A mediator might be used, said Bud Jordan, the Initiative's president. Jordan hoped a plan could be decided by summer. We want to see how each of us got to our individual positions. If we can reach a middle ground, great. The South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is devising a strategy to restore natural flows to Florida's waterways and reduce flooding.
Reservoirs are one component being considered.
All sides in the river issue said a coordinated effort is essential to ensure Martin's improvements are funded early in the program. Meanwhile, Martin County will get some short-term help. The county will be added to the Algal Bloom Task Force, a group organized by the state's Department of Environmental Protection. The task force is made up of representatives of communities on the state's Gulf Coast, where toxic algae are common. A toxic microalgae, Cryptoperidiniopsis, has been found in water and sediment samples taken from the river.