Take one look at Southwest Florida and you’ll see water, a lot of it. From the open water of the Gulf of Mexico, through the inlets and passes, to the bays and canals, our public waterways play a big role in living working and doing business here. Across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties, a vasty labyrinth of over 1500 miles of waterways includes natural deep water bays as well as man-made navigation channels like the gulf intracoastal waterway. Known as a waterfront playground, Southwest Florida’s abundance of public waterways is central to the local lifestyle. In fact, there are over 177,000 registered boats in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties alone. These four counties represent 12 percent of all registered boats in the entire state of Florida. Boating, fishing, paddle sports, and the many othere perks of waterfront living make locals proud to call the area home and attract roughly 50,000 new residents each year. Our waterways keep the local economy flowing and a massive ripple effect can be seen across a variety of industries. Marinas, boat sales and service, watercraft rentals, restaurants, hotels, tourism, eco-adventures, recreational and commercial fishing, shipping and beyond. In total, public waterways generate an estimated 79,000 jobs and 6.1 billion dollars in value-added economic impact across the region. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain our coastal infrastructure from dredging channels and removing hazardous debris, to maintaining navigational markers, boat ramps, waterfront parks, and piers, county and local governments work to maintain navigability of public waterways and to provide and enhance public access to our waterways. It’s a big job and the counties can’t always do it alone, so where does help come from? Meet the West Coast Inland Navigation District. This multi-county special taxing body covers Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties and has a long history of serving the needs of local waterways. WCIND was originally established by the Florida legislature in 1947 to complement the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in sharing the cost of planning, construction, and maintenance of the Gulf intracoastal waterway expansion from Anclote River to the Caloosahatchee River. In the many decades since the District’s responsibilties have expanded to include assisting member counties with projects that promote safe navigation and the enjoyment of water-based activities as well as programs to encourage boating, safety, and environmental stewardship. Serving over 1.8 million residents, our mission is to preserve and enhance the commercial recreational and ecological values of waterways within the counties it serves. It does this by not only funding projects but also providing pivotal leadership, interagency coordination and collaboration often increasing efficiency by addressing complex issues on a regional scale rather than the individual county level. As a special taxing body, WCIND is funded by a relatively small property tax assessment within its member counties and also works to secure federal and state funding. The district is governed by a board of elected county commissioners representing Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties who provide leadership on district priorities. It also cooperates with the Army Corps of Engineers, The U.S. Coast Guard, and the counties to prioritize tasks. WCIND established the waterwaey development program which helps counties fund projects that address issues associated with their public waterways. The program provides financial assistance for county projects related to navigability, recreational boater access, boater safety and the marine environment. Let’s take a closer look at some of these types of projects. Public navigation projects include dredging canals and inlets, removing navigation hazards like derelict vessels and marine debris, and making sure channel markers and navigation aids are in place. An issue taht affects all four district counties is derelict and abandoned vessels. These boats create serious navigation hazards and threaten mangroves, seagrasses, and wildlife as they can leak oil and fuel and impact submerged vegetation. Any vessel declared legally derelict or abandoned after investigation by local law enforcement or the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission must be properly removed. WCIND helps counties fund the process of safely removing and disposing of these dangerous vessels. In recent years, WCIND has made addressing derelict boats a priority removing over 100 derelict and abandoned vessels across district waterways. WCIND and its member counties scontinue to work hand in hand with law enforcement to remove these hazards, restore navigability and protect the local marine environment. In Lee County’s Estero Bay, two main gulf inlets were experiencing shoaling in the navigation channels. Dredging was required in highly trafficked new pass and big carlos pass where channel depth was affecting navigability. WCIND stepped in to provide critical funding and strategic leadership, helping the county combine the projects, identify efficiencies, and beneficial use opportunities and minimize environmental impact. Hydraulic dredging was used to remove seventy three thousand cubic yards of sand from new pass, pumping it to nearby Lovers Key State Park to restore critically eroded beach. Over fifty five thousand cubic yards were pumped from big carlos pass to Estero Island where provided much needed storm protection. The district’s approach saved taxpayers nearly one million dollars while restoring traffic flow in Lee County’s most active waterways. Boater recreation projects ensure boaters have access to public boat ramps., ducks, and piers, mooring fields, kayak launches and other boating access facilities. They also include restoration of natural and spoiled islands that serve boater recreation purposes. In Manatee county, a boat ramp facility in bradenton beach require da major upgrade. The Kokina north ramp’s location appealed to boaters and anglers but its low parking capacity and outdated launch deterred traffic. WCIND funded a complete renovation project. The ramp, originally bulit in the 1950s, was redesigned with a more gradual slope to accommodate larger boats and remain accessible even during low tide. A second boat lane and three fixed docks were also added. The parking lot was resurfaced and expanded to include 28 spaces for trailers, 12 for vehicles, two ADA spaces, plus new storm water controls. The renovated facility helps relieve congestion at other nearby ramps and provides easier access to Sarasota Bay and connecting waterways. The halo effect can be enjoyed by the many waterfront and boating-related businesses. Throuhgout Manatee County, environmental education projects aim to increase the general public’s awareness and knowledge of waterway-related environmental issues. They can include anything from informational signage along waterfront walkways to special marine exhibits and educational displays. In Lee County, the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the country. The refuge attracts one million annual visitors who are so eager to explore the observation trail that the majority bypass the education center. Through WCIND funding, the refuge transformed a high traffic area into an unexpected exhiit. The learning laboratories, an immersive coordior mural takes vistiors underwater eye to eye with manatees created from recycled bike tires and 3d wildlife swimming overhead. Inside, mangrove murals, wildlife photographs and sculptures emphasize the importance of water quality and habitat by creating a memorable and informative experience. The lavatories encourage guests to enter the vistitor and education center to continue learning. Together, these exhibits inspire education and stewardship of Southwest Florida’s vital marine environment for generations to come. Boater safety and education projects are all about keeping everyone safe on district waterways and increasing awareness of boating regulations and safe boating practicies. They include a wide variety of efforts like resources for boating instruction, including chase boats, sailing hulls, and safety equipment and even marine fire and rescue boats. The englewood sailing assocation in Sarasota County provides increased access to sailing education by offering low-cost programs to youth and adults. Students in the youth program learn valuable boating skills and to work alongside other kids as well as adults. WCIND helped this non-profit organization reach even more students by funding much needed facility and equipment updates. The fence line around the center was expanded for additional boat storage. Outdated vessels were placed with six new advanced training sailboats with additional sails where students can learn how to tune the boats for performance. New vessels were added to the adult sailing program and a new engine made one of the organization’s safety boats more reliable and environmentally friendly. Thanks to these enhancements the englewood sailing association can provide opportunities for more students to build confidence, character, and community through sailing. Marine law enforcement projects focus on protecting boaters health and welfare as well as the marine environment. These range from actual boat docks and lifts used by marine law enforcement to fuel and oil supplies and even patrol hours.
