(Rockwood and Leitman, 1977). A 1<382 

 comparison of federal subsidies prepared 

 by the Congressional Budget Office shows 

 that waterways in general receive the 

 highest level of public transportation 

 support of all industries. On the basis 

 of cost-per-ton mile, the 

 Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) 

 system is the most expensive maintenance 

 operation in the country (45.5 mills per 

 ton mile), being almost twice as expensive 

 as the second highest and 41.36 times the 

 national average. The cost to the public 

 of moving a barge through the Jim Woodruff 

 Dam is around $2,040. The 1981 cost for 

 maintenance of the Jim Woodruff Dam and 

 dredging of the Apalachicola River 

 exceeded $6,735,000, and recent cost 

 increases have not been offset by revenue 

 from increased barge traffic. Despite all 

 this information, the Corps of Engineers 

 has recently been authorized to blast tons 

 of rock from the river (a form of 

 channelization) at a cost exceeding 

 $1,000,000. 



There are few available data for 

 evaluating the environmental impact of 

 physical alteration of the tri-river 

 system. Cox (1970) and Cox and Auth 

 (1971-1973) indicate that dredging (Figure 

 44) has contributed to local habitat 

 destruction on the Apalachicola River 

 along with associated simplification of 

 the fauna and reduced productivity. As 

 indicated above (Ager et al . , 1984), the 

 long-term dredging of the river is a 

 significant ecological occurrence. 

 These impacts include altered habitat, 

 shortening of the river, and redirected 

 natural river flow. Operations associated 

 with these activities include construction 

 of training dikes, maintenance dredging, 

 spoil deposition, bendway elimination, and 

 snag removal. The river has already been 

 shortened by past activities, and 

 channelization continues. 



In the Apalachicola estuary, dredging 

 of Sike's Cut has been related to 

 increased salinity in the bay and reduced 

 productivity due to a loss of nursery 

 habitat (Livingston 1979). A review by 

 state and federal agencies (Florida 

 Department of Environmental Regulation, 

 pers. comm. ) is currently in progress 

 (Livingston 1984a) to determine the 

 potential impact of dredging along the 



Intracoastal Waterway on the salinity 

 regime and oyster productivity in the 

 estuary. Proven dredging effects include 

 deterioration of water-sediment quality in 

 dredged channels near areas of urban 

 runoff and effects on the natural salinity 

 regime of the estuary (Livingston 1984a). 



In the lower Apalachicola valley, a 

 33,000-acre cattle ranch was established 

 along the west bank of the river in the 

 early 1970's (Figures 45, 46). This 

 operation was accompanied by extensive 

 clearing, ditching, and diking. Land was 

 drained by periodic pumping of turbid, 

 sediment-laden water over the dikes. 

 Extensive forestry operations have been 

 carried out in the Tate's Hell Swamo above 

 East 8ay. After clearcuttina of large 

 tracts of trees, the land was ditched, 

 drained, olowed and replanted with pine 

 trees. Livingston et al. (1978) found 

 that during periods of heavy local 

 rainfall, cleared areas caused increased 

 levels of runoff leading to increases in 

 color and turbidity and reductions in pH 

 and dissolved oxygen. Analyses of the 

 problem indicate short-term adverse impact 

 on certain biological associations in 

 upper East Bay. The long-term 

 implications of forestry activities for 

 water resources are currently being 

 evaluated (Livingston unpubl.). 



Overall, the primary wetlands of the 

 Apalachicola valley remain intact, 

 although dredging and associated 

 construction activities, especially in the 

 upper reaches of the river, are 

 continuing. These activities include the 

 construction of bridges across the river 

 and development of a barge terminal 

 facility and offloading system. 

 Currently, state and federal agencies are 

 attempting to purchase portions of the 

 remaining wetlands for preservation. 



7.3.?. Toxic Substances 



The limited industrial and 

 agricultural activity in the region has 

 contributed to the relatively low levels 

 of pollutants found in the Apalachicola 

 drainage system. However, the water 

 quality of the Flint and Chattahoochee 

 Rivers has been adversely affected by 

 waterway maintenance activity, 

 urbanization, and the discharge of 



104 



