Estuaries Report Card for Southwest Florida

Transcription

1 2005 Estuaries Report Card for Southwest Florida Coastal Venice Lemon Bay Charlotte Harbor Pine Island Sound Caloosahatchee River Estero Bay Wiggins Pass/Cocohatchee Naples Bay Rookery Bay Ten Thousand Islands Protecting Southwest Florida s unique natural environment... now and forever.

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TROUBLED WATERS Since 1964, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has provided education programs, scientific research, and policy advocacy to preserve Southwest Florida s natural environment and our quality of life. While much has been accomplished, the health of the region s estuaries is declining with the rapid urbanization of their watersheds. The Estuaries Report Card for Southwest Florida provides a snapshot of the environmental health of our region. It is designed to assemble and summarize the best available scientific data into essential reading for every resident or tourist who enjoys Southwest Florida. We gave each watershed estuary in Southwest Florida a grade on an A+ to F- scale for two categories: Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat. Our analysis graded the health of ten estuary watersheds: Coastal Venice, Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, Caloosahatchee River, Estero Bay, Wiggins Pass/ Cocohatchee River, Naples Bay, Rookery Bay, and Ten Thousand Islands. The Conservancy will conduct this evaluation every three years and issue the Report Card again to determine whether the health of these estuary watersheds is improving or declining. This assessment reveals that our estuaries are in crisis and reflects an urgent need for regulatory reform to offset human disruption of the natural systems. The pollution of Southwest Florida s estuaries and other associated environmental problems are predominantly caused by rapid land development. Implementing growth management policies and changing how we individually interact with nature will greatly determine whether our water quality is preserved and our core wildlife habitat areas and flowways remain intact. The fact that these estuaries are less than what they once were should not deter us from taking action. In fact their historical condition must be remembered, in order to gain a sense of what we have lost, and to create a vision of what we may hope to recover. The Conservancy is committed to using the baseline data in this report card to advocate, raise awareness, measure improvement, and finally, preserve Southwest Florida s estuaries now and forever. WHAT ARE ESTUARIES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? Estuaries are places where freshwater from the land meets and mixes with saltwater from the sea. Water that flows into these estuaries originates from watersheds which encompass the surrounding wetlands, rivers, and streams. Estuaries are important for many reasons. First, estuaries provide vital nesting and feeding habitats for many aquatic plants and animals. That s why they are known as nurseries of the sea. Estuaries also filter out sediments and pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the oceans providing cleaner waters for marine life. Further, estuaries and their surrounding wetlands act as buffer zones. They stabilize shorelines and protect coastal areas from 1 Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

3 INTRODUCTION THE INITIAL ESTUARIES REPORT CARD FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Is the water safe for swimming? Drinking? Are the fish safe to eat? In order to answer these important questions, citizens need scientific information in a manner they can readily understand. Water is arguably the most valuable resource on the planet. It is necessary for every form of life. Unlike land-locked states, Florida s freshwater constantly interacts with saltwater, particularly in estuaries. These brackish water environments are the nurseries of the sea, which provide essential habitat for juvenile fish and shellfish. Southwest Florida is home to some of the most beautiful and productive estuaries in the world; nowhere in the nation is the link between estuarine habitat and fish production more obvious than in the Gulf of Mexico. Ninety-five percent of the commercially and recreationally important species in the Gulf of Mexico use the estuaries or bays of this system during some part of their life cycles. Coastal recreation and tourism generate $8 to $12 billion every year and in 1990, American estuarine-dependent fisheries brought in 1.9 billion dollars. The health of estuaries is significantly impacted by pollution within their larger coastal watershed. Anything that happens on land within this sprawling watershed has a direct impact on the estuary itself. Coastal urbanization is most dramatic in Southwest Florida, where the population of Collier County increased from approximately 16,000 in 1960 to more than 250,000 in 2000, with the Naples Metropolitan area having the second fastest growth rate in the nation during the 1990s. Lee County s population increased seven fold from 1960 to Extensive land development is the primary threat to estuarine systems in Southwest Florida, with impacts from direct destruction of estuarine habitats as well as from upstream drainage projects that disrupt the timing and amount of freshwater flows into the estuaries. The Pew Ocean Commission Report found that two-thirds of our estuaries and bays are moderately or severely degraded by nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) that run off from lawns, golf courses, and farm fields. Several Southwest Florida estuaries and their tributaries have been designated as impaired by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) as a result of nutrient pollution. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Our goals are straight-forward: (1) every water body must meet the minimum water quality for its designated use; (2) water systems must not be further altered and shall be restored where necessary, to cease or prevent significant ecological damage; (3) preserve or restore a significant proportion of predevelopment wetlands; and finally, (4) that we publicly conserve no less than a quarter of our landscape at a minimum for wildlife habitat, regional flowways, and other environmental resource-based beneficial uses. Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 2

