The History of The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District

The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District (LGWCD) was established over 100 years ago. This special district operated under Florida State Statute Chapter 298. This is different from improvement districts which operate under Chapter 189. For example, to the Town of Loxahatchee Groves’s north and west is the Indian Trail Improvement District. This special district operates under both 298 and 189.

The LGWCD was responsible for the maintenance of canals and culverts (pipes under roads and bridges) throughout the boundaries we now mostly know as the Town of Loxahatchee Groves. Canals were engineered to be shallower at the north end of the district and become progressively deeper toward the south. The district has operated, since inception, from its current location alongside D Road and Southern Boulevard where the main drainage gate into the C-51 canal and pump exist to monitor canal water depth. In addition to this main location, historically there was a pump at D Road and Okeechobee Boulevard and weirs along lettered roads and Okeechobee Boulevard to assist in maintaining water levels along the northern portion of the district. Weirs used by the LGWCD were small “dams” that can be adjusted with the addition or removal of large wooden planks to let water go or retain it. The pump and weirs have been inoperable or missing since approximately 2005. This has prevented the proper maintenance year round of required water levels for the quality of water, aquatic life and canal bank condition since that time. The water usage (pulling of water into the canals) and release (letting water out during heavy rain events) is performed by the LGWCD staff (now the Public Works Department). The amounts and quality of water drawn from the C-51, or released into it, respectively within Loxahatchee Groves is governed by the South Florida Water Management District.

In addition to the maintenance of canals, the LGWCD was tasked with the maintenance and improvement of roadways. There has been much improvement over the years in the road surfaces. Many who have lived in the area for decades will share stories of impassable roads and essentially two dirt tire tracks in the grass with giant pits that filled with water during rainy season.

The LGWCD was “governed by” the Board of Supervisors (BOS). In order to be elected to the BOS, votes were cast per acre. For example, if a landowner had 20 acres they cast 20 votes. These votes could be collected via proxy and presented during the election period to be counted for the stated candidate. This process often resulted in the same BOS elected.

In 2018, the LGWCD (an independent drainage district) was voted by referendum of the town electors to become a dependent district. This was done to eliminate the duplication of expenses within town government. The dependent district is now governed by the same electeds that serve on the town council and are elected by the more familiar one person, one vote.

Today, there are over 1,700 Independent and Dependent Special Districts in the state, governed by more than 30 statutes, involving over 500 local governments. Special Districts provide limited purpose government on a local level. Fire control, library, port & inlet, mosquito, water control, community development, roads, hospital,  and other districts–all providing unique services, but all with the same need to be accountable and accessible to the citizens they serve.