Muck cleanup complete for Eau Gallie River in Melbourne
J.D. GallopJust over two years after the state moved to remove tons of coal black muck layering the floor bed of the Eau Gallie River, the task has been completed.
Monday, state and local officials stood along the banks of the river at Ballard Park to celebrate the conclusion of the dredging project many hope will be a much-needed boost for improving water quality for the Indian River Lagoon. Workers, using a hydraulic dredge pumped 600,000 cubic yards of the gooey black muck from the main stem of the Eau Gallie River, a body of water that winds through the eastern portion of Melbourne before flowing into the Indian River.
“The Indian River Lagoon is a unique and precious resource that is vital to the health of our economy,” said State Sen. Debbie Mayfield in a statement and one of a number of officials at the ceremony Monday.
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“Along with my colleagues, I am committed to improving the health of the Indian River Lagoon with the right policies in place to support a comprehensive restoration plan with long-term funding sources. The completion of the Eau Gallie Muck Dredging Project marks another major step forward in restoring our treasured waterway.”
The task to remove the decades-old muck – a mix of grainy sediments, along with sand, organic matter brought in by stormwater runoff that settled along Eau Gallie River – was overseen by St. Johns River Water Management District in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Inland Navigation District, Brevard County, and Melbourne.
"This project highlights the progress possible in improving conditions in the Indian River Lagoon when we all work together,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle in a statement. “We’re celebrating not only a cleaner waterway but the active community here which led a grass-roots effort to improve water quality. Our legislators listened and responded by appropriating $20 million in funding.”
The effort was also a financial collaboration with the Florida Inland Navigation District and Melbourne pooling $3.75 million and $50,000 respectively. Brevard County authorities provided a location to store the muck gleaned from the riverbed.
Contact Gallop at 321-242-3642, jdgallop@floridatoday.com and Twitter @JDGallop