BY JENN SAMSEL
Special to the Monitor
On Thursday, January 30, Save Our Lakes hosted a community meeting at Trinity Baptist Church in Keystone Heights to discuss the Lake Geneva Restoration Project.
The attendance, both in person and virtually, was quite successful.
Members of Save Our Lakes and local leaders addressed residents’ concerns regarding the restoration efforts.
During the meeting, the guest speaker, Colonel James Booth, an Army officer, shared his insights. Colonel Booth previously worked with the Jacksonville District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and is now retiring from the military. He expressed his honor in collaborating with the Save Our Lakes initiative.
Booth provided detailed information thoroughly throughout the presentation and answered as many questions as possible. His efforts were exceptional.
Vivian Katz-James also mentioned that Save Our Lakes hired Jeff Littlejohn, a consultant from Adams & Reese, who previously served as the deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
He is well-versed in acquiring permits and has accelerated the progress of the Lake Geneva Restoration Project.
“The state does recognize, and they invested almost $120 million, that the purpose of this project is to restore that lake to historic levels, and at those levels, the trees that have been allowed to grow up there in the last multiple decades are going to get inundated, and they’re going to die, and they’ll die in place, and you’ll have a lake full of dead trees, or you can have a nice lake that’s back to its original condition,” said Jeff LittleJohn Consultant.
“So the state has agreed that this is in the public interest; I’ve met with senior leadership in Tallahassee about getting this through. We think it won’t take very long at all, and we’ll be very pleased to see this project permitting,” he said.
Lake Geneva has historically been a popular tourist destination for its abundant water and recreational boating. However, it began losing significant water levels in the late 1980s. At one point, Lake Lake’s water level dropped to 80 feet.
Currently, the water level of Lake Geneva stands at 94 feet. Once the restoration project is completed, it is estimated that the Lake will be filled to 102.9 feet. Following this, any additional water from storms or hurricanes could raise the lake level to 104 feet.
While some topics were addressed in detail during the meeting, others could not be discussed fully at this time and will remain open for future discussions.
Water Levels
Records of Lake Brooklyn and Lake Geneva In the 1950s, Lake Brooklyn reached a high of 115 feet and a low of 85 feet. However, after 1995, the Lake began to deteriorate. Fortunately, in recent years, Lake Brooklyn has shown an upward trend and is now on its way to normalizing.
Lake Geneva recorded a highest point of 105 feet and a lowest point of 80 feet. By 2012, it had reached its lowest level. Since then, Lake Geneva has improved and is expected to reach 102.9 feet within the next year or two.
These figures are based on data from the Department of Environmental Protection (D.E.P), which records the highest and lowest levels of Lake Brooklyn and Lake Geneva and predictions for their future levels.
The water tables are influenced by inflow from Black Creek Point. An extra 2 feet may also be considered for rain events like storms and hurricanes.
For Lake Geneva, specifically regarding the Black Creek Project, the normal low water level is 99.1 ft, the mean water level is 100.9 ft, and the usual high water level is 102.9 ft. The current water level is 94 ft. (Source: CDM Smith Memo, dated March 16, 2022 – Save Our Lakes Presentation)
Residents are encouraged to consider the Lakes’ highest peak when moving structures like sheds or boat docks. Additionally, there are trees on residential properties that are not governed by state sovereignty.
In that case, those trees should be evaluated for removal, as they are likely to fall and die in the water. Trees submerged in several feet of water will not survive.
Water will begin flowing from State Road 16 into the treatment plant on Treat Road, then into Lake Brooklyn and Lake Geneva. As these lakes rise, other lakes will also be affected.
In the presentation, two main topics were discussed. The first was the surface water and its flow from one Lake to another. The second topic covered how water would move through the underground pipes. Many canals in the area are currently dry, but once the lakes fill, these canals will no longer be dry.
