Native Florida plants could be part of the solution to state's flooding, water quality problems

Researchers at Stetson University have received one million dollars from the National Science Foundation to help stop flooding and improve water quality in Cape Canaveral.

The City of Cape Canaveral, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Stetson University, along with city and county partners are working on the flooding solution.

Stetson researcher Jason Evans says that includes designing and building special channels called bioswales in Cape Canaveral’s Veterans Memorial Park.

Evans said these channels help to redirect stormwater that would cause flooding.

“We're going to plant it with native plants, with water-friendly plants. So it's going to be really beautiful," said Evans. "But it's designed to store and to treat a lot of the stormwater that otherwise is running down the street and would go off into the lagoon.”

Citizen volunteers and Stetson undergraduates will help monitor their progress.

“We're gonna have some planting days where we're going to plant native plants, and so the citizens can be involved in those activities," said Evans. "And then we're gonna have workshops just to kind of explain, hopefully, in layman's terms, what we're doing and why we're doing it and why it's important.”

Evans says if all goes well, the bioswales should help clean up the Indian River Lagoon, and could be implemented in other areas of the state where the threat of coastal flooding is high.

The lagoon has faced several challenges in the last few years including algal blooms, brown tides, and manatee die-offs.

Charlotte County joins 9th annual ‘Imagine a Day Without Water’

Blue-green algae health warnings are diminishing on the Caloosahatchee

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County canceled five health warnings due to harmful algal blooms in the Caloosahatchee River.

Right after Hurricane Ian, land-based nutrients like fertilizers were washed into the Gulf of Mexico by the hurricane’s massive volume of rainwater and storm surge. The first red tides were found offshore of Sarasota County, and as the months went by, dozens of more blooms of the toxins, often airborne, were detected throughout Southwest Florida offshore seas.

The red tides dissipated as the Gulf of Mexico got warmer heading into this summer.

Then more than a dozen masses of blue-green algae — another harmful algae bloom — were discovered by testing in the Caloosahatchee River from June through August, which prompted state officials to issue health advisories from the upper Caloosahatchee River to the lower, warning of the presence of the toxic organism throughout.

Skin rashes, gastrointestinal turmoil, and respiratory distress are potential outcomes of contact with algae-filled water. Blue-green algae have also killed family pets who played in infected areas, as well as entire flocks of birds who landed in lakes covered in the slimy, green algae.

In addition to health effects, harmful algae blooms cause significant economic losses when they take hold, keeping tourists and residents alike away from saltwater beaches due to the acrid odors and dead fish lining the shore that are the hallmark of red tide, and the rotten-egg smell and slimy blue-green algae that look like bad toupees gone rotten in freshwater lakes and rivers.

Despite the five canceled health warnings issue in June and July for the waters around Jaycee Park, Overiver Drive, Whitecap Circle, Horton Park, and the end of Canal Circle along the Caloosahatchee River, several more health warnings for the floating, toxic algae remain, and not in places that can so easily be defined because many of the piles of algae float around with the winds and tides.

“It is important that the public exercise caution and good judgment,” the health department said in a press release. “Blue-green algae blooms can move around or subside and then reappear when conditions are favorable again. Residents and visitors are advised to avoid contact with the water if blooms are observed.”

Lee County Dept. of Health LIFTS Health Alerts for multiple Caloosahatchee River locations

Lee County Dept. of Health issues Health Caution for Caloosahatchee River-Franklin Lock

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation to offer Coastal Systems Master Naturalist Course

Course Dates: Weekly from Nov. 1 to Dec. 11
Cost: $250 to $300, depending on course materials selected
Registration limited to 20 participants.

Deepen your appreciation for our natural world while learning about the habitats, flora, and fauna on our barrier islands and in our coastal communities by taking the Florida Master Naturalist Coastal Systems course this fall.

Visit unique locations on Sanibel and in Lee County during the course's field trips and gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of what SCCF scientists do on a daily basis.