4 ESTUARIES REPORT CARD AT A GLANCE 3 Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

5 COASTAL VENICE WATERSHED Wildlife C- Water Quality Inconclusive The Coastal Venice Watershed is home to one of the first planned developments in Florida the city of Venice planned by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in the 1920s. Today, the area is a popular diving and beach destination, and shark teeth are easily found and collected along Venice beaches. Many fish species may be caught here, including spotted seatrout, redfish, mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, grouper and whiting. A severe lack of water pollution data for the watershed made grading impossible for water quality. Hydrology in the area has been altered significantly and only 48% of the original wetlands remain. Only 12 % of the area has been set aside for conservation to date. In the pre-development era... the area was covered with pine, scattered patches of water oaks and numerous small swamps. The bay shoreline was an extensive growth of mangroves and marsh... changes occurred along the bays and creeks in the 1950s and 1960s. Mangroves and other filtering biologically active waterfront fringe plants were replaced by seawalls and other man-made structures... By the early 1960s almost the entire shoreline of the estuary had been seawalled between the Alloe Bridge and Hatchet Creek Bridge... RECOMMENDATIONS: Evaluate measures to improve hydrology and water quality, including the addition of stream flow gauges and expanding the number of rainfall monitoring stations to increase understanding of the ecological impacts of land development and other alterations to the watershed. Expand the Florida Department of Environmental Protection s water quality monitoring program to better determine water pollution impairment. Initiate efforts to conserve and protect the few remaining intact wetland areas within the Coastal Venice Watershed. -Sea Grant, A Historical Geography of Southwest Florida Waterways Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 4

6 LEMON BAY WATERSHED Wildlife B- Water Quality C Lemon Bay extends from South Venice to the Gasparilla Island Causeway. This estuary has been recognized as a National Estuary Program estuary, an aquatic preserve by the Florida Legislature and as an Outstanding Florida Water (OFW) by the Florida Department of Natural Resources. OFWs have special protection that legally requires the maintenance of existing water quality conditions. Fresh water from Ainger, Alligator, Forked, Gottfried, and Oyster creeks flows into Lemon Bay, as well as runoff from coastal regions and barrier islands. Lemon Bay is brimming with wildlife including pelicans, snook, shrimp, dolphins and manatees. While seagrasses near the shore make the bay water cleaner and stabilize its sandy bottom, the rest of the watershed is not well protected. Lemon Bay s largest water quality problem is dissolved oxygen. Pollution contributes oxygen-demanding organic matter like sewage and agricultural runoff which causes a decrease in oxygen concentrations. Like terrestrial animals, fish and other aquatic organisms need oxygen to live. Too low a concentration cannot sustain aquatic life. Only 13% of the total watershed has been placed in conservation and these areas are small and fragmented raising concern regarding wildlife habitat. 62% of the original pre-development wetlands remain in the watershed. The substantial increase in watershed degradation under current conditions is related primarily to the lack of existing stormwater treatment facilities within the Lemon Bay watershed. Even if future development is constructed with stormwater treatment systems designed to current regulatory standards, pollution levels of Lemon Bay are still anticipated to increase substantially. Current standards are insufficient. Increase the Florida Department of Environmental Protection s water quality monitoring in Lemon Bay and continue existing volunteer water quality monitoring efforts. Centralize the waste systems and decrease septic tank dependence in the watershed to decrease coliform bacteria entering Lemon Bay. Support the environmental land acquisition efforts of the Lemon Bay Conservancy. Implement the Surface Water Improvement and Management plan to evaluate nutrient loadings of Lemon Bay. Freshwater bodies in Lemon Bay remain unsampled and must be studied further to accurately assess the health of the entire watershed. Retrofit existing urbanized areas in Lemon Bay with stormwater treatment facilities. Create more stringent criteria for stormwater management, such as adoption of the proposed Southwest Florida Basin Rule. 5 Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