Katz-James mentioned in the meeting that these two lakes are critical, as aquifers provide drinking water to residents in northeast Florida, with the next aquifer in Valdosta, Georgia.
Numerous questions were sent via email, and a few residents approached at the end of the meeting to ask questions in person.
One question from a Lake Geneva resident raised a question regarding a small section of the Lake where some trees have already submerged; they were inquiring if it would be possible to remove those trees or enclose the area with submerged trees using PVC or another material to prevent boaters from entering that area. This would help protect boats from potential damage caused by propellers and ensure that anyone who falls into the water would not get hurt.
According to city officials, there is currently no plan to remove the submerged trees in that area, but they are considering options for the future.
Scott Slater, Save Our Lakes board member, pointed out, “So in talking with one of the timber companies and trying to draw up the scope of work, we talked about at what depth of water trees can be harvested.”
As for once the trees are cut, Slater also mentions, “There’s no value for biomass, no value for the trees, and the only option for dead vegetation that has already occurred is to landfill it.”
Currently, the landfill is not included in the budget, but there may be consideration for it in the future, particularly for already submerged and dead trees.
Additionally, it is important to note that neither the timber company nor anyone else can disturb the lakebeds or uproot any trees. Trees may only be cut down to the extent that they can be reached.
Clay County Commissioner Betsy Condon and board members from Save Our Lakes are delighted to announce that they have successfully made progress on their project and are now working to have the Department of Environmental Protection (D.E.P.) fully onboard.
While the D.E.P. does not favor cutting down trees for the project, to ensure its success, the city and the county leaders have proposed specific areas where tree removal will be permitted to restore Lake Geneva effectively.
The boat ramp and Nelson’s Point are two areas proposed for complete tree removal, along with three other locations under consideration for this project.
The John’s River Water Management District with Clay County will sponsor this process and permit.
Additionally, when the St. John’s River Water Management District or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issues the permit in April, there will be a mandatory 21-day advertisement in the local newspaper for public comment.
For those interested in removing weeds or lily pads from the area, a permit must be filed with the Fish and Wildlife Service to authorize removal.
Property Taxes
Concerning citizens now question what will happen once the Lake rises. Does it mean I’ll be paying more taxes? Property taxes were another hot topic of discussion. As the lake returns to its original level, many residents are concerned about the potential impact on property taxes.
According to the Clay County Property Appraiser Tracy Drake, “Since 2012, the market value of all the homes in Clay County has increased 165%. That’s about 13% per year, including your homes. But your assessed value cannot increase more than 3% per year, or less, whatever the cost of living is.”
“The good news is property values will increase. So if you don’t have a homestead, even without homestead, you’re capped at no more than 10% of the assessed value per year,” he said.
Docks
Docks were also a central topic of conversation. It is important to note that the current docks may not be suitable for the anticipated water level. Consequently, many residents must apply for a permit to remove or renovate their docks.
Some docks have been in the Lake since its early days, while others were established when water levels were low. It’s important to note that if these docks do not comply with the new water standards, they may sink, creating dangerous conditions and liability issues for swimmers and boaters in the Lake.
Another resident’s question was, “If there was a pre-existing dock on our property that was removed because the water retreated for so long, can we go ahead and rebuild it, or do we need to get a new permit?”
Booth said, “If you need help with the docks, you’ll need to contact the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s northeast district permitting office for more information and help.”
Fishing Pier
The final topic discussed during the evening was the new fishing pier, designed to be ADA-compliant.
Save Our Lakes has secured most of the necessary funding and expressed gratitude to the city of Keystone Heights and Clay County for their support in constructing the new fishing pier. However, they still require additional funds to complete the project.
Overall, with water flowing into Lake Brooklyn, trees removed from Lake Geneva, and water flowing into Lake Geneva, the team estimates that the project will be completed by July 4.
If you want to review the presentation or join Save Our Lakes, visit https:// saveourlakes.org. For information on how far back the water levels will rise on your property, check the Clay County GIS maps.