A mix of hands-on activities, classroom presentations, and videos round out the class content, with sessions occurring once a week from Nov. 1 to Dec. 11. Space is limited to 20 participants, so register soon!

A complete schedule, more information, and registration are available on the Florida Master Naturalist Program website.

Florida looks to increase number of wetland mitigation banks, credits available to developers

The state has 131 wetlands mitigation banks available today.

Mitigation credits for wetlands, while still controversial among conservationists, remain a high-demand service in Florida. Meanwhile, the state only has so much space in existing banks.

Water quality officials told Florida lawmakers they intend to open another 30 sites on top of the 131 mitigation banks already in operation in Florida. Mitigation banks today cover almost 227,500 acres of land around the state.

“The bankers are out there hustling,” said Christine Wentzel, a regulatory manager for the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Developers under Florida law may offset the impacts of projects on wetlands by buying and maintaining areas near wetlands that can be restored to serve the same ecological purpose. In a presentation to the House Water Quality, Supply and Treatment Subcommittee, Wentzel discussed how credits are calculated and defended the value of the program to the state’s ecology.

The state looks to grow the available number of mitigation banks as state and federal environmental officials navigate a changing legal environment. The U.S. Supreme Court in May issued a ruling governing what waters fall under the full legal purview of the United States.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency last month issued new guidelines based on that, but officials at the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) remain in communication about jurisdictional matters.

Boca Grande Fifth Street Beach Access closed as a safety precaution

El Jobean Fishing Pier closed for maintenance

Lee County Dept. of Health cautions about Blue-Green Algae at Caloosahatchee River-Raleigh Canal

Biden administration restores the power of states and tribes to review projects to protect waterways

States and Native American tribes will have greater authority to block energy projects such as natural gas pipelines that could pollute rivers and streams under a final rule issued Thursday by the Biden administration.

The rule, which takes effect in November, reverses a Trump-era action that limited the ability of states and tribes to review pipelines, dams and other federally regulated projects within their borders. The Environmental Protection Agency says the new regulation will empower local authorities to protect rivers and streams while supporting infrastructure projects that create jobs.

“We actually think this is going to be great for the country,” said Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for water. “It’s going to allow us to balance the Biden administration goals of protecting our water resources and also supporting all kinds of infrastructure projects that this nation so desperately needs.”

But Fox acknowledged at a briefing that the water rule will be significantly slimmed down from an earlier proposal because of a Supreme Court ruling that weakened regulations protecting millions of acres of wetlands. That ruling, in a case known as Sackett v. EPA, sharply limited the federal government’s jurisdiction over wetlands, requiring that wetlands be more clearly connected to other waters such as oceans and rivers. Environmental advocates said the May decision would strip protections from tens of millions of acres of wetlands.

Researchers: Coastal ecosystems will drown if world warms above 2°C

After studying more than 1,500 coastal ecosystems, researchers say they will drown if we let the world warm above 2°C

Much of the world's natural coastline is protected by living habitats, most notably mangroves in warmer waters and tidal marshes closer to the poles. These ecosystems support fisheries and wildlife, absorb the impact of crashing waves and clean up pollutants. But these vital services are threatened by global warming and rising sea levels.

Recent research has shown wetlands can respond to sea level rise by building up their root systems, pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the process. Growing recognition of the potential for this "blue" carbon sequestration is driving mangrove and tidal marsh restoration projects.

While the resilience of these ecosystems is impressive, it is not without limits. Defining the upper limits to mangrove and marsh resilience under accelerating sea level rise is a topic of great interest and considerable debate.

Our new research, published in the journal Nature, analyzes the vulnerability and exposure of mangroves, marshes and coral islands to sea level rise. The results underscore the critical importance of keeping global warming within 2 degrees of the pre-industrial baseline.

