Dredging the St. Johns
Panama might seem distant from Florida shores, but the widening of the nation’s canal has sparked debate in Jacksonville. The US government is accepting bids for river dredging projects in various cities, including one from Jacksonville, seeking to better prepare their trade ports for an increase in shipping traffic that will result from the widening.
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has been leading research into deepening the St. Johns River from 40 to 47 feet deep, across an 11-mile span, a project currently estimated at $511 million. JAXPORT believes the project would make Jacksonville the key entry port for larger vessels moving through Panama. Thus, the project would stimulate job creation and growth.
Not everyone agrees with the port’s proposal, however.
“The dredging is going to cause increased salination in the river; decimating flora and fauna, impacting groundwater supply and ultimately contributing to the river becoming uninhabitable,” stated local environmental activist, Jonathon Addington.
Addington’s belief resembles that of the St. John’s Riverkeeper, a group that recently filed a lawsuit against the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the project. The Riverkeeper objects to the project based on ecological and environmental factors.
However, potential compromises between JAXPORT and the Riverkeeper have been found.
The Rodman Dam, in Putnam County, blocks a major flow of water from reaching the St. Johns River. A proposal has been made to destroy the dam, allowing extra water to flow naturally into the river. While Putnam County officials oppose the measure, others view the potential breach as a way to promote the river’s well-being.
Joey McKinnon, a geologist and political consultant, agrees that bringing down the dam lessens the negative effects of river dredging.
“The proposed bringing down of the Rodman Dam and adding new water inputs makes [deepening] an acceptable change,” McKinnon said.
McKinnon, along with the Riverkeeper, view this breach as a way to mitigate the negative environmental effects by adding more natural water flow to the St. Johns.
The debate with Putnam officials over the status of the Rodman Dam has only furthered the complexity of the dredging project.
Additionally, with federal funds available, the economic side of the debate has been weighed heavily. The latest proposal, an 11-mile dredging as opposed to the previously approved 13-mile project, decreased the cost of the project from $766 million to $511 million.
This decrease will help improve the project’s cost-to-benefit ratio (CBR). These ratios measure the amount of estimated profit from a project in relation to its cost. A higher CBR representing a plan with more potential for gain. JAXPORT’s current plan has a low CBR of 2.7, barely enough to be eligible for federal funding.
Compare this to a similar project in Savannah with a CBR of 5.7, nearly doubling the amount of potential profit. This would reduce the out-of-pocket costs for Savannah and increase their project’s chances of approval from both local and federal officials. Savannah’s ports would become a major business competitor for Jacksonville, potentially slashing our estimated profit, which is already minimal.
“Savannah is far ahead of us and this project is one of ten on the eastern seaboard, four within 240 miles, so it is not likely the city will see considerable economic benefit,” said journalist, Claire Goforth. “I do not believe it is a savvy and ultimately beneficial project to commit to.”
Goforth has reported on the recent dredging projects of eastern US cities for Al Jazeera America.
The Panama Canal expansion is scheduled to be completed April 2016, with additional expansion plans currently being proposed. The City of Jacksonville is working toward a resolution that will best prepare us for this expansion.
While there is potential economic gain in dredging the St. Johns River, will this be enough to offset local costs not covered by federal funding and what ecological impacts will such a project have on a valuable resource?
