Eco-Voice Digest - News and Views for Sept. 7th |
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Proud to be affiliated with local conservation programs.
A living shoreline (LSL) refers to the use of vegetation, oyster reefs and other organic features to control erosion, reduce wave energy and improve water quality instead of the traditional hardened inorganic structures such as seawalls, bulkheads and rock revetments. The “Living” focuses on providing valuable habitats for plants and animals as well as shoreline protection. Components can include aquatic vegetation, oyster reefs, sand and stone.
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HAPPENINGS
Legislative Delegation Meetings
Thursday Sept 9, 2021
Hendry County 9:00AM-11:00AM
LaBelle City Hall, 481 West Hickpochee, Ave, LaBelle, FL. 33935
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Martin County 9:00AM-12:00PM
Indian River State College, Chastain Campus, Wolf Technology Center, 2400 SE Salerno Road, Stuart, FL, 34997
SFWMD Governing Board Meeting
When: September 9, 2021
Caloosahatchee Reservoir Water Quality Component Meeting
When: September 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
WRAC/REC Recreation Forum
When: September 13, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association
WMAs 2021-2022 Hunting Seasons, J
Update Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands
SFWMD Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) Program
STA Waterfowl & Alligator 2021-2022
Public Use Project Updates - A-1 FEB Public Access Change • CEPP South Project • Lake Hicpochee Phase 2 • C-44 Project • Temporary access closures
JANUARY 6-8, 2022
HAWKS CAY RESORT IN DUCK KEY, FL
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Corps drops plans for 13,000 acre, shallow water impoundment area
By Katrina Elsken
Lake Okeechobee News
The Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project (LOWRP) has been revised and will be ready for funding in the 2022 federal Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), according to Col. Andrew Kelly, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District.
Kelly said the revised LOWRP will keep all of the wetland feature and the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells. He said the large and costly wetlands attenuation feature (WAF) is “no longer part of the plan.”..
The ASR wells provide most of the water storage capacity in LOWRP. The 80 ASRs in the project could provide annual storage volume of 448,000 acre-feet, which equals 145.9 billion gallons of water — about 1 foot of water on Lake Okeechobee. Estimated cost of the 80 ASR wells is $400 million. In 2019, the Florida Legislature decided to jump start northern storage by putting $50 million into the project. In 2020 the state kicked in another $50 million. In 2021, the Legislature passed legislation that pledges $50 million a year in state funds until the project is completed. The South Florida Water Management District has already started the project with test wells. In the Legislative hearings, David Pyne, president of ASR Systems in Gainesville and a member of the Florida Engineering Society, said ASR is “storing water at times when water is available and recovering the water when it is needed.” He said the wells need a relatively small footprint and most can be built on land the state already owns.
Comparing the cost to other water storage projects:
• The C-43 reservoir will cost about $19,250 per acre foot of water storage;
• The EAA reservoir will cost about $14,000 per acre foot of water storage;
• ASRs north of the lake will cost about $2,680 per acre foot of water storage.
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The Annual Florida Groundwater Conference will be in-person this year! 24 great presentations on important groundwater and water supply issues in Florida. This conference is a one-stop-shop for water professionals and groundwater end-users, engineers, geologists, hydrogeologists, planners, utility operators, water re-use and aquifer recharge consultants, water treatment specialists, water well contractors, industry & agriculture end-users, city & county government, regulatory authorities, legislators, elected officials, environmental NGOs, planners, water attorneys and interested citizens.
Annual Florida Groundwater Conference
2 Day Conference - September 28 & 29, 2021
Florida Hotel & Conference Center, 1500 Sand Lake Rd, Orlando, FL 32809
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2021 Living Shorelines Workshop
- Now offering virtual option for attendees
In an effort to create the most safe and accessible event possible, we are now offering a virtual option for attendees who are unable to join us in person for the 2021 Living Shorelines Tech Transfer Workshop. Virtual attendees will have access to the full Workshop via video conference, as well as a virtual field trip opportunity. We are asking current and future registrants to declare their intended attendance option no later than Oct 2.
Given this change, we have also made the decision based on the best available information to require all in-person attendees of the 2021 Living Shorelines Tech Transfer Workshop in Cape May, NJ to be at least 14-days removed from their final Covid-19 vaccine dose. All guests attending the in-person workshop will need to provide confirmation of Covid-19 vaccination as part of registration.
As an additional measure of safety, we will no longer be accepting on-site registrations, as in years past and all “registration swaps” must occur before October 1.
For more information, click below to read our full Covid-19 Guidance.
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Estimating the Effects of a Hurricane on Carbon Storage in Mangrove Wetlands in Southwest Florida
Tropical and subtropical mangrove swamps, under normal conditions, can sequester large amounts of carbon in their soils but as coastal wetlands, they are prone to hurricane disturbances. This study adds to the understanding of carbon storage capabilities of mangrove wetlands and explores how these capacities might change within the scope of a changing storm climate. In September 2017, Naples Bay, FL, USA (28°5′ N, 81°47′ W) encountered a direct hit from hurricane Irma, a Saffir–Simpson category 3 storm. By comparing carbon storage, forest community structure, and aboveground productivity collected in 2013 and in 2019, we estimated the effects of hurricane Irma on mangrove functions. Aboveground biomass increased during the study period at a rate of approximately 0.72 kg m−2 yr−1, significantly less than the average found in undisturbed mangrove forests. Soil carbon storage decreased at all study sites. On average, 2.7 kg-C m−2 was lost in the top 20 cm between sample collections. Carbon loss in belowground pools could point to a feedback of mangrove swamps on climate change as they lose their ability to store carbon and increase net atmospheric carbon. Nevertheless, mangrove swamps remain resilient to tropical storms in the long term and can recover their carbon storage capacity in the years following a storm. View Full-Text
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Threatened by plague, endangered species being nurtured at 22 aquariums
BY KEVIN SPEAR ORLANDO SENTINEL
The great rescue of Florida corals from a devastating disease crossed a milestone with the transfer of two batches of knobby cactus and flower cup corals from their Orlando refuge. The Florida Coral Rescue Center in south Orlando is rearing the largest collection of Florida corals brought in from the wild from just ahead of a fast-moving plague along the state’s southeast coast and Keys. ....
Captive corals have thrived enough and aquariums have become skilled enough that specimens can be relocated among aquariums to make the best use of space, to group corals more methodically according to type and to set the stage for the next phase — a massive breeding program. ...
The Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease swept 19 species along Florida reefs with surprising speed. Scientists aren’t sure if a virus or bacteria is the primary culprit behind the disease...
T Corals from other parts of the world have been raised in captivity for years and are well understood. But Florida has long prohibited the taking of its wild corals and little was known about how to care for them in aquarium settings. ...
A comprehensive plan for what to do with the rescued corals is still a work in progress as scientists watch for signs that Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is waning. They also hope to search for corals genetically evolved to withstand disease, warmer waters and other stresses. ...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has set up a public website, displaying the whereabouts of 19 species of corals taken from 71 reef areas along Florida’s coast.
This story was produced in partnership with the Florida Climate Reporting Network,
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Eve Samples, Friends of the Everglades - Guest columnist
For too many decades, Florida’s water priorities have been misguided.
We’ve kept Lake Okeechobee artificially high during the dry months in order to irrigate hundreds of thousands of acres of corporate-owned sugarcane fields south of the lake.
Then, when the rainy season arrives, the Army Corps of Engineers lowers the 730-square-mile lake the fastest way it can: by opening floodgates east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River, where the massive, polluted flows prompt toxic algae blooms.
Meanwhile, sugarcane fields south of Lake O are protected from extra water by the state’s South Florida Water Management District. In addition to ideal irrigation, the industry gets near-perfect drainage, too.
The toxic blue-green algae crises of 2016 and 2018 widely exposed Florida’s water-management system for what it is: a boon to large corporate sugar companies — and a threat to public health, our ecosystems and our economy.....
The Army Corps of Engineers is devising a new playbook that will determine when and where water moves from Lake O over the next decade. The new plan, called the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), has the potential to reduce Lake O discharges to the northern estuaries and send more water to the parched Everglades and Florida Bay.
On July 19, the Army Corps announced its preliminary preferred plan from six alternatives. Its choice, Alternative CC, was the best starting point — but it is not perfect.
Now, the Army Corps of Engineers is working to “optimize” that plan. Col. Andrew Kelly, who is overseeing the LOSOM process, has committed to improving it by sending more Lake O water south during the dry season. We think those flows should occur as long as possible, until the lake gets down to what’s known as the Water Shortage Management Band.
By sending Lake O water south more weeks of the year, the lake will have greater capacity to hold water that would otherwise devastate the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. At the same time, necessary flows would be restored to the Everglades and Florida Bay....
Visit everglades.org to learn more about how to advocate for a LOSOM plan that protects public health and our environment.
Eve Samples is executive director of Friends of the Everglades.
This column is part of “The Invading Sea,” the opinion arm of the Florida Climate Reporting Network, a collaborative of news organizations across the state focusing on the threats posed by the warming climate.
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Mike Roth Guest columnist
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FULL TEXT Initiative Information Date Approved________5/20/2021_________ Serial Number______21-04__________ Sponsor Name: FL5.org
Sponsor Address: 555 Winderley Place, Suite 300 Maitland, FL 32751
Ballot Summary: Enhances protection for Florida wetlands, both naturally occurring and man-made, by prohibiting the draining, dredging, filling or other degradation of Florida wetlands, thereby preventing harmful effects such actions have on the ecosystems of wetlands, native wildlife, and the environmental health of Florida.
Article and Section Being Created or Amended: ARTICLE X, SECTION 33 Full Text of the Proposed Amendment: (a) Wetlands are of the utmost importance to Florida’s environment and economy. Wetlands are productive systems that purify waters, control floods, provide storm protection, recharge groundwater, and provide wildlife habitats. Wetlands provide essential ecological services to the State of Florida and are more valuable than any other habitat in this respect.
(1) Wetlands, whether naturally occurring or man-made, act as natural filtration systems for water and pollution, making the environmental productivity of wetlands vital to all agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial and public uses in the State of Florida.
(2) In order to preserve and protect the property rights of Florida citizens, mechanisms must be established to provide orderly regulation and preservation of environmentally significant and productive wetlands.
(3) The dredging, filling, draining or other degradation of wetlands is hereby prohibited.. (b) For the purposes of this section: (1)“Degradation” means man-made changes to water quality, quantity, and flow rates, resulting in increased pollution levels, as well as the introduction of non-native species to wetlands ecosystems. (2) “Draining” means to cause water to run out, leaving it empty, dry, or drier. (3) “Dredging” means to excavate naturally occurring wetlands.
(4) “Filling” means to deposit material into naturally occurring wetlands.
(5) “Wetlands” means areas of land that have soils that are recurrently saturated with water, so that the presence of water is the dominant factor in the soil chemistry and biology, and the types of plants and animals living in or on its surface. (c) The dredging, filling, draining or other degradation of wetlands shall be punishable as a felony of the third degree. (d) If any portion of this section is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion of this section, to the fullest extent possible, shall be severed from the void proportion and given the fullest possible force and application. (e)
This section is self-executing and shall take effect immediately upon the passage of this amendment by the voters.
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BY DAVID FLESHLER SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL
Sea-level rise may appear to be a problem only for coastal residents, a hazard that comes with the awesome views and easy access to the beach. But neighborhoods 20 miles inland are starting to feel the impact, as the Atlantic Ocean’s higher elevation makes it harder for drainage canals to keep them dry..... The problem showed up last year in Tropical Storm Eta, when floodwater remained in southwest Broward neighborhoods for days, partly because the elevated ocean blocked canals from draining the region..... “It took a very, very long time to recede,” she said. “Two or three weeks to recede to normal levels.” The South Florida Water Management District, which operates the big canals that sweep water into the ocean, submitted a funding request to the state last week for fixing the system, with the preliminary list of projects carrying a price tag of more than $1.5 billion. Although expensive, the pumps and other improvements would help restore the efficiency of a system built after World War II that has become more difficult to operate at a time of rising sea levels. “When ocean water is higher, we cannot discharge, so we close the gates to avoid ocean water coming inside,” said Carolina Maran, district resiliency officer for the South Florida Water Management District. ....
The wide canals that run through Broward and Miami-Dade counties, carrying rainwater to the ocean, depend partly on gravity. When rainwater raises the level of the canal on the inland side, water managers lift the gate dividing it from the ocean side of the canal and the water flows away, eventually reaching the Atlantic. But when the Atlantic side is high, there may be no difference in elevations between each side of the gate, so when it’s lifted, the water doesn’t move. Or worse, the Atlantic side could be higher, so lifting the gate would allow ocean water to pour inland. ....Sea levels have been rising at an accelerating rate, largely due to climate change caused by pollution from cars, power plants and other sources of heat-trapping gases. A NOAA study says global sea levels have gone up 3.4 inches from 1993 to 2019. In South Florida, estimates from the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, which represents local governments, call for sea levels to rise another 10-17 inches by 2040....
This story was produced in partnership with the Florida Climate Reporting Network, a multi-newsroom initiative founded by the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun Sentinel, The Palm Beach Post, the Orlando Sentinel, WLRN Public Media and the Tampa Ba
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Living shorelines are a green infrastructure technique using native vegetation alone or in combination with low sills to stabilize the shoreline. Living shorelines provide a natural alternative to ‘hard’ shoreline stabilization methods like rip rap or bulkheads, and provide numerous benefits including nutrient pollution remediation, essential fish habitat structure, and buffering of shorelines from waves and storms. Research indicates that living shorelines are more resilient than bulkheads in protecting against the effects of hurricanes.
Infographic Text
Living Shorelines Support Resilient Communities
Living shorelines use plants or other natural elements — sometimes in combination with harder shoreline structures — to stabilize estuarine coasts, bays, and tributaries.
- One square mile of salt marsh stores the carbon equivalent of 76,000 gal of gas annually.
- Marshes trap sediments from tidal waters, allowing them to grow in elevation as sea level rises.
- Living shorelines improve water quality, provide fisheries habitat, increase biodiversity, and promote recreation.
- Marshes and oyster reefs act as natural barriers to waves. 15 ft of marsh can absorb 50% of incoming wave energy.
- Living shorelines are more resilient against storms than bulkheads.
- 33% of shorelines in the U.S. will be hardened by 2100, decreasing fisheries habitat and biodiversity.
- Hard shoreline structures like bulkheads prevent natural marsh migration and may create seaward erosion.
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Insight & Intelligence for Thriving Shorelines
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