Got mangroves? Sign up for this mangrove-trimming best practices course

Mote Marine Lab hosts workshop on red tide mitigation tools

Army Corps says it won’t release Lake O water in case of storms

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not release water from Lake Okeechobee before Hurricane Idalia and will not release lake water if another storm approaches, Major Cory Bell, deputy commander of the USACE Jacksonville District explained in a Sept. 8 media briefing.

He said high water in the Caloosahatchee River was due to a storm surge from the gulf that backed up into the river. Until that storm surge went down, the Franklin Lock had to remain closed. No water was released from Lake Okeechobee. The river level rose due to local basin runoff, he explained.

“We have no plans to implement pre-storm releases from Lake Okeechobee,” explained Bell. The Herbert Hoover Dike and water control structures on Lake Okeechobee will be closed 24 hours before the anticipation of tropical storm force winds and will remain closed until after the storm passes and USACE evaluates any damages.

Red tide sets manatee deaths along Florida’s west coast apart, experts say

Water quality and seagrass health play a big role in marine mammals’ survival anywhere in the state.

Red tide in the water and in the air contribute to manatee deaths on Florida’s west coast, setting the region’s waterways apart from other troubled areas of manatee mortality in Florida, researchers say.

In the long run, the loss of seagrass connects both coasts’ investigations into the marine mammals’ well-being, but, according to Dr. Thomas K. Frazer, dean and professor in the University of South Florida College of Marine Sciences, the reasons behind the decline in water quality can often be linked to different factors.

“The last several years have been very difficult for manatees, for a variety of reasons. Particularly on the east coast, and similarly, maybe to a lesser degree, on the west coast,” he said.

Seagrasses, which flourish in shallow water, are the bedrock of coastal marine life. They filter pollutants, act as a nursery to marine life and offer manatees and sea turtles their main food source.

Seagrasses also serve as a canary in the coal mine, their health and vitality an indicator of potential problems. Starting in 2016, seagrass numbers have generally declined around the state and specifically in Sarasota Bay; a warning of the decline of the delicate ecosystems along the Gulf of Mexico.

“One of the reasons why we’ve lost so many manatees in the last two and a half years is from starvation. Not boat strikes, but starving to death, due to the lapse in water quality in (Sarasota Bay), which affects their food source,” said Dr. Dave Tomasko, director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, adding the Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s east coast is the epicenter for seagrass loss and manatee deaths.

“It might be as high as 30 to 50 percent of the east coast manatee population basically starved to death in the last two and a half years,” said Tomasko.

Despite Idalia, drought persists in Southwest Florida

The latest drought monitor index released Thursday [Sept. 8th] shows coastal Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties still in a drought as the relatively arid rainy season of 2023 continues.

The update takes into account rain that fell in our community during Hurricane Idalia and in the days following the storm when tropical downpours moved in with onshore winds from the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the index, moderate drought is in place across western Charlotte County west of Interstate 75 with abnormally dry conditions in the rest of the county. DeSoto County is also considered to be abnormally dry for this time of year.

The update does show that severe and extreme drought conditions have lessened in our area. Those two levels of the drought monitor no longer take up any of Charlotte County, as they have retreated northward across coastal Sarasota County.

Hurricane Idalia caused widespread pollution in Florida’s waterways

Wastewater, fuel and chemicals spilled in several parts of the state as the massive storm caused extensive flooding.

While Hurricane Idalia ravaged Florida’s Big Bend region, rain and wind from the massive storm also caused wastewater leaks, chemical dumps and fuel spills in Tampa Bay and other storm-struck parts of the state.

At least 26,000 gallons of wastewater spills, mostly raw sewage, were reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as of Friday.

In each instance, the flooding was so severe that officials said it’s not possible to tell exactly how much wastewater was released. Instead, estimates were provided.

In Tampa Bay and neighboring tributaries like the Manatee River and Boca Ciega Bay, winds and high seas toppled boats, sending their gasoline into the waters below. Hurricane Idalia’s floodwaters are also being blamed for a kerosene leak that sent flammable liquid into a St. Petersburg mobile home park.