7 GREATER CHARLOTTE HARBOR WATERSHED Wildlife C- Water Quality B- Located between Naples and Sarasota, the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed encompasses an area of more than 4,400 square miles on Florida s southwest region. The Myakka and Peace rivers feed into the estuary. It is a popular tourist destination known for wildlife watching and tarpon fishing. The watershed is surrounded by burgeoning growth and it cannot sustain continued development without further water quality degradation, fish and wildlife habitat loss, and hydrologic alterations. Habitat destruction contributes to the status of threatened and endangered species. Currently, 86 different species of endangered or threatened plants and animals are found in the watershed. Although only 16% of the waters here are listed as impaired, the greater watershed has impairments for eight different pollutant criteria, including bacteria and nutrients. 59% of the watershed s wetlands remain and 15% of its acreage is in conservation. Phosphate mining in the watershed has reduced annual flow rates and sent surges of slurry down the Peace River causing mass fatalities to aquatic life. Additional mining is being proposed for another 100,000 acres in Charlotte Harbor watershed. This threat landed the Peace River a spot in the top 10 on the American Rivers Association s list of America s Most Endangered Rivers. No new mining permits should be issued until a region-wide Environmental Impact Study has been completed. Minimum flows, the amount of water needed to ensure that water levels are maintained at quantities that don t further degrade the river s wetland function need to be set for the entire Peace River. Remove nutrient sediments in Lake Hancock and treat outflow with filter marshes to improve water quality within the lake and its outflow waterways. A century and a half ago dry prairie, covered with wiregrass, carpeted much of the land from Lake Okeechobee southward, but settlers cleared the prairie and planted crops and a variety of exotic grasses. Little remains today of Florida s dry prairie, only three tracts... -Robert H. Mohlenbrock Professor Emeritus, Plant Biology Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 6

8 PINE ISLAND SOUND WATERSHED Wildlife B+ Water Quality B The Pine Island Sound Estuary contains extensive seagrass beds and large mangrove forests dominate its shorelines both of which provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife. The barrier islands of Cayo Costa, Captiva, and Sanibel insulate Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass, and San Carlos Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. Close to 200 species of birds live on or near Sanibel and Captiva islands as well as dolphins, manatees and alligators. 37% of Pine Island Sound is impaired, predominantly for bacterial contamination in shellfish. In addition, some areas show problems related to harmful nutrient loading. The bacteria assessed for contamination of shellfish are fecal coliform and E. coli bacteria, indicating contamination from human waste. This is a result of failing septic tanks and sewage treatment plants in the watershed. 69% of the original wetlands remain and 60% of the watershed land is in conservation. Expand central public sanitary sewer systems to decrease dependence on septic systems or implement an equitable program to upgrade failing systems. Identify and implement treatment options for stormwater runoff to help control nutrient pollution and septic-field flooding. Support the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Lee County Conservation 20/20 and the Calusa Land Trust in efforts to purchase environmentally sensitive areas in this watershed. I recall one day in the 1930s travelling the Gulf Beach to the Lighthouse to Blind Pass in a small boat with my friend...we travelled the full length of the island and did not encounter a single soul... By contrast, today things are different. In the early Spring of Sanibel had the appearance of a tropical Coney Island. -George R. Campbell, Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

