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11/7!2016 Environmentalists call Spoonbill Marsh 'toxic waste dump' - VeroNews: Vero Beach 32963 Features is supposed to keep marsh water on county property. County utility staff member Art Pfeffer, who oversees daily operation of the marsh and conducts FDEP- required tests, blames DOT for the malfunction. He says the Florida Department of Transportation "hasn't maintained the ditch in years." Which raises the question — what has the county done about that? Utilities Director Burke, who wasn't with the county at the beginning of the Spoonbill project, says both the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation have been notified about the problem several times. "The DOT came out in February. They're aware of the issues that exist," Burke says. Because the DOT has jurisdictional control, the county isn't willing to take action on its own. "We're waiting to hear from the DOT as far as the next steps. We'll probably ask public works to help keep the conversation going," since the overflow is, in part, a stormwater issue. Another major concern among those who view the marsh as an environmental menace is what happens to millions of gallons of effluent they say flows into the marsh daily but doesn't flow out again.. Burke counters that "effluent" typically refers to domestic wastewater discharged from a sewage plant and "would be incorrect to use here." He says 4 percent to 20 percent daily variance between water brought in and the water that is metered leaving the site is attributed by county consultants "to seepage and evapotranspiration losses." The critics are skeptical of this, doubting that evaporation and seepage can account for what they say is as much as 2.5 million gallons of missing water per day. Another allegation is that the two outflows or breeches, through which mixed water flows back to the lagoon, are not being monitored properly, and that one is virtually inoperable. Pfeffer admits the north breech is not functioning, and the south breech is handling virtually all the outflow — which seems like it might contribute to the marsh overflow problem. Pfeffer says the DEP is aware of the blockage and it is reflected in the daily reports. He also acknowledges there is no permanent meter installed to measure water flow, but says that he measures water velocity and volume daily, during the week, using an FDEP-approved hand-held electronic flow probe. He says he transfers his daily on-site notes to detailed FDEP log sheets and his desk is piled with stacks of notes and daily reports forms that he is required to keep. Burke adds, "As with all our operating permits, the data is collected in accordance with the permit requirements and submitted to the FDEP." Responding to questions about Spoonbill's maintenance, Burke says, "We will continue to maintain that site properly, including but not limited to normal routine, access roads, mowing, and maintaining the boardwalk." And what of the Land Trust property? 2 z�rlj' 2-/ F Land Trust Executive Director Ken Grudens says the trust's 50 acres north of Spoonbill is "hydrologically co mplicated,"with,many factors to consider. He said a site study is„underway, funded by a grant from:U:S. I 2/3