The early snapshot of Idalia’s environmental impacts, gleaned from state and federal pollution reports, underscores the typical reality following a major hurricane’s landfall: Waterways under the storm’s crosshairs get stirred with human sewage, gas and whatever else may have mixed with storm surge.

Lee County Health Dept. LIFTS Health Alerts for two Caloosahatchee sites

Flesh-eating bacteria lurk in post-hurricane floodwaters. Here’s how to stay safe.

Cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection tend to rise after hurricanes mix fresh rainwater with salty seawater.

In the wake of Hurricane Idalia, health officials warned of a invisible threat in the lingering floodwaters: Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.

The warning comes as serious infections from the bacteria are on the rise, tied to warming coastal waters. On Sept. 1, the Centers for Disease Control issued an alert to health care providers to consider Vibrio as a possible cause of infected wounds, noting several severe and fatal cases in Connecticut, New York and North Carolina.

The rare and potentially deadly type of flesh-eating bacterium "shouldn't be taken lightly," Florida Health Department press secretary Jae Williams said. "It needs to be treated with proper respect — the same way we respect alligators and rattlesnakes."

Florida health officials started alerting residents of the potential for such bacterial infections "as soon as the state of emergency was declared," Williams said, referring to Hurricane Idalia.

Coastal areas of the state, as well as Georgia and the Carolinas, where Idalia's surges left behind standing water, were most at risk for Vibrio bacteria.

NASA scientists test new tool for tracking algal blooms

Harmful algae can endanger public health and coastal ecosystems and economies. Advances in satellite imaging are providing new ways to look at our living ocean.

By the time they were over, a series of massive algal blooms along the west coast of Florida in 2020 would be linked to some 2,000 tons of dead marine life around Tampa Bay. The human costs were stark, too, including a double-digit increase in asthma cases in Sarasota and Pinellas counties, and estimated losses of around $1 billion across economic sectors from tourism to fisheries.

Earth-orbiting satellites have been used for decades to detect algal blooms from space, enabling more frequent observations over broader areas than is possible by directly sampling the water. The most common observing technique relies on the visible spectrum to measure ocean color. However, this approach has been mostly restricted to clear sky conditions.

A recent study, led by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, has shown how one space-based instrument called TROPOMI, or TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument, was able to peer through thin clouds to uncover powerful clues about Karenia brevis (or K. brevis), the microscopic algae responsible for the 2020 blooms. TROPOMI’s enhanced ability to “see” and measure fine wavelengths of light could potentially help federal agencies and local communities better forecast and manage harmful outbreaks. (TROPOMI flies aboard the European Sentinel 5P spacecraft, which was launched in 2017.)

The scientists examined the West Florida Shelf, a stretch of continental crust arcing from the Panhandle to the Keys. From its origins in other parts of the Gulf of Mexico, K. brevis is carried toward the coastline on strong winds and ocean currents. Recent research has shown that western Florida, like many coastal communities, may be increasingly vulnerable to outbreaks because these algae flourish in nutrient-rich, warm conditions fueled by runoff, fertilizer, and climate change.

Carl Hiaasen to headline upcoming EcoSummit in Sarasota

Nature and culture set the stage for December events during the two-day expo.

Discussion of environmental issues and sustainability practices at December’s Green Living Expo and EcoSummit won’t be purely scientific, especially with Carl Hiaasen on hand.

The event will be run by the Science and Environment Council, a not-for-profit consortium of 40 science-based environmental organizations in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The two-segment event kicks off with a free, two-day Green Living Expo on Dec. 2-3 at Sarasota’s Municipal Auditorium featuring green solutions for energy conservation, water protection, waste reduction and more. Entry is free with advanced registration, and $5 per group at the door.

The three-day EcoSummit opens from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 4 with a free screening of Australian filmmaker’s Damon Gameau’s documentary, “2040” at the Bay Park’s Nest.

