December 14, 2016

SFWMD Angles To Increase Safety And Public Access For Fishing
  District will Build Temporary Fishing Area Near
S-155 Spillway in Lake Worth, Work with Cities to Secure Funding for Permanent Fishing Piers

This fencing will be modified at the S-155 Spillway near Lake Worth to allow for safe public access for fishing. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Lake Worth, FL -  The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is investing in safety and public access for recreational fishing near the S-155 spillway structure in Lake Worth. 
 
SFWMD crews are modifying the fencing near the spillway to increase safety and allow for public fishing. SFWMD will install signs near the spillway to warn fishermen of the potential danger of drowning. Additionally, the cities of Lake Worth and West Palm Beach are working with the SFWMD to secure funding for new fishing piers, on the 
Click on the map to see the location of the S-155 spillway on the southern boundary of West Palm Beach.
north ern and southern banks of the C-51 Canal near the spillway. The work is estimated to cost between $30,000 and $40,000 and will be completed early next year.
 
"This is all about increasing safety while ensuring public access to taxpayer-owned land for recreation," said  Governing Board member Jim Moran. "This District not only invests in the protection of the environment, but also in the public's ability to safely enjoy the environment, in this case through fishing."

The spillway on the C-51 Canal between West Palm Beach and Lake Worth has been a popular snook fishing spot for years, but these two fishing piers were  recently  closed due to deteriorated conditions.  Since the closure of those piers there has been an increase in vandalism from trespassers who cut the fence along the spillway in an attempt to get on the banks and fish. Fishing from the banks of the canal near the spillway poses a serious drowning risk due to the fast-moving current and deadly undertow.
SFWMD has hundreds of thousands of acres of its land open for safe public recreational opportunities including fishing. To learn more a bout recreational opportunities throughout the District, please visit www.sfwmd.gov/recreation.
Media Contact: 
Randy Smith  |   rrsmith@sfwmd.gov    |  Office: 561-682-2800  |  Cell: 561-389-3386
The South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.