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Reconnection/Water Farming August 2014 Page 5 One of the key components of the earlier project, as with the proposed project, is the greater capability and manageability to move water in a north -south direction for multiple water management purposes. The authorized series of reservoirs would allow for the better use of the water resource for multiple purposes and in the process reduce the amount of fresh water discharged to tide. As a result, this valuable resource would be lost from the water management system to the detriment of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary, a designee of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. The proposed re -connection project as envisioned will also provide additional flexibility in water resource management and provide for the eastward flow of water into Indian River County for assorted water management purposes. A major portion of the earlier project components' canal system within the Upper St. Johns region of the SJRWMD and the Upper East Coast region of the SFWMD was planned and constructed as part of the Central and South Florida Flood Control Project as administered and managed through the local jurisdictional sponsorship/partnership of the Central and South Florida Flood Control District. The exception to this authorized project was the completed construction of the inter -connected reservoir systems and the construction of the southern control structure for this inter -connected reservoir system, referred to in the authorized plan as S-98. The 5-98 structure was to be the southern control component of this regional water management system as identified and authorized in the 1954 Flood Control Act. The S-98 structure was to be �-- located where the present day SFWMD C-25 Extension starts, just to the southeast of the Florida Turnpike —in close proximity to the Indian River and St. Lucie County line. The failure to complete the inter -connected reservoir system and the southern region control structure brought severe criticism and out cry from the local governments - most notably Martin County. In a published article in The Stuart (Fla) News, dated Thursday, April 9, 1959, the Chair of the Martin County Water Conservation Committee informs the Martin County Commissioners in detail as to the disastrous effects to the coastal region resultant of the failure of the Flood Control District and the United States Army Corps of Engineer's to construct the reservoir systems as called for in the Flood Control Acts. In his report the Chairman notes; "It is universally recognized that the long established earlier method of :flood control by diversion " is wasteful of fresh water resources; causes serious economic damage to coastal communities through shoaling of navigable waters; salt water intrusion; destruction of marine life and harm to recreational facilities which foster "tourist trade "; and causes economic damages to inland areas through over drainage, increased flood crests in wet seasons and aggravated fresh water shortage in dry seasons. A change to the method of `flood control by storage" is now universally accepted as necessary in the public interests, in all major flood control plans." 10