On Dec. 5-6, the EcoSummit moves indoors to the VanWezel Performing Arts Hall.

Florida Stories with Carl Hiaasen is planned for 7-9 p.m. Dec. 5. The longtime author and Miami Herald columnist will be introduced by Craig Pittman, himself an award-winning Florida journalist. The two writers will be joined on stage by local storytellers and a musical guest.

EcoSummit ticket options range from $155 for the summit; $185 for premium, which includes the Hiaasen event; and $285, which includes a pre-show reception and premium seating. An early registration discount of $40, using the code HOTSALE40, is available through Sept. 30. Standalone tickets to see Hiaasen are $85 for general admission and $185, which includes pre-show reception and premium seating.

The EcoSummit will feature lectures, panel discussions, storytelling, and music. Dozens of national, regional, and local experts will share innovations on reducing environmental impacts and encouraging more sustainable practices.

“Over the past century in Florida, population growth and development patterns have increased pollution and decreased the environment’s capacity to process it,” said Dr. Jennifer Shafer, SEC’s co-executive director. “Our natural environment is the foundation of our economy and quality of life; by working together to educate and activate the community, we hope to bolster efforts to conserve and restore our treasured natural resources — and protect quality of life for generations to come.”

Other associated events include family-friendly Ever-GREEN Days at The Bay Sarasota, with a weeklong schedule of free interactive and eco-friendly experiences — such as guided tours, hands-on eco-education, family friendly activities and more – from Nov. 30-Dec. 6.

For information and tickets, visit the EcoSummit website.

Cape Coral Floodplain Management Annual Report now available

City of Cape Coral adds five new freshwater canal access points

The EPA removes federal protections for most of the country’s wetlands

The Environmental Protection Agency removed federal protections for a majority of the country's wetlands on Tuesday to comply with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

The EPA and Department of the Army announced a final rule amending the definition of protected "waters of the United States" in light of the decision in Sackett v. EPA in May, which narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act and the agency's power to regulate waterways and wetlands.

Developers and environmental groups have for decades argued about the scope of the 1972 Clean Water Act in protecting waterways and wetlands.

"While I am disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision in the Sackett case, EPA and Army have an obligation to apply this decision alongside our state co-regulators, Tribes, and partners," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

A 2006 Supreme Court decision determined that wetlands would be protected if they had a "significant nexus" to major waterways. This year's court decision undid that standard. The EPA's new rule "removes the significant nexus test from consideration when identifying tributaries and other waters as federally protected," the agency said.

In May, Justice Samuel Alito said the navigable U.S. waters regulated by the EPA under the Clean Water Act do not include many previously regulated wetlands. Writing the court's decision, he said the law includes only streams, oceans, rivers and lakes, and wetlands with a "continuous surface connection to those bodies."

What’s the connection between climate change and hurricanes?

Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida. Here are some ways climate change is reshaping tropical cyclones like it

It has been a summer of disasters–and many of them were made worse, or more intense, by human-caused climate change. Wildfires burned from coast to coast across Canada. Vermont was inundated by unprecedented floods. Phoenix's temperatures topped 100 ° F for a full month. And now Hurricane Idalia, the first major hurricane of the season, is ripping across Florida and into the Southeast.

Scientists know climate change influences hurricanes, but exactly how can be a little complicated. Here's a look at the links between a hotter world and big storms like Hurricane Idalia.

For answers to these questions, follow the link below:

• Does climate change make hurricanes stronger?
• Climate change makes them get bigger faster, right?
• Does climate change make hurricanes happen more often?
• What are some of the biggest risks from stronger hurricanes? Are those changing because of climate change?
• Is hurricane season getting longer?
• It has been pretty hot in the South and the Gulf region. How will that influence the rest of the season?

In the wake of Hurricane Idalia, Lee County Health Department issues cautionary swim advisory