South Florida is an aquatic playground during hot summer months. The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) canal system may appear to be an ideal place to cool-off and swim or spend a day fishing. However, it is important to understand that these inviting waterways can be dangerous.
LWDD canals were not created for recreational use. They are designed to collect and convey stormwater to provide both flood control and water supply for residents and businesses within our boundary. Operation of this flood control system includes large water control structures which when opened can create a sudden change in a canal’s water elevation, as well as strong currents that may not be visible on the water’s surface. This current can catch swimmers and boaters by surprise. If close to an open structure, the undertow can create a strong enough force to pull swimmers and small boats under.
Canal rights-of-way do not have protective barriers, and banks may give way due to the soft sandy soil and rocks below. Once a person is in the water, it can be very difficult to climb out due to the steep side-slope of the canal bank. Depending on the time of day or location of the canal, cries for help may not be heard.
Many invisible dangers and submerged hazards exist in the canals like broken glass, scrap metal, bottles, and cans, as well as wild animals. It is not unusual to see alligators, snapping turtles and snakes living in and near canals. Diving into a drainage canal is particularly dangerous because canal depths can vary significantly, and subsurface aquatic vegetation can tangle around extremities.
Stay safe and follow a few simple rules. Do not swim in a canal, instead head to the pool or beach. Keep a safe distance from the canal bank to avoid falling in the waterway. Always stay clear of water control structures. Visit Palm Beach County Drowning Prevention Coalition’s website for more water safety tips at http://discover.pbcgov.org/drowningprevention.
Don’t Be A Turkey
/in News, Water Conservation & QualityYou can store used cooking oil to reuse later. If you plan to reuse your cooking oil, you should choose high-quality oil with a high smoking point and strain it through cheesecloth between each use. Store the used cooking oil in a cool, dry place in a sealed container. Or if you choose to dispose of it, do not pour it down your drain. That can cause costly damage to your home plumbing, sewage collection system and septic system. Additionally, do not dispose of used cooking oil in your garden, down a storm drain or into a canal. Once the oil enters the water system it becomes a pollutant and may cause serious harm to water quality and marine life.
To dispose of cooking oil properly, carefully pour the cooled used cooking oil into a large, sturdy plastic container no larger than 5 gallons in size. Don’t mix the used cooking oil with any other liquids or products. Cap it tightly and drop it off at one of the Solid Waste Authority’s seven Home Chemical and Recycling Centers. There are two recycling centers in Delray Beach and one in the City of Lantana. For a complete list of drop-off locations call 561-697-2700 or visit the Solid Waste Authority’s website (link: https://www.swa.org/171/Home-Chemical-Disposal).
Technology & Flood Control
/in Flood Control, NewsOccurring anytime of the year, our tropical rain storms can be intense and seriously threaten property and life. In response, Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) staff monitors canal elevations daily and coordinates the operations of its water control structures. Water control structures act like dams, allowing stormwater to be released or held back depending on the conditions. The automated technology used to operate the LWDD’s water control structures is called Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). As water rises in the canal and reaches a pre-determined elevation, SCADA will slowly open control structures releasing water for flood control. Similarly, as water elevations return to normal levels the control structure gates will close, holding water back for conservation and water supply demands. In anticipation of severe weather, District staff can override the automated SCADA system and make manual adjustments.
Additionally, SCADA technology eliminates the need for LWDD staff to venture out during dangerous weather conditions to operate control structures. If needed, staff can adjust a control structure via a mobile device from any location, thus significantly reducing response time. Another advantage to SCADA, is the capture of operational data by the system which can be used to evaluate future water supply needs and historical flood control responses. This data can be shared with regional water management partners for enhanced flood control coordination and water conservation measures.
With approximately 500 miles of canals and 20 major water control structures, the Lake Worth Drainage District is one of the largest water control districts in Florida. We are proud to provide our residents with this enhanced water management technology and dependable flood control.
The Probability of Flood Risk
/in Flood Control, NewsIn some places homes and businesses constructed in areas known as the 1-in-100-year flood plain have been hit by multiple floods in the same year. The assumption that if their area has experienced a 1-in-100-year flood, then for the next 99 years they do not have to worry about flooding is not correct. While it is unlikely that two large storms will happen in close succession, history has demonstrated that it is not impossible.
Confused by the term 1-in-100-year flood, many people begin to wonder what their flood risk really is. The definition of a 1-in-100-year flood is a flood that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Understanding the probability of your flood risk can be a complex process, but the hydrologists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are striving to communicate risk more effectively, in part by transitioning away from the term 1-in-100-year flood and instead referencing multiple year flooding probabilities. For example, a home in the 1-in-100-year flood plain, can be better understood as a home with a 26% chance it will flood over the course of a 30-year mortgage.
Providing residents and community leaders with a clearer understanding of the probability of flood risk for a location is important. It allows decisions to be made that will better protect themselves and the community. For more information on flood risk probability, visit the USGS website at https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/floods-and-recurrence-intervals.
Residents Using Public Land
/in News, O & MMany people in southeastern Palm Beach County live adjacent to a Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) canal. To enhance their backyard, residents look to install landscape materials or structures such as swing-sets, fences, and patio decks. Often without realizing it, these enhancements are installed on LWDD’s rights-of-way which is publicly managed land.
Effective flood control depends on LWDD’s extensive network of canals to move stormwater away from homes after major weather events. Vegetation and other structures on the canal rights-of-way can severely hinder LWDD’s ability to keep residents safe during and after severe storms. Trees and large shrubs can topple over in high winds blocking emergency access along the canal bank or fall into the canal channel blocking the flow of water. Encroachments not only endanger the residents adjacent to the canal but also individuals living miles inland.
Maintaining water flow within the canal channel and access along the right-of-way is vital for public safety. It requires daily maintenance by LWDD crews as well as the removal of identified encroachments. LWDD encourages all property owners to contact us prior to the installation of landscaping or structures to ensure it is not located on public land. No matter how expensive the installation or beautiful, unauthorized encroachments will have to be removed. Considering installation and removal, this can be a costly mistake for homeowners.
If you live adjacent to a canal, contact LWDD staff at info@lwdd.net to verify the location of your next project and help us keep you and your neighbors safe.
Canals Are Not Designed for Recreation
/in NewsSouth Florida is an aquatic playground during hot summer months. The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) canal system may appear to be an ideal place to cool-off and swim or spend a day fishing. However, it is important to understand that these inviting waterways can be dangerous.
LWDD canals were not created for recreational use. They are designed to collect and convey stormwater to provide both flood control and water supply for residents and businesses within our boundary. Operation of this flood control system includes large water control structures which when opened can create a sudden change in a canal’s water elevation, as well as strong currents that may not be visible on the water’s surface. This current can catch swimmers and boaters by surprise. If close to an open structure, the undertow can create a strong enough force to pull swimmers and small boats under.
Canal rights-of-way do not have protective barriers, and banks may give way due to the soft sandy soil and rocks below. Once a person is in the water, it can be very difficult to climb out due to the steep side-slope of the canal bank. Depending on the time of day or location of the canal, cries for help may not be heard.
Many invisible dangers and submerged hazards exist in the canals like broken glass, scrap metal, bottles, and cans, as well as wild animals. It is not unusual to see alligators, snapping turtles and snakes living in and near canals. Diving into a drainage canal is particularly dangerous because canal depths can vary significantly, and subsurface aquatic vegetation can tangle around extremities.
Stay safe and follow a few simple rules. Do not swim in a canal, instead head to the pool or beach. Keep a safe distance from the canal bank to avoid falling in the waterway. Always stay clear of water control structures. Visit Palm Beach County Drowning Prevention Coalition’s website for more water safety tips at http://discover.pbcgov.org/drowningprevention.