9 CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER WATERSHED Wildlife C- Water Quality C- The Caloosahatchee watershed varies greatly from west to east. The western portion contains urban areas including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Buckingham. The central and eastern portions are largely agricultural. North of the Caloosahatchee in Charlotte and Lee counties is Babcock Ranch a 91,000 acre ranch which has some of the most ecologically important areas in the region, and is the last piece of a conservation corridor from Florida s interior to the Gulf. 57% of the Caloosahatchee River watershed is impaired, while nearly 30% is impaired for nutrients, and 25% is impaired for coliform bacteria. (This points to residential and agricultural impacts from fertilizer and human waste treatment systems.) 40% of original wetlands remain and only 7% of the land is in conservation. Pesticides have been found in the section of the Caloosahatchee River that Lee County uses for drinking water. Drastic alterations in flow levels through out the year negatively affect salinity and make much of the available habitat unsuitable for organisms that normally reside there. Implement Everglades restoration projects involving the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee. Support public acquisition of the maximum feasible portion of Babcock Ranch. Increase storage and treatment to filter out pollutants and improve the timing/ distribution of freshwater releases so they more closely mimic natural seasonal flow rates. Restore natural flowways for the benefit of flood protection, aquifer recharge, wildlife, and water quality In 1882, the Caloosahatchee River, which runs east to west from the middle of the state, was extended by canal all the way to Lake Okeechobee-and South Florida panthers lost their most important land link to the central part of the state. While panthers were bountied and killed off throughout the rest of the state, they lingered south of the canal stuck in their inferior habitat. -Ted Levin, Listening to Wildlife in the Everglades Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 8

10 ESTERO BAY WATERSHED Wildlife C- Water Quality D- The Estero Bay Basin is comprised of low, flat wetlands. It is a productive aquatic habitat and the state s first aquatic preserve. Estero Bay provides habitat for bird nesting colonies, migrating birds and nursery areas for a variety of commercial and sport fisheries. 68% of the Estero Bay watershed is impaired for nutrients and low dissolved oxygen, and 12% of the watershed is impaired for bacterial contamination of shellfish. With 73% of the watershed impaired, and many waterbodies impaired for more than one criteria, Estero Bay Watershed is the most severely polluted watershed in the study area. The natural water table has been lowered significantly by over draining and only 50% of the watershed s wetlands remain. 22% of the watershed is protected through conservation. Of all the types of endangered and threatened species in Florida, approximately 40% are found here including the West Indian manatee, loggerhead sea turtle, Florida panther, bald eagle, big cypress fox squirrel, red-cockaded woodpecker and the snowy plover. Conduct studies regarding nutrient sources to target the origins of the heavy nutrient loading entering this estuary. Initiate efforts to decrease nutrient loading and support the Estero Bay Nutrient Management Partnership initiative. Implement the recommendations of the South Florida Water Management District s South Lee County Plan and the Regional Planning Council s Lee Mitigation Plan that restore the hydrology and flow patterns to Estero Bay. Create filter marshes and conserve buffers to waterways within watershed to improve water quality. 9 Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

11 WIGGINS PASS/COCOHATCHEE WATERSHED Wildlife B- Water Quality C- The portion of the estuary at the north end of Vanderbilt Beach comprises Delnor Wiggins State Park. The park is a barrier island separated from the mainland by mangrove swamps and tidal creeks. During the winter, the pass is frequented by the endangered West Indian Manatee. Mangroves occupy 80% of Delnor Wiggins State Park and are an important food source for marine animals that begin their life here before entering the Gulf. While the State Park provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife, the adjacent uplands have been largely urbanized and its shorelines modified by dredging, filling and seawall construction. 68% of Wiggins Pass/Cocohatchee watershed is impaired for low dissolved oxygen, found to be caused by nitrogen which is likely linked to fertilizer use in the region. 67% of its natural wetlands are intact Only 12% of the area is held in conservation. Conduct research on the ecological effects of the hydrologic alteration of this system. Purchase lands within the Camp Keais Strand and Cocohatchee flowway through the Conservation Collier Program to preserve flowways. Support acquisition of essential wetland areas in the Northern Golden Gate Estates, such as the Winchester Head and Unit 53 wetland areas, through the Conservation Collier Program. Create a stakeholder s forum group for the preservation and protection of the Cocohatchee watershed. In the 1600s, the Calusa Indians thrived around the pass by gathering wild plants, fishing, and hunting. During the 1800s, the Seminole Indians and early European settlers found refuge in this semi-tropical area. Joe Wiggins, for whom the pass is named, operated a small trading post and is the first homesteader on record. Support Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Trust acquisitions within the CREW boundary. -ExploreNaples.com, 2005 Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 10

12 NAPLES BAY WATERSHED Wildlife F- Water Quality C- Naples Bay was historically a shallow mangrove-lined estuary with JJJ several inlets. The primary source of fresh water entering the estuary was from the Gordon River and from the natural sheetflow directly discharging into the bay. Over time, the mangrove forests of Naples Bay were almost entirely destroyed and a major portion of the bay bottom was excavated along the shoreline to increase the amount of waterfront property. The Golden Gate Canal was constructed, draining the Golden Gate Estates development area. The addition of the Golden Gate Canal increased the bay s watershed from approximately 6,400 acres to approximately 52,967 acres, a roughly eight fold increase in freshwater drainage to the bay. The Naples Bay watershed is now urbanized, with little open space and preserve area remaining. The biological and hydrological changes have drastically altered Naples Bay, critically depleting the seagrass and oyster beds that had existed there. 79 % of the Naples Bay watershed is impaired. The City of Naples Waste Water Treatment Plant is permitted to discharge up to 16,000 pounds per day of biological oxygen demanding substance (BOD) into the river, however no BOD testing is being conducted there. Freshwater flows have increased dramatically since the creation of the Golden Gate Canal. Only 13% of the natural wetlands remain and only 2% of land in the watershed is in conservation with the northern portion of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the only natural reserve area of significant size protected within the watershed. The vast number of birds, geese, ducks, curlews, fish, crows, and others, which would line the beach in the morning for miles so numerous that the sands could hardly be seen, are gone... Acquire environmentally sensitive lands within the Naples Bay watershed through the Conservation Collier program including green space and mangroves along the Gordon River. Secure additional funding from the legislature to implement projects outlined by the Naples Bay Watershed Initiative to improve stormwater quality exiting into the bay. Require more stringent permitting and approval processes for new residential and commercial development. Retrofit existing urban stormwater to improve the quality and decrease the quantity of stormwater currently discharging directly into the Gordon River and Naples Bay. Increase wastewater treatment capacity at the Naples Sewer Plant and remove Golden Gate City from dependence on septic systems entirely. -Charlton W, Tebeau, Historian, Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

13 ROOKERY BAY WATERSHED Wildlife C Water Quality B Rookery Bay Sanctuary was established in 1966 following a two-year effort by the Conservancy (then called the Collier County Conservancy) to acquire property around the Bay. In 1980, Rookery Bay was designated a National Estuarine Research Reserve. Located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on Florida s Gulf coast, the reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve encompasses more than 110,000 acres and includes uplands, marshes, mangrove forests, tidal creeks and open-water area 14% of the Rookery Bay watershed is impaired for low dissolved oxygen caused by phosphorous. 56% of its original wetlands are intact and 26% of the watershed s acreage is in conservation. There is a concern that the Henderson Creek Canal water body was not included in the Rookery Bay area by Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as it should have been, which would result in additional impairment. Implement comprehensive pesticide monitoring for all Southwest Florida watersheds, including watersheds in Collier County. Protect the upper part of the Henderson Creek watershed, especially North Belle Meade, through land acquisition. Retrofit the Lely Canal to meander and implement the recommendations of the Lely Area Stormwater Improvement Plan