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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLake Orienta-1996 Lake Orients: Station could be running All filled up, Schluckebier said. in fall ORIENTA from C-1 "Flooding is one issue," said nowhere to go Public Works Director Tony Se- heavy rains during the past few greto. "Another big issue is water years, and the fact that Lake quality," AltamonteS Springs city Orients is landlocked. There is no Pumping that amount of water p g y connecting creek, river or lake could raise Casselberry lake levels officials want to build a into which water from Lake by 7 feet.Segreto said. $500,000 pump station. Orients can naturally flow. The city is concerned about the That's why city officials hope to long-term damage from moving build a $500,000 pump station to that much water from one water By Robin Pollack route some water from Lake basin to another, Segreto said. ---- - Orients eastward through several Lake Orients falls within the We- SENTINEL CORRESPONDENT other lakes and creeks, ultimately kiva drainage basin. passing through the St. Johns Altamonte's plan calls for the ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Water, River and into the Atlantic Ocean. water to move from Lake Orients water everywhere,and no place to put it "This lake isn't in a position to to Prairie Lake to Casselberry's — unless a proposal to pump some wa- take more heavy rains" Forrest Triplet chain of lakes and on to ter out of Lake Orients gets the green said. "We've got to build this Lake Kathryn and to Lake Jesup, light pump station. It's our most impor- which flows into the St.Johns, Water levels at the lake have been so tant project." The water district could make a high during the past three years that 90 If approved, construction would decision on Altamonte's request lakefront buildings have been in danger begin in August, and the station this month or in June, Schlucke- of flooding. The excess water also has could be operating by November, bier said. forced the closing of the city's only pub- he said. Casselberry officials will attend lie boat ramp. Representatives with the St. that meeting to object to the pro- "There have been times that the wa- Johns River Water Management posal. Casselberry has made its ter was so high that it came within District, which must approve the objections known. But so far, inches of homes," city engineer Glenn pumping plan, are scheduled to Schluckebier said, Altamonte has Forrest said- discuss the proposal at 3 p.m. to- not made any major changes to its The problem is caused in part by day at the water district's Orlando plan. O S 5(/ /`P4 office. Officials from Casselberry Forrest said the project isn't . Please see ORIENTA, G-7 a and Seminole County also are ex- meant to provide total flood con- pected to attend. -i Altamonte officials say they ex- trol. Instead, the idea is to pump pect the pumping plan to be ap- small amounts of water from the proved because they've worked to lake each day during months that ensure the project won't adversely bring li* le rainfall. affect neighboring cities, such as By doing this, the lake's watt* Casselberry, and unincorporated level should be low enough to harl- parts of Seminole County, rile rainfall during the peak rain "We want to be neighborly season. It also ensures large about it," said Raul Palenzuela, amounts of water aren't dump the city's water resources engi- into other lakes and creeks all dt neer. "We don't want to cause a once. problem anywhere else." Some lake water also would be But Casselberry officials oppose routed through two wells that drain Altamonte's plan that could send into the aquifer while the natural 2 million gallons of water a day for - process of evaporation will help re- six months out of the year to the I duce water levels even more,Palen- city's Gee Creek drainage basin. zuela said, { City officials say the downstream Lake Orienta's boat ramp likebv flow would cause problems for will remain closed until water levels Casselberry's Triplet Lake chain, I are reduced, said Jim Buck, the "We have some pretty big con- city's urban beautification deputy cerns," City Manager Jack director. The ramp was closed fig much of last year. It reopened shortly this year but closed when lake levels became too high. CI �O/ 0) if it gets too high, everybody wanes to run their boats too fast,.and the waves crash onto the homes on the lakefront"Buck said. . Casselberry not sure lakes can ❑Altamonte wants to pump plan to pump water from Lake Orients from Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, some Lake Orients water downstream through its neighboring Winter Springs, Seminole County and cities. the St. Johns River Water Management eastward into other lakes and Altamonte wants to pump some of the District. Water district officials asked creeks to reduce water levels. lake water eastward into other lakes and Casselberry to prepare a list outlining creeks in Casselberry and Winter opposition to the pumping proposal. Springs to reduce Lake Orienta's high "We're still trying to sort out all of the By Robin Pollack water levels,which have put homes near issues," said Cammie Dewey, an engi- the the lake in danger of flood waters. neer with the water district. "To date, However, Casselberry is worried the Casselberry has been very general additional water will create problems for [about its concerns],and we need specif- ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — State wa- I its Triplet Lake chain. ics." ter managers have asked Casselberry to Some of those concerns were aired The water district must approve any elaborate on concerns about Altamonte's Wednesday during a meeting of officials pumping plan. take additional water' Casselberry officials maintain their very best to accommodate them." water-collection system can't handle the Altamonte plans to pump water out of additional water from Lake Orients, Lake Oriente during dry months,so that Dewey said. But Altamonte engineer the lake has more room to collect water Glenn Forrest contends the city is work- during rainy seasons, Forrest said. ing to ensure the pumping proposal "We're talking such tiny amounts of wa- won't hurt Casselberry or any other ter here"to be pumped,he said. areas. "There's no way we want to do any Despite Casselberry's concerns, For- thing to flood anyone downstream or de- rest said he's confident the water dis- grade water quality downstream," For- trict will approve the $500,000 pumping rest said Thursday. "We're trying to be Plan. "Lake Oriente is all filled up, and as sensitive as we can. Casselberry is a there's nowhere[for additional water]to good neighbor, and we want to do our go.That sums it up,"he said. 56 O1 ,J Officials douse Altamonte pumping plan ❑Water district staff said the $500,000 pump station this year to re- ommendation when it considers the plan duce the chance of flooding along Lake at 1 p.m.June 11 in Palatka. plan might harm water quality Orienta. Altamonte's plan is to pump Winter Springs and Casselberry object in Prairie Lake. But the district some water downstream through lakes to Altamonte's plan to pump up to 2 mil- in could decide Otherwise. neighboring cities. lion gallons of water a day during the dry Cammie Dewey, an engineer with the season to the Gee Creek basin. Lake St. Johns River Water Management Dis- Orienta is within the Wekiva basin. By Jill Duff-Hoppea trict, said the recommendation was Casselberry fears the pumping would orr�esrmaa.STAFF "based on potential water quality im- cause pollution and flooding for the Tri- pacts to Prairie Lake." plet Lake chain. Some form of water treatment would Drainage improvements would be Water district staff are recommending be needed before pumping the water, needed to handle the extra water,Cassel- denial of an Altamonte Springs plan to she said. berry staffers said. pump water out of Lake Orienta. Dewey said the district's governing Altamonte's proposal would move wa- Altamonte officials want to build a board does not have to follow staffs rec- ter from Lake Orienta eastward to Prai- for Lake Orienta flooding rie Lake through the Triplet chain and the lake from Nov. 1 through April 30 so Lake Kathryn to Lake Jesup, which the lake can collect water during the flows into the St.Johns River. rainy season. Dewey said Prairie Lake was the dis- Lake Orienta's high waters are caused trict staffs main concern. "It actually partly by heavy rains during the past few has fairly good water quality,"she said. years. Dewey received letters opposing the Also,no creeks or rivers flow out of the plan from the Prairie Lake Homeowners lake. Association and some Casselberry resi- Dewey said Altamonte Springs needs dents. to come up with a more environmentally She received stacks of letters from friendly proposal. Lake Orients homeowners who favor "We're still going to work with the city pumping to reduce the chance of flood- to get some type of solution for the ba- ing. sin," she said. "We realize something Altamonte wants to pump water out of needs to be done." 9Gbsda The boat ramp at - 4 Lake Orients Parkin �'° Altamonte Springs can now be used, %'( but it has been closer much of the time,because of high water.The sty �' s �3 wants to pump � �+ ° a - water from the lake - during the dry season to prevent ' flooding, but the y ,#.,--- r water district stag , a <aa - �..' thinks it's a bad `�`? re „xmn idea. .'."c.: ,..,�. ... „c T '" .".- . ; `.: .` ,. OENNIS WALVIXE ORLANDO SEMINEL Lake Orienta pump plan in limbo By Joe Van Leer A amonte officials want to build a concerns. However, he added, SENTINEL CORRESPONDENT $500,000 pump station to help re- Lake Orienta water quality is duce flooding along Lake Orients. still classified as"good.” Forrest said about 90 structure s "There is no doubt that there is ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — A are situated near the lake, which a problem;' said Commie Dewey, city plan to pump water from is in the Wekiva basin. a water district engineer. "The Lake Orients ist still afloat despite The project would be paid for lake is like a large bowl with too a recommendation that the water from the city's stormwater utility much water that has nowhere to district reject it. fees,he said. go The plan was put on hold until Now, with the delay, the city is Dewey said mostly street flood- city officials can more closely losing valuable pumping time ing has occurred near the lake study the lake's water V ter. during the dry season, Forrest •during rainy seasons. The St. Johns River Water Man- said. agement District vote scheduled "If we do get approval,we prob- Dewey said district staff would for Tuesday was postponed until ably won't be able to get into oper- tike to see the water treated be- the city completes its study. Last ation until February 1997. fore it is pumped from Lake month, water district staff rectum- "We only proposed to drain the Orients into other lakes in the mended rejecting the plan, saying lake a little at a time when it was Gee basin. it would harm water quality in excessively high," Forrest ex- Forrest said a treatment system Prairie Lake, where the Lake plained. "And then only during could cost an additional$100,000. Orienta flow would discharge. the dry season between November Casselberry,Winter Springs and City ngineer Glenn Forrest and May. We would pump water members of the Lake Prairie said th additional information, out slowly to get Lake Orients at a Homeowners Association oppose including a closer look at Lake normal level." ' the plan,which would send water Prairie water quality, could be Forrest said heavy rainfall dur- east from Lake Oriente to Prairie submittgd to the St. Johns district ing the past few years has contrib- Lake through the Triplet chain, within d few weeks. uteri to high water levels. and through Lake Kathryn to Forre$t said the city was hoping Forrest said the amended plan Lake Jesup, which Rows into the to start'operation by November. should address the water district's St.Johns River. 9� o6Of'