Re_ Diversion of Lee County Flood Waters to Col...From:Mike Adamski
To:Kenoehler@comcast.net
Cc:LoCastroRick; SolisAndy; SaundersBurt; TaylorPenny; McDanielBill; Francis Hoy; bigpith; Keeler, Claudia; Barry
Hoy; T. Desmarais; Hudson Jim; Ed Boeder
Subject:Re: Diversion of Lee County Flood Waters to Collier County
Date:Monday, February 8, 2021 8:29:25 PM
Attachments:RE Diversion of Lee County Flood Waters to Collier County.msg
EXTERNAL EMAIL: This email is from an external source. Confirm this is a trusted sender
and use extreme caution when opening attachments or clicking links.
Very well written
Mike Adamski
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 8, 2021, at 7:40 PM, Kenoehler@comcast.net wrote:
Dear Collier County Commissioners,
It has come to my attention that you will all be discussing the issue of the
expansion of the Big Cypress Basin which would now inlude Lee County
at a meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, 2/9/21. The diversion of Lee County
floodwaters to the Cocahatchee and Palm Rivers was discussed a couple
of years ago and at that time, due to many unanswered questions as to
the effect, the decision was stopped or at least tabled. The information I
have received is that this effort has been "backdoored" by the South
Florida Water Management District with the effect that if Lee County is
now included in the expansion of the Big Cypress Basin, Lee county's
flood waters will in fact be funnelled into the Immokalee Canal and then
into the Cocahatchee River, affecting the Palm River and the residences
in Palm Rivfer Estates.
Currently, the county is studying methods to alleviate stormwater flooding
in Palm River and will be considering the recommendations of the
engineers at Q. Grady Minor in the very near future. Are the engineers
taking into account the potential of even more flood waters entering the
Cocahatchee and Palm Rivers? These rivers are now being partially
dredged. Do we know the effect of additional waters on the Wiggins Pass
waters?
I seem to recall someone either from Bonita or the SFWMD extolling the
virtues of "shared adversity" which translates to lessening Bonita's
flooding and increasing Palm River's. Are we back to this misguided view
that if every body floods a little, that's better than one area (which caused
its own flooding in the first place) flooding a lot?
I suspect and certainly hope that this issue will generate a great deal of
discussion by all of you before any decision is made or action taken. It is
my recommendation that you all, and not just Commissioner Solis whose
district will be most affected, take the position that any measures taken by
SFWMD or Lee County will not and cannot have any negative affect on
those of us who live in or near the North Naples waterways, including the
Cocahatchee and Palm Rivers and the Wiggins Pass waters and canals.
Please treat this as something that could happen in your back yard.
Thank you for considering our concerns.
Ken Oehler
President, Palm River Homeowners Civic Association