Waterfront property owners urged to apply soon to piggyback on Manatee Pocket project

R.J. Harrington, Correspondent
Originally published 09:39 p.m., July 29, 2008

STUART - A crowd of some 80 waterfront property owners heard representatives of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection urge them to apply soon if they want to "piggyback" on the Manatee Pocket dredging project.

"If you want your own docking facilities dredged when we dredge the pocket, don't hesitate. Get your applications in now," said Eric Shea, an environmental supervisor from DEP's Port St. Lucie office.

Shea, and his associate, Melinda Kohlmeyer, said they realize it is difficult for those who own homes and businesses on the pocket to make a move without knowing the final assessment costs or sediment disposal.

"However," he said, "if you think you are going to want to do private dredging, the sooner you get the permit process started, the better."

Jayne Bergstrom of Tetra Tech, permitting task manager for the project, said plans call for final permits for the main channel dredging to be OK’d by December, bids to be advertised in February and the dredging to start next summer.

"Based on our experience, it can take seven or eight months to get everything approved by the DEP and the Army Corps of Engineers, so don’t hesitate," she said.

Richard Czlapinski, Tetra Tech’s manager for the project, outlined the steps necessary to calculate dredging costs.

"First we must determine the amount of sediments to be removed from the main channel and its tributaries. Next we have to identify the dredged material handling site."

"Following that," said Czlapinski, "we have to determine the amount of sediments from individual dredging projects, and here we will be looking for more input from you folks."

"Finally, we have to determine the final placement of the sediment material," he said.

His rough estimate was a cost of $50 a cubic yard.