands. Marina 112 would provide 148 berths for 30- to 80 -foot boats, and be 7 feet deep. It would.serve as the "central" resort marina. Marinas 113 and 114 would be 4 feet deep, providing 59 and 96 slips, respectively, for 30- to 40 -foot boats. Acreage figures in various sections and revisions of the ADA conflict, but the latest dredge and fill estimates submitted indicate that 6.38 acres of shallow state-owned bottoms in the Indian River would be dredged to provide greater width (100 feet), depth (7 feet), and length (1,800 feet) in the Marina 111 access channel; to provide a 4 -foot -deep access channel for Marina 114; and to provide two 3 -foot -deep flushing channels between the resulting marina system and the Indian River. In addition, 10.45 acres of uplands would be dredged; and 13.81, 5.25, and 12.62 acres of wetlands would be dredged to 7 -foot, 4 -foot, and 3 -foot depth, respectively. Fill within wetland impoundments would include 9.8 acres for golf course construction, and 21.6 acres for other development. In summary, the project would provide 646 berths for 30- to 80 -foot boats. Dredging would impact 6.38 acres of Indian River bottoms, 10.45 acres of uplands, and 31.68 acres of wetlands. Filling would occur on 31.4 acres of wetlands. We have attended several interagency meetings with the applicant and his agents, and have repeatedly emphasized that the proposed estuarine marina and channel system is environmentally unacceptable, and must be substantially revised before it could be considered a viable project. Conversion of 80+ acres of wetlands into a marina and estuarine canal system is unacceptable, even considering the beneficial aspects of the wetland restoration program. Despite the adverse impacts associated with aborted agricultural operations, impoundment, and wetland drainage, the site's wetlands could be restored through proper management. We are particularly concerned with the proposed extensive dredging for navigational access and marina construction. As we have previously stated on several occasions to the applicant and his agents, the Indian River is an estuarine lagoon which exhibits very limited tidal flushing at the project site. Water quality, clarity, nutrient enrichment, and bottom characteristics are major concerns which may well determine the ultimate fate of the entire Indian River system. Loss of productive benthic habitats, including seagrass meadows, drift algae flats, oyster reefs, and scattered oyster - attached algae flats, must be prevented if the Indian River is to be preserved. Field inspection has revealed presence of these benthic communities adjacent to the proposed dredging sites. We would anticipate increased sedimentation, turbidity, and wake -induced erosion to result from dredging and greatly increased boat traffic adjacent to these communities. Therefore, we recommend against any dredging in the Indian River associated with this project, except for possible removal of anoxic sediments from existing previously dredged channels. Potential impacts upon endangered or threatened species are also of great concern. The additional 646 large boats anticipated by this project would undeniably pose a significant risk to the endangered West Indian manatee, Florida's official state marine mammal. While balancing the public desire for boat slips against the degree of risk is a complex issue, it is obvious that dredging new marinas for large boats over 14 miles from the nearest ocean inlet poses an unacceptable risk. We strongly support the Florida Department of Natural Resources recommendation (26 July 1985, enclosed) to drastically reduce the number of proposed boat slips. Since all permitted berths could then be provided within the existing basin, there would be no need for the other three marinas. 63 1985 Be& 62