Find direct, science-backed answers regarding water safety, funding sources, and how we can clean up the North Fork.
Due to high coliform bacteria and stagnation, direct skin contact with the water in the upper North Fork is not recommended, especially after rainstorms when street runoff and sewer overflows spike. Kayaking is generally safe if you avoid splashing and wash thoroughly afterward, but our goal is to improve water quality so that it becomes fully safe for all recreation.
Dredging does two major things: (1) it removes the deep bed of toxic sewage sludge that depletes oxygen and feeds bacteria, and (2) it deepens the channel, allowing cooler ocean water to circulate during high tides, which increases water flow and flushing rates.
Restoration can be funded through a mix of Broward County environmental bonds, State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) water quality grants, and federal infrastructure or water quality grants administered by the EPA. These funding sources exist specifically to assist local governments in cleaning up urban waterways and restoring natural flow.