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Project Summary

Manatee Protection at Locks

Regional Map


1. Project Identification

Name Manatee Protection at Locks
Region Southeast
State Florida
Location Water control structures
Date of this update  

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)

Habitat Restoration/Protection  
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk X
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)  

3. Project Description (100 words or less. Please include qualitative information, e.g. acres of habitat restored, miles of steam reopened to migration, and legislative authorization, e.g. WRDA, ISTEA, CWA/NEP, CZMA, etc.)

Protection of the manatee, a federally listed endangered species, has been identified as a management priority by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). One way to protect the manatees from further death or injury is through structural modifications of navigation locks and water control structures. Over the years, operational improvements and structural modifications have been made to reduce the risk to manatees, including: screen barriers, air bubbler systems, reducing lock gate closure speeds, and the development of standard operating procedures for lock operators when manatees are present. Nevertheless, between 1974 and 1993, 73 manatees died in the Okeechobee waterway and in the central and south Florida flood control project locks and water control structures. Automatic gate reverse sensor devises are currently being designed, tested, constructed, and installed on lock sector gates and spillway taintor gates under the COE authority provided by Section 1135 of WRDA 1986. The objective of this project would be that, whenever a closing gate structure comes into contact with a manatee the gate closure would automatically stop and reverse to free the animal before it is injured.

An interagency manatee task force has been established with members of the COE, the Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management, Florida DNR, the SFWMD, the FWS and other interested parties. This project also contributes to the long range recovery goal of the Florida Manatee Recovery Plan required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to "maintain the health and stability of the marine ecosystem" and to maintain the manatee population at "optimum sustainable population levels." The costs of this $2,500,000 effort are being cost shared between the COE and the SFWMD, 75% federal and 25% nonfederal.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

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5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

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8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

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9. Project Status

Initiation date  
Completion date  
Current stage  

10. Contacts

11. Any additional information/comments

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 24-Jun-2000 11:48:49 EDT
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comments to lawrencea@fas.usda.gov