There are many special districts within the State of Florida. The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) is one of the 1,800 active special districts that provide services. However, many Floridians do not understand what a special district is, and its role in the community.
Special districts have four common characteristics. They are a form of government; they are governed by a board; they provide services and facilities; and they have defined boundaries.
Unlike cities and counties that are general purpose governments and perform a broad array of services to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all their citizens, special districts are limited purpose local governments and provide only the specific services for which they were created. They are good examples of democracy at work because they provide services the public requires and only those receiving the services pay an assessment, fee or tax.
Special districts have the legislative authority to provide the required facilities to complete the work they were created for. For example, constructing public works projects such as canals and water control structures. They have the taxing authority to raise money to pay for these projects as well as their maintenance and operation. However, special districts rarely have regulatory authority to enact laws or ordinances for a common public goal. For example, water restrictions which are imposed to reduce the public’s use, is under the authority of the South Florida Water Management District, a state agency.
Most special districts are single purpose districts. This is true for the LWDD whose sole function is to provide drainage for the landowners within its boundary. Others, such as the Indian Trail Improvement District provide several services in addition to drainage, like road construction and recreational facilities. Special districts can further be identified as dependent or independent. LWDD is an independent district because its governing board is elected by the landowners within its boundary and not appointed by another government entity as in the case of the Housing Finance Authority of Palm Beach County whose board is appointed by the county commission.
LWDD is authorized by legislation to assess its landowners for the flood control services it provides. In 2022, the assessment is a non-ad valorem fee of $49.50 per one acre or portion thereof. The acre assessment provides that all landowners within the LWDD boundary pay a share that is weighted to the quantity of land that receives drainage services. For example, the average single-family resident pays $49.50 a year whereas an agricultural business may pay several hundred times that amount.
It is common for drainage districts to elect board members by a ‘one acre one vote’ method. This is different than a ‘one person one vote’ method used by cities and counties. The acre-vote system is like owning stock shares in a company. The more stock you own, in this case land, the more votes you cast. Because LWDD provides only the single purpose service of drainage, it is reasonable that the number of votes cast be comparable to the quantity of land owned.
When residents or landowners want new services or higher levels of service, they can petition to form special districts to provide those services. Special districts are an important governmental entity in Florida.
Special Districts Are Special
/in News, ResidentialThere are many special districts within the State of Florida. The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) is one of the 1,800 active special districts that provide services. However, many Floridians do not understand what a special district is, and its role in the community.
Special districts have four common characteristics. They are a form of government; they are governed by a board; they provide services and facilities; and they have defined boundaries.
Unlike cities and counties that are general purpose governments and perform a broad array of services to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all their citizens, special districts are limited purpose local governments and provide only the specific services for which they were created. They are good examples of democracy at work because they provide services the public requires and only those receiving the services pay an assessment, fee or tax.
Special districts have the legislative authority to provide the required facilities to complete the work they were created for. For example, constructing public works projects such as canals and water control structures. They have the taxing authority to raise money to pay for these projects as well as their maintenance and operation. However, special districts rarely have regulatory authority to enact laws or ordinances for a common public goal. For example, water restrictions which are imposed to reduce the public’s use, is under the authority of the South Florida Water Management District, a state agency.
Most special districts are single purpose districts. This is true for the LWDD whose sole function is to provide drainage for the landowners within its boundary. Others, such as the Indian Trail Improvement District provide several services in addition to drainage, like road construction and recreational facilities. Special districts can further be identified as dependent or independent. LWDD is an independent district because its governing board is elected by the landowners within its boundary and not appointed by another government entity as in the case of the Housing Finance Authority of Palm Beach County whose board is appointed by the county commission.
LWDD is authorized by legislation to assess its landowners for the flood control services it provides. In 2022, the assessment is a non-ad valorem fee of $49.50 per one acre or portion thereof. The acre assessment provides that all landowners within the LWDD boundary pay a share that is weighted to the quantity of land that receives drainage services. For example, the average single-family resident pays $49.50 a year whereas an agricultural business may pay several hundred times that amount.
