On September 12, 2015 we were invited by the East County Water Control District of Lehigh Acres. We learned about the infrastructure of this important service that provides drainage and flood control as well as irrigation services to this area. 5 elected board members and 32 employees are working for the district and do just about everything themselves. There are 311 Miles of Canals, which are cleaned every 7 years. These canals play a crucial role in draining land after heavy rainfalls as well as in water conservation. Without these canals, Lehigh Acres would be uninhabitable!
After this interesting presentation we were able to visit Harns Marsh – a 700 Acre large preserve, dedicated to flood control. Not only is this swampland a beautiful landscape area with lush greens, bushes, all kind of trees and ponds but more importantly it is a home to Wildlife. Visitors have spotted more than 100 bird species and other animals.
Afterwards we all went to “The Hut” Restaurant for lunch, a beautiful location and unique landmark in South West Florida. Tropical gardens and boardwalks invited us to the outdoor bar for a drink following our meal inside the restaurant. Thank you to Swiss American Club Member Hermann Baud for organizing this special event.
Text by Rony Huser and photos by Dori Moser
