Small boy playing near a water body

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

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“It was just a quiet little slip right into the water, no splash, no screaming, no yelling, no fight. She didn’t really make a ripple because the water masked her movement. You should be able to see them, but you don’t. They just quietly go underwater. This is how kids drown with a whole bunch of people around,” stated Olaudah Parker, father of a 3-year-old who suffered a non-fatal drowning in Naples, Florida.

Children can drown sometimes in the presence of many distracted adults, like backyard poolside parties. However, more than half of fatal drownings occur when children sneak outside and reach a pool alone. But drownings can also occur in nearby canals, stormwater ponds, small koi ponds and fountains.  In a state where water is everywhere, taking steps to safeguard children from drowning is critical. Constant, undistracted adult supervision, fencing/barriers, Coast Guard-approved life jackets, and technology tracking devices are good safety strategies. But safety devices and barriers only work if the environment contains them, caregivers remember to engage them, and children don’t disable or defeat them. In real life, the only water safety resource that can travel with children everywhere they go is the water safety training inside their own heads.

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends swimming lessons for children as early as 1 to 4 years of age as well as all caregiver adults who have not learned to swim.  Many local fire departments offer free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation-CPR training, a vital technique needed in the event of drowning. Preventing tragedy and unthinkable heartbreak requires all caregivers to be informed and layers of protection to be installed and used. Learn more at the Drowning Prevention Coalition’s website at https://discover.pbcgov.org/drowningprevention.

two people facing one another wearing yellow rain boots

Your Question Answered

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What is the difference between the Lake Worth Drainage District and the South Florida Water Management District?

Both the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) provide flood control but differ in size and responsibilities. SFWMD is one of our state’s five regional water management districts and oversees the water resources in the southern half of Florida, covering 16 counties from Orlando to the Florida Keys. LWDD is a local, independent special taxing district encompassing approximately 200 square miles in southeastern Palm Beach County.

Flood control in South Florida is an integrated system consisting of primary canals operated by SFWMD, secondary canals operated and maintained by the LWDD, and tertiary neighborhood drainage systems owned, operated and maintained by residential associations. LWDD and SFWMD work closely together to provide flood control for our residents. When necessary, LWDD discharges excess stormwater into the regional flood control system or primary system operated by the SFWMD.

map showing location of control structure 9

Control Structure 9 Completed – Video Update

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Director of Operations & Maintenance Anthony Las Casas updated the Board on the refurbishment of control structure 9 located at Lawrence Road and the Weaver Canal in Boynton Beach. Click the link below to watch the presentation.

Title page to video.

 

C. Stanley Weaver Canal sign at bank of canal

Canal Maintenance-What To Expect

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The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) stormwater management system consists of canal channels, rights-of-way on each side of the canal and controls structures and pumps. Consisting of a network of more than 500 miles of canals, over 1,000 miles of rights-of-way and 20 major control structures, LWDD can provide effective flood control and water supply for residents, businesses, and agriculture.

Effective stormwater management is dependent on well-maintained canals and rights-of-way. But what defines “well-maintained”? A canal or right-of-way that some property owners may consider in need of maintenance is often considered well-maintained by LWDD.

Some of the necessary components for effective flood control include the free flow of water in the canal channel to divert excess stormwater from properties, and unencumbered canal rights-of-way to provide access for regular maintenance and emergency response. Through the process of aquatic vegetation removal and canal bank mowing, effective flood control maintenance is achieved.

There are numerous species of aquatic plants found within the District’s canal system. Some aquatic vegetation has the potential to slow the flow of water within the canal channel or large flood control structures. This vegetation growth is controlled with the application of herbicides and/or mechanical removal.

Canal rights-of-way and banks are mowed approximately 3-4 times a year. Flat-mowers mow the rights-of-way, and arm-mowers maintain the side slopes of the canals. This mowing schedule prevents the growth of woody vegetation that may grow to impact access and threaten flood control. Tall grass does not prevent access to canals and control structures or threaten flood control operations. Frequent mowing is not required for flood control and residents should note that grasses and other vegetation can grow several inches in height before mowing crews return to an area.

Although most property lines do not extend to the water’s edge, some property owners adjacent to the right-of-way may choose to maintain the grass to a higher degree through irrigation and more frequent mowing. However, this higher degree of maintenance is at the resident’s cost and the planting of trees and shrubs are not allowed within the LWDD rights-of-way.

Flood control and the maintenance it requires comes at a cost. All property owners within LWDD’s boundary, whether adjacent to a canal or miles away, are assessed at the same tax rate. In 2023 the assessed rate is $49.50 for a parcel equal to or less than an acre in size. By maintaining our canals and rights-of-way to flood control standards, LWDD can achieve its mission of effective flood control at an affordable cost for all residents.

dog wearing glasses and sitting in front of a computer

LWDD Is Open and Transparent

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All organizations have records, but public records are a special category only found in government. The laws governing public records are state specific and Florida has one of the broadest and most open-access policies in the United States. Florida Statute Chapter 119 is our Public Records Law and is frequently referred to as the Sunshine Law.

The definition of a public record as stated in Chapter 119 is “…all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency.” Additionally, the statute provides 3 principles that govern an agencies responsibility to provide access as:

  1. Each government agency is charged with the responsibility of safeguarding its public records.
  2. Government records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person.
  3. Providing access to public records is a duty of each agency.

Unless an exemption exists in the statute, for example, medical information or social security numbers, the records must be made available within a reasonable time to the public upon request. If access is denied, the legal citation of the exemption will be provided. There are over 1,500 exemptions in which the State of Florida has identified a specific record or part of a record that are exempt from disclosure to the public.

The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) provides many frequently requested records like board minutes, financial reports, maps and correspondence on our website at www.lwdd.net. Recently two new functions have been added to the website – E-Services Portal and Mapping Portal. The E-Services Portal is where users can submit and search for permits. The Mapping Portal allows users to report damage to the canal system as well as search for canal rights-of-way, flood control infrastructure and much more.

If you are unable to find the records you need on the website, a public records request can be submitted. Requests for records do not have to be submitted in writing; however, a request form at www.lwdd.net/contact/public-records-request was created to help facilitate the process. Regardless of the method used when making a request, it is important to be specific about the records you are requesting and if possible, include the date range. A very broad and ambiguous request can take longer to fulfill and the cost of production of extraneous records may be burdensome to the requestor.

The LWDD is committed to providing open and prompt access to the agency’s public records and staff is committed to assisting the public in obtaining the information they need.