The bottom of Lake Seminole looks more like a green lawn then a lake these days, as restoration work continues. The grasses will die naturally as the water levels return to normal with the help of summer’s rains.
SEMINOLE – Restoration and recovery efforts continue around Lake Seminole. The southern shoreline spruce up is moving forward. Thousands of new native aquatic plants have taken root. New communication tools will inform residents about the lake’s latest news.
And, according to Kelli Hammer Levy, environmental program coordinator for Pinellas County, most of the property owners on the north end of the lake who violated the law by filling in or dredging have complied with the restoration requirements. The illegal activity began in April, she said, when the county followed up on a complaint and found eight to 10 property owners trying to make the waterfront deeper.
“Those residents have not replanted those areas yet because they are waiting for the lake to come up a little more so the plants won’t die,” said Levy. Three of those residents are still in the process of complying.
“Four other properties in the narrows received Cease and Desist Notices from the county’s attorney office for clearing and illegal dredge and fill. That area is now being surveyed by Pinellas County,” Levy said.
The 1,700-square-foot southern shoreline of the lake continues to be restored.
“The Pinellas County highway department is re-contouring the shoreline due to significant erosion,” said Levy. The area will be sodded once the work is done. More oak trees will be planted.
This portion of the project began in March thanks to a partnership between the city of Seminole, the Pinellas County department of parks and environmental management and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Levy continues to get positive phone calls about the Park Boulevard shoreline restoration that opened the lake’s view to passersby.
“I even got comments from visitors who said they never knew there was a lake behind that mess,” said Levy. Another resident told her, “I drive past there everyday to and from work, and I just smile.”
The FFWC has completed their work for now.
“After the scraping at the lake was completed,” Levy said, “they installed 30,000 native aquatic plants. Later in the summer, they will be back to plant more.”
To keep interested residents up-to-date with Lake Seminole happenings, Levy said, a Web site page about its restoration and recovery will be up and running. “That will be a quick place to get updates,” she said.
Also in a few months, the site will have a page where residents can view an automated lake gauge to check the lake’s level.
Levy said that some park lovers are concerned about the grasses growing in the lake since it was lowered months ago for restoration.
“The grasses in the lake are not a problem,” she said. In fact, those grasses are quite common and occur in all lakes when draw downs or extreme droughts occur, she added.
“These are land grasses that will die off once normal water levels are back,” Levy said. The grasses actually provide a good function by holding the lake’s sediments in place while the lake is refilling. They also provide foraging habitat for fish until new native aquatic plants like pondweed and eelgrass take over the lake’s bottom.
In March, residents saw an increased number of alligators sunning on the exposed areas of the lake. But, Levy said, only a few have been sighted recently.
“I did see a 2 to 3 footer recently,” she added. “The residents have named him Al and are making sure everyone in the area knows to leave him alone.”
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