KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Vivian Katz-James, whose zeal to restore lakes Brooklyn and Geneva was never questioned, said she will never stop fighting. But after serving as the President of the Save Our Lakes Organization for the past 16 years, the driving force behind projects that will protect the Lake Region’s beauty and environmental significance for generations, said it was time for “new blood” to lead the group.

Katz-James shocked the St. Johns River Management District on July 8 by announcing she was stepping aside, not away, as the tireless and fierce leader of the group.

As much as 10 million gallons of water a day will be pumped from the South Fork of Black Creek in Green Cove Springs during wet weather and high-flow periods, and travel 17 miles to one of six filtration cells before being discharged into Alligator Creek. From there, the water will flow into lakes Brooklyn and Geneva, to reverse years of irresponsible usage by four area utility companies.

The Black Creek Resource Development Project was decades in the making. Thirty years of irresponsible pumping have led to dangerously low levels in both lakes, threatening one of the region's two primary aquifers.

A $100 million-plus commitment from the state, Clay County, the City of Keystone Heights, the St. Johns River Management District, the Clay County Utility Authority, Gainesville Regional Utilities, St. Johns Utilities, and JEA required considerable persistence, impeccable timing, and determination.

“Vivian was the one who held everything together,” said former Keystone Heights city manager and current Bradford County Manager Scott Kornegay.

Her red-shirt group attended every SJRWMD meeting, sitting in the front row, making sure their lakes weren’t forgotten. She never backed down, and her relentless mission created many friendships and riled others. Like other members, Katz-James wasn’t interested in politics, double-talk or excuses. She demanded results.

“I have been called a bulldog by someone who is a friend,” Katz-James said. “I've been accused of having tunnel vision, and that's true. But it was necessary for me.

“We were working on projects trying to find ways to bring the water back in these lakes, Brooklyn and Geneva, and to recharge areas for the (North) Florida aquifer. It made sense to me. Why would you not want to keep these lakes full? That’s your water and mine.”

With Katz-James’ insistence, the Black Creek Resource Development Project should raise the water level for Lake Brooklyn by 10 feet.

“We started in December of 2010 and finally got approval of a new MFL in 2021, so that was a 10-year battle,” she said. “

However, there were other projects that Katz-James championed to restore the once-popular resort area to its natural beauty.

The minimum flow and level (MFL) for Lake Brooklyn was increased by nearly 27 feet in 2021 during Katz-James’ 16-year term as president, which will deeply restrict utility companies from taking water.

With the help of the Clay County and Keystone Heights Board of Commissioners, SOLO also pushed the Geneva Restoration Project to fruition. Water levels at Lake Geneva were so low that trees and other vegetation grew where residents once boated and fished.

Bids to cut down the forest of trees now in the lake were due by July 17. Work to remove the trees and other materials will soon make all 1,600 acres of water accessible.

Success started with “The Summit.”

Despite several attempts and some angry comments at SJRWMD meetings, SOLO was unsuccessful in resolving the water level issues. Kornegay then organized a sit-down in 2017 between Clay County, Keystone Heights, the SJRWMD, and then-Florida Sen. Rob Bradley, as well as Florida Reps. Travis Cummings and Bobby Payne, and SOLO.

Bradley heard the concerns, and as the Chairman of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, he had ideas for redirecting the rage and fatigue into a completed project.

Once Bradley helped get everyone pulling in the same direction, he invited the members of SOLO to Tallahassee to meet Senate President Joe Negron. After decades of futility, the Black Creek project gained enough momentum to warrant a topographic survey, a geotechnical and endangered species report, and an archeology study. It also acquired the land and easements for the project in 2018.

“Vivian is the ultimate citizen’s advocate,” Bradley said. “I've known her for 15-20 years and consider her a friend. I appreciate her passion and her belief in what is right and getting this done.”

After Bradley reached the maximum number of years as a state senator in 2020, he joined the SJRWMD board, which became another timely asset for the project. In 2022, the project had the land, necessary permits and, most importantly, the money to start construction.

Kratz-James then battled through delays caused by supply chain problems and the need for a filtration system to remove the brownish tannins common in Black Creek.

“The government considers lakes Brooklyn and Geneva clear water lakes, and if we started pumping the tannins in, we probably would have never gotten the final permit to start,” she said.

Some officials with SJRWMD stated that they preferred to wait for a final decision from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection rather than incur the costs of the Passive Media Filtration project. If the permit was denied, Katz-Jones said the water district would have gone to court for a solution.

“Which meant even more delays,” she said.

She bypassed the SJRWMD to find a solution, to the ire of some of the water district’s top officials, but she got the filtration system approved.

Two of the six cells are fully operational, and a third cell is expected to be ready by the end of the month. Black Creek’s water level is at the minimum allowable level for pumping. Still, the water district has decided to hold off turning on the spigot for at least a month, allowing the creek to recharge more effectively. Besides, the water levels in Keystone Heights are near the suggested MFL levels.

“Mother Nature is the last delay,” Katz-James said. “We have to keep bringing more water in because of population growth. We need to continue replenishing the aquifer. So, fast forward, Black Creek is basically kicking the can down the road. Black Creek is a tremendous project, but the growing population will put more pressure on us. That’s going to be our next challenge.”

But with the initial battle completed, Vivian Katz-James said it’s time for someone else to continue the fight to keep the project – and the water flowing. She informed the SJRWMD during its monthly board meeting on July 8, but she ensured she wasn't going away.

“It’s time for young blood,” she said. “Scott Slater is the new president. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“Vivian, we’re at the end of the tunnel,” Bradley said.

“Vivian, I didn't know that you were going to say that. I appreciate you very much, and I thank you for all that you've done to get us where we are right now. Well done. Congratulations.”