It is common for drainage districts to elect board members by a ‘one acre one vote’ method. This is different than a ‘one person one vote’ method used by cities and counties. The acre-vote system is like owning stock shares in a company. The more stock you own, in this case land, the more votes you cast. Because LWDD provides only the single purpose service of drainage, it is reasonable that the number of votes cast be comparable to the quantity of land owned.
When residents or landowners want new services or higher levels of service, they can petition to form special districts to provide those services. Special districts are an important governmental entity in Florida.
Weirs Are Weird But Needed
/in Flood Control, News, ResidentialIn coordination with the South Florida Water Management District permit, the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) allows two types of discharge control structures in residential communities and commercial properties – Operable and Non-Operable. The labels Operable and Non-Operable do not pertain to the structure’s ability to provide flood protection, but rather identify the type of structure and the way it is designed to function.
Non-Operable Structures, also known as ‘passive structures’, typically have an overflow weir or a triangular “bleed down” orifice installed at the stormwater pond’s designed water-control elevation. These overflow orifices allow the gravity flow of water through the structure and into drainage canals until the pond water rests at the designed water-control elevation. Given its passive nature, water will flow through the structure virtually any time there is rainfall except during very dry conditions when pond levels are lower than the water-control elevation.
So, why are there Operable Structures? A series of normal rain events can sometimes raise the level of the stormwater pond faster than the Non-Operable Structure can remove the water. The Operable Structure includes the passive flow described above, as well as a vertical slide-gate with an operating mechanism (usually a hand-wheel) that can be manually opened or closed to control the rate of water flow from the pond to drainage canals. The Operable Structure can be opened to manually lower the pond elevation after a rain event or before major weather systems like tropical storms or hurricanes.
It is important to note that the Operable Structure can only be opened with permission from LWDD. Sometimes that permission is granted at the request of an individual community or business. However, more often LWDD will give blanket permission to all communities and businesses based on forecasted weather conditions. In those situations, LWDD will provide notification by email and give a specific time to operate the Operable Structure. Communities and businesses can register designated representatives to receive these notification emails as well as find additional information and guidelines for the operation and maintenance of structures at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/property-managers-hoa.
LWDD is the only drainage district in the State of Florida that allows Operable Structures. It requires close coordination with local and regional authorities, but we believe it provides flood control benefits to the residents living within the LWDD boundaries.
Coexisting with Alligators is Possible
/in News, ResidentialAlligators have inhabited Florida’s marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for many centuries. They can be found in all 67 counties. Current populations are estimated at 1.3 million alligators in Florida.
In recent years, Florida has experienced an increase of new residents and tourism. Many residents seek waterfront homes, and increasingly participate in water-related activities. This can result in more frequent alligator to human interactions, and a greater potential for conflict. While serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers the following tips about how to safely coexist with them:
It is illegal to kill or harass alligators in Florida and may only be hunted under special licenses and permits. The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to proactively address alligator threats in urban areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur. If you are concerned about an alligator, call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286. The FWC will dispatch one of its contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation.
Additional information and downloadable posters, sign templates and flyers to share with others are available at www.myfwd.com .
The Orrin Randolph Plan
/in Flood Control, NewsThe Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) was established on June 15, 1915, with a three-member Board of Supervisors whose mission was to reclaim land within its boundaries. Prior to the creation of LWDD, a considerable amount of drainage work had already been completed by several entities such as the State of Florida, the Palm Beach Farms Land Company, the Model Land Company, and the Boston & Florida Atlantic Coast Land Company. In addition, private landowners and farmers had dredged drainage canals throughout the area. Although small drainage systems had been created, a cohesive long-term drainage plan was needed for the future expansion of what is now known as Palm Beach County.
In the spring of 1916, Orrin Randolph, Chief Engineer for the newly created LWDD, presented his first report to the Board of Supervisors. This report contained 127 pages detailing a plan of means and methods for draining the lands within the boundaries of LWDD. The report was submitted in compliance with Chapter 6458 of the 1913 Session Laws of the State of Florida. At that time, LWDD consisted of 129,317 acres of land and 3,400 acres of water. Rectangular in shape, LWDD extended 26 miles in length and 8 miles in width. Population records of 1916 showed there were approximately 6,500 owners of property within LWDD’s boundary making the average ownership equal to 20 acres per capita. Approximately 400 farmers were cultivating an estimated 5,000 acres of land, principally vegetables for distribution to northern markets.
In his report, Orrin Randolph identified the areas within LWDD that could not safely be relied upon for agricultural purposes and outlined the design parameters needed for future drainage. Randolph stated, “Provisions for artificial drainage would absolutely be necessary in order to provide a run-off rapid enough to prevent the destruction of crops as a result of accumulated excess water on the land.” Thus, Randolph’s extensive report was adopted by the Board of Supervisors as the Plan of Reclamation. The implementation of this plan would forever change the local landscape.
South Florida’s abundant agricultural resources served as the catalyst upon which prosperous and populous cities were built. This prosperity, then and now, is a result of the water management plan introduced by Orrin Randolph and adopted by LWDD over a century ago as the Plan of Reclamation. This plan created a large network of drainage canals providing flood control and water supply which remarkably still functions today for over 800,000 residents and tens of thousands of acres of farmland.
Agriculture in our area no longer exists to only feed the local inhabitants, and the migration of people into Florida continues to increase annually. LWDD has modified its mission over the century to meet the changing water management needs of these two diverse communities. Much of the District’s emphasis today is on residential flood protection. Although meeting the needs of agriculture and settlement can bring many challenges, it is because they harmoniously co-exist that living and working in our community is so highly desirable.
Not All Algal Blooms Are Harmful
/in News, Water QualityWarm temperatures and rainy Summer weather conditions often set the stage for algal blooms in our rivers, lakes, ponds, and canals. Like many people across the State, residents of the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) may have concerns or confusion about these blooms. To help answer some frequently asked questions, we are providing the following information about algae.
Algae are simple organisms that grow through photosynthesis, a process by which sunlight is used to metabolize nutrients. Algae are a basic component of the food chain and are commonly found in marine, estuarine, freshwater lakes, canal systems, stormwater ponds and even swimming pools. Algae appear as green, red, or yellowish-brown particles that float on the water surface.
Although algae are a normal component of an aquatic ecosystem, nutrient-rich waters warmed by the sun provide a favorable medium for the overgrowth. This overgrowth is called an ‘algal bloom’. For algal blooms to occur two things must be present: high concentration of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and adequate sunlight. We cannot control sunlight, but we can limit our nutrient impact to surrounding waterbodies with proper maintenance of septic tank systems and limited use of fertilizers on landscapes and lawns. Currently approved herbicide or chemical treatments for the removal of algae uses a heavy metal compound that may adversely impact the waterbody. However, scientists are studying new treatments for the control of algae and safer alternatives may become available in the future.
While visually unappealing, most algae is not harmful to human health and provides a food source for aquatic life. However, some types, like “Blue-green” algae, which is a cyanobacteria, secrete toxins that may be harmful. The algae toxins can be inhaled by people living around the waterbody. It will aggravate respiratory illnesses like asthma. Symptoms of exposure to toxic algae include difficulty breathing, wheezing, skin rashes, headaches, and possible tingling in the fingers and toes. If water containing toxic algae is consumed potential liver damage may occur. It is important to keep humans and pets away from waterbodies that have toxic algal blooms and seek medical advice if symptoms appear.
Since most types of algae found within LWDD’s canals are non-toxic and do not impact flood control operations, LWDD does not regularly treat the canal system for algal blooms. Most algae growth in our canals is harmless and will dissipate on its own or will be flushed out of the canal system after a heavy rainfall.
Important phone numbers and links: