Notice is hereby given that the Lake Worth Drainage District will conduct an electronic Regular Board Meeting utilizing communications media technology due to the COVID-19 Health Emergency on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at 8:30 A.M. The purpose of the meeting is to transact any and all business to come before the District’s Board of Supervisors. Communications media technology will be used to constitute a quorum of the District Board of Supervisors and public participation will occur using communications media technology.
Due to these extraordinary times, the District’s Board of Supervisors will not be meeting in person; rather, the meeting will be held via videoconference. Pursuant to Executive Order 20-69 issued on March 20, 2020, by Governor Ron DeSantis, “Local government bodies may utilize communications media technology, such as telephonic and video conferencing, as provided in Section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes.” Public input may be made in advance by email or during the meeting via video conference. Instructions are provided at the bottom of this notice. This meeting will be live-streamed and video recorded.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR VIEWING AND PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT:
April 15, 2020, Regular Board Meeting of the Lake Worth Drainage District Board of Supervisors will be a webinar conducted electronically (or “virtually”) with no public in attendance in the district office. Members of the public may view the meeting electronically by visiting https://www.gotomeet.me/LWDD/aprilboardmeeting. Please choose this option for viewing the meeting if you do not plan to provide public comment before or during the meeting. Members of the public also may listen to the meeting by telephone by dialing +1 (571) 317-3129 and entering Access Code: 981-894-645. A copy of the meeting agenda and meeting materials are available on the District’s website at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/board-of-supervisors/meeting-agendas-minutes.
Members of the public may provide written comments (1) to be read during the meeting or (2) to be entered into the record without being read during the meeting. To do this, email your comments to rwalker@lwdd.net by noon on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Please provide the title, “Written Comments, LWDD April 15, 2020 Board Meeting” and provide your name (required), address and email address.
If you desire for your written comments to be read into the record during the meeting, please indicate so and limit your written comment to 300 words. Only written comments of 300 or fewer words will be read into the record during the meeting. All other written comments received by the deadline will be entered into the meeting record and distributed to the District governing board and the appropriate staff before the start of the meeting.
Members of the public who opt to comment during the electronic meeting – rather than providing written comments before the meeting — may do so provided they register in advance by contacting Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363 by noon on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363, no later than three (3) business days prior to the meeting.
For additional information or assistance, please contact the following before the meeting: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363.
April 15th Board Meeting Via Electronic Communication
/in NewsNotice is hereby given that the Lake Worth Drainage District will conduct an electronic Regular Board Meeting utilizing communications media technology due to the COVID-19 Health Emergency on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at 8:30 A.M. The purpose of the meeting is to transact any and all business to come before the District’s Board of Supervisors. Communications media technology will be used to constitute a quorum of the District Board of Supervisors and public participation will occur using communications media technology.
Due to these extraordinary times, the District’s Board of Supervisors will not be meeting in person; rather, the meeting will be held via videoconference. Pursuant to Executive Order 20-69 issued on March 20, 2020, by Governor Ron DeSantis, “Local government bodies may utilize communications media technology, such as telephonic and video conferencing, as provided in Section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes.” Public input may be made in advance by email or during the meeting via video conference. Instructions are provided at the bottom of this notice. This meeting will be live-streamed and video recorded.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR VIEWING AND PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT:
April 15, 2020, Regular Board Meeting of the Lake Worth Drainage District Board of Supervisors will be a webinar conducted electronically (or “virtually”) with no public in attendance in the district office. Members of the public may view the meeting electronically by visiting https://www.gotomeet.me/LWDD/aprilboardmeeting. Please choose this option for viewing the meeting if you do not plan to provide public comment before or during the meeting. Members of the public also may listen to the meeting by telephone by dialing +1 (571) 317-3129 and entering Access Code: 981-894-645. A copy of the meeting agenda and meeting materials are available on the District’s website at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/board-of-supervisors/meeting-agendas-minutes.
Members of the public may provide written comments (1) to be read during the meeting or (2) to be entered into the record without being read during the meeting. To do this, email your comments to rwalker@lwdd.net by noon on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Please provide the title, “Written Comments, LWDD April 15, 2020 Board Meeting” and provide your name (required), address and email address.
If you desire for your written comments to be read into the record during the meeting, please indicate so and limit your written comment to 300 words. Only written comments of 300 or fewer words will be read into the record during the meeting. All other written comments received by the deadline will be entered into the meeting record and distributed to the District governing board and the appropriate staff before the start of the meeting.
Members of the public who opt to comment during the electronic meeting – rather than providing written comments before the meeting — may do so provided they register in advance by contacting Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363 by noon on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363, no later than three (3) business days prior to the meeting.
For additional information or assistance, please contact the following before the meeting: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363.
Water Conservation Tips
/in Drought, News, Water ConservationDrones Used For Flood Control
/in Flood Control, News, O & MApproximately four years ago, the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) began implementing the flying of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) commonly known as drones to monitor the canals, rights-of-way and flood control structures within its 200 square miles of the service area.
The drones are used as a professional tool to gather data, take images and video. The ‘bird’s eye-view’ provides a unique perspective that can quickly identify issues so that corrective actions can be taken before they develop into costly repairs. Due to their small size, the drones can reach areas difficult to inspect from the ground. They perform quickly and in a repetitive manner providing accurate and consistent data. Drone flights can cover large geographical areas using a two-man crew in a stationary location. This helps minimize inspection costs and avoids exposure of personnel to possible environmental risks and injuries.
LWDD deployed its drones after Hurricanes Irma & Michael. The results were very beneficial in post-storm assessments by aiding recovery teams to efficiently identify damage sites and prioritize response efforts. The data captured by the drone flights can be mapped and used for future emergency response planning by water managers.
LWDD’s operators strictly adhere to the Federal Aviation Association’s (FAA) regulations and are cognizant of surrounding homes during flights. The use of UAS systems is one of the more recent additions to LWDD’s flood control toolbox. For more information on the various methods used for flood control, visit https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/managing-water/overview.
Mistake May Cost You
/in News, O & MHomeowners, be aware that plantings, hardscaping, and structures within LWDD’s canal rights-of-way are not allowed. Unpermitted encroachments within the right-of-way will have to be removed. Considering the expense of installation and removal, this can be a costly mistake. Don’t waste your time or money. It is always a good idea to contact us and verify property lines before any construction project. Send us an email at info@lwdd.net and be sure before you plant.
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.