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https://hdl.handle.net/11681/27243| Title: | Final Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment : Lake Worth Lagoon, Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) Section 1135 Project |
| Authors: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Jacksonville District |
| Keywords: | Lake Worth Inlet (Fla.) Environmental management Environmental protection Restoration ecology |
| Publisher: | United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Jacksonville District. |
| Abstract: | Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL) is currently experiencing habitat losses to its marine ecosystem, including losses of seagrasses, oysters, and other benthic marine features because of the direct freshwater discharges into LWL from the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) regional water management system. Large freshwater discharges from Canals C-16, C-17, and C-51 (constructed in the 1980s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part of the C&SF regional water management system) are causing sudden shifts in the water column, changing conditions in the lagoon from brackish to low salinity condition. When these discharges occur, they can last for hours or even days, negatively impacting seagrasses, oysters, and other features of the LWL marine ecosystem. Additionally, federal dredging and filling activities associated with the Intracoastal Waterway (IWW), and Palm Beach Harbor Navigation Project (PBHNP) further exacerbates additional losses in seagrass, mangrove, and oyster habitat. Delivery of fine-grained sediments and muck from these activities are gradually covering the natural sands and hardpan bottom of the lagoon floor, negatively affecting benthic habitat by partially or totally covering over oyster beds and other benthic features. Therefore, this report will address the need for a federal project to create sustainable habitats for marine ecosystem flora and fauna within LWL that will address the negative impacts to the lagoon’s marine ecosystem caused by the C&SF project. South Atlantic Division (SAD) approved the Federal Interest Determination (FID) for moving forward with the feasibility study on March 25, 2015. The study area is located within LWL in Palm Beach County, Florida (Figure ES-1). The IWW runs the entire length of the lagoon, which is approximately 21 miles long and up to one mile wide and runs parallel to the coast line. Two barrier islands (Palm Beach and Singer Islands) separate LWL from the Atlantic Ocean. Eight causeways and bridges connect the mainland to the barrier islands. Lake Worth Inlet connects the northern part of the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean, and is the entrance channel to the Port of Palm Beach. South Lake Worth Inlet (also known as Boynton Inlet) connects the southern part of the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean, and is primarily used by recreational boaters to access the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Description: | Feasibility Report/Environmental Assessment |
| Rights: | Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11681/27243 |
| Appears in Collections: | Environmental Documents |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Worth Inlet CAP 1135 EA_2018.pdf | 43.71 MB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |