Despite millions in taxpayer investment and 10 years of construction, the public is still fighting for access to a manmade lake in Fellsmere. LUCAS DAPRILE/TCPALM Wochit
“Git ‘er done.”
Did he really say that?
Yep. The full context of what he said was actually, “Smoke a peace pipe and get ‘er done. Let’s get this thing done.”
“He” was Doug Bournique, a member of the St. Johns River Water Management District governing board since 2008. He was speaking during the board’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting to receive status updates on district projects and conduct its business.
He was talking about a boat ramp. One conceived by district staff as long as 11 years ago, but has yet to become a reality.
The good news is, Bournique’s urging was music to the ears of freshwater sportsmen. The wait is coming to an end. The bad news is, that still may be more than a year.
It’s how things get done in state government. Not exactly fast.
Bournique was not doing an impression of Larry the Cable Guy. He was directing district staff to resolve the lack of a boat ramp at Fellsmere Water Management Area.
More: Fellsmere Water Management Area boat ramp should be done in a year, water district says
Already, $104 million of state taxpayer money has been poured into the 10,000 acre reservoir. The hold up has been closing the deal on one more 5-acre parcel on the water body’s northeast corner. It’s the preferred location, says the district, for placement of a concrete boat ramp and dock, paved parking area and restrooms.
The ramp area, called “Access Point 1” in district documents, would be a little under two miles east of where the Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area (what everyone calls the Stick Marsh) parking lot and facilities are.
The important news you want to read is this:
- Negotiations with private landowner Fellsmere Joint Ventures are underway, and according to district projects chief Rob Zammataro, “are going very well.”
- Negotiations must be completed by end of the month, or else the district will begin working on placing a boat ramp at “Access Point 2,” the northwest corner of the reservoir where there is already parking and facilities for Stick Marsh and T.M. Goodwin anglers and hunters.
- There is a deadline of April 3 the district is trying to meet in order to apply for a Florida Boating Improvement Grant provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
- Once the district knows which site it will begin developing, it can begin budgeting for $550,000 in project costs for AP1 or an estimated $800,000 is site AP2.
- Site AP 1 could be completed in a year, Zammataro said, while AP2 may take longer because of permitting requirements and application and approval deadlines.
Fishing Hole
Anglers who fish from paddleboards and kayaks have been enjoying world class fishing action, when the bite is on. Peter Hinck of Sebastian, known to many on his YouTube Channel Palm Beach Pete, fished there two days this week. Friday, he caught and released 50 bass using D.O.A. Cal Swim Bait in the figi chix color while fishing from his Dragonfly Boatworks stand-up paddleboard.
The main enhanced zone for fish habitat is closer to the southern end of the 7-mile long lake. Even Hinck, an advanced paddler, admitted he couldn’t go that far. As for now, the only access points are on the northern shoreline. The edge of the best enhancements are nearly five miles away. The additional habitat information is at fishiding.com
Soon, paddlecraft anglers are going to have to begin sharing this fishing hole with bass boats headed out for catch and release trophy fishing. Pontoon boaters will be heading out, too, to catch speckled perch, bluegill and shellcracker.
Many waters
In 2007, the district began work to acquire former citrus, row crop and pasture land from Fellsmere Joint Ventures, the company once headed up by Bernard Egan, the patriarch of a longtime Indian River County agricultural family. The company still operates and leases its land to ag and other businesses, and holds development rights for what could one day become hundreds of home sites.
As for the reservoir, the water management district describes it as one of the largest projects it has ever taken on. It has transformed the land into what the district describes as a “multi-function reservoir.”
More: Costly Fellsmere Water Management Area in IRC falls short for some
The reservoir is needed to serve “water supply and flood control purposes, redirect water from discharging into the Indian River Lagoon and into the St. Johns River, and help improve the water quality of agricultural and surface water drainage,” according to a district status update. Working in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the agencies were able to also create a world class fishing destination in the process.
While recreation is an important component of the $104 million (so far) project, it is not it’s first priority, explained Rob Zammataro, district projects chief.
“Reservoirs are used for four separate things,” he said. “Sometimes combining four uses into one water body can be a challenge and there could be conflicting aspects. It’s pretty unique. It also reduces the withdrawals of water from the aquifer.”
Get ‘er done
As for Tuesday’s meeting, Bournique and district general counsel Bill Abrams seemed enlightened. Bournique said the district should pursue both ramp options equally and to FJV, obtain “quick resolution of their issues. Whatever works. I think it’s in the best interest of this district to move forward and get a boat ramp going.”
Board chairman John Miklos directed staff to have an actionable item on the boat ramp ready for its next governing board meeting, March 13. By then, we’ll know which option boaters can begin looking forward to.
Either way, I’m with Doug. Let’s just get ‘er done.
Recreational meeting
What: ??St. Johns River Water Management District recreational use meeting
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday
Where: 525 Community College Parkway S.E., Palm Bay
Ed Killer is the outdoors columnist for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, and this column reflects his opinion. Friend him on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com or call him at 772-221-4201.
