Canal dredging. Thoughts or experiences. (Sunrise, Edgewater: 2015, loan, pros and cons)

[OrlyJ]

The canal system under the Edgewater North MSBU is currently in the process of approval for dredging of the canal system. These are the canals such as Elkam and Sunrise waterways and adjacent finger canals. The MSBU is actively trying to block the dredging as they have constantly done for many years. Many of us homeowners, especially boaters, want the dredging to be done and are actively encouraging the County commissioners to push it forward. These canals have never been dredged since their creation 60 yrs ago. They are very shallow in many sections and unusable during extreme low tides. Decades of silt have accumulated.

I'd like to hear from others that have lived on canals that have received dredging. What kind of changes did you experience, pros and cons.

[MikMal]

I live on the Ackerman canal for 10 years now. Lewis Creek, which is between the Ackerman Canal and Alligator bay and is included on the Ackerman's MSBU map, was dredged a few years back but I never received any notification about it. I don't know who requested it but it did indeed need it in one area that constantly shoals over. I'm assuming that the $$ came out of the Ackerman Waterway Maintenance fund. Oddly, the Manchester Waterway, whose only access to open water is thru Lewis Creek, MSBU map doesn't include Lewis Creek too. Does that mean that the Ackerman fund footed 100% of the bill that benefits more Manchester Waterway users than Ackerman users? I donno. Nor have I been able to find out looking online.

I haven't seen any kind of accounting for the $$ collected on our taxes for the MSBUs. It would be nice if the county posted some kind of "Monies in; Monies out" since we're the ones putting that money in. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place? Trying to find anything on the county's website is a struggle, as their site SUCKS. Not user friendly in the least.
Sorry, but I guess this didn't really answer any questions that you had. More of a venting session for me.

[OrlyJ]

Originally Posted by MikMal

I live on the Ackerman canal for 10 years now. Lewis Creek, which is between the Ackerman Canal and Alligator bay and is included on the Ackerman's MSBU map, was dredged a few years back but I never received any notification about it. I don't know who requested it but it did indeed need it in one area that constantly shoals over. I'm assuming that the $$ came out of the Ackerman Waterway Maintenance fund. Oddly, the Manchester Waterway, whose only access to open water is thru Lewis Creek, MSBU map doesn't include Lewis Creek too. Does that mean that the Ackerman fund footed 100% of the bill that benefits more Manchester Waterway users than Ackerman users? I donno. Nor have I been able to find out looking online.

I haven't seen any kind of accounting for the $$ collected on our taxes for the MSBUs. It would be nice if the county posted some kind of "Monies in; Monies out" since we're the ones putting that money in. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place? Trying to find anything on the county's website is a struggle, as their site SUCKS. Not user friendly in the least.
Sorry, but I guess this didn't really answer any questions that you had. More of a venting session for me.

The funding of the dredging may have come completely from your MSBU, or partially funded by the county or in the form of a loan. Did your taxes increase after the project? The Akerman MSBU has been abolished since 2015 which likely means the board was not doing what the homeowners wanted so they did away with them. My MSBU is acting the same way so having to go above their heads to the county is required.

Since my MSBU barely collects any funds ($20 year per homeowner), the project will have to be financed ($3-5 million) with hopefully some County help. It could be $40-$70 month for several years in added taxes. The lack of foresight with my MSBU over the past 60 yrs has left us with this huge expense all at once. They could have collected more over the years and had this paid for. I think my MSBU has outlived it's usefulness so will likely be abolished too.

This person of contact may be able to answer some of your questions:
KARLENE MCDONALD Community Liaison
Maintenance and Operations
Karlene.McDonald@CharlotteCountyFL.gov
941-575-3627
https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/pe...-mcdonald.stml

Some of our canals have some real major depth issues and the damn MSBU is recommending against dredging. I'll post a couple examples below.

[OrlyJ]

Originally Posted by bonnieLibrun

wow, great pics of a useless canal !

Exactly, and the clowns on the MSBU board say dredging isn't needed.

[MikMal]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

[SeaRay35]

Originally Posted by OrlyJ

The funding of the dredging may have come completely from your MSBU, or partially funded by the county or in the form of a loan. Did your taxes increase after the project? The Akerman MSBU has been abolished since 2015 which likely means the board was not doing what the homeowners wanted so they did away with them. My MSBU is acting the same way so having to go above their heads to the county is required.

Since my MSBU barely collects any funds ($20 year per homeowner), the project will have to be financed ($3-5 million) with hopefully some County help. It could be $40-$70 month for several years in added taxes. The lack of foresight with my MSBU over the past 60 yrs has left us with this huge expense all at once. They could have collected more over the years and had this paid for. I think my MSBU has outlived it's usefulness so will likely be abolished too.

This person of contact may be able to answer some of your questions:
KARLENE MCDONALD Community Liaison
Maintenance and Operations
Karlene.McDonald@CharlotteCountyFL.gov
941-575-3627
https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/pe...-mcdonald.stml

Some of our canals have some real major depth issues and the damn MSBU is recommending against dredging. I'll post a couple examples below.

Holy Sh#t!

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by bonnieLibrun

wow, great pics of a useless canal !

Our canals were like 130ft wide and 15ft deep. They were redone in the early 1970's to make them deeper in Danashores in Tamp.

[OrlyJ]

Originally Posted by LKJ1988

Our canals were like 130ft wide and 15ft deep. They were redone in the early 1970's to make them deeper in Danashores in Tamp.

Our canals are about 60-70ft wide. They aren't categorized as deep-water, sailboat canals but the condition they're in right now is not good. On normal tides they are usable for regular vessels without excessive drafts but they are not far away to being non-navigable. On an extreme low-tide they are like the pics I posted, completely worthless. 60 years of no dredging results in this.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by OrlyJ

Our canals are about 60-70ft wide. They aren't categorized as deep-water, sailboat canals but the condition they're in right now is not good. On normal tides they are usable for regular vessels without excessive drafts but they are not far away to being non-navigable. On an extreme low-tide they are like the pics I posted, completely worthless. 60 years of no dredging results in this.

Wow, I never thought those canals would get that low. :

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by bonnieLibrun

blame uber environmentalists who think dredging is an automatic negative, when the opposite is true

Not just dredging, but dredging man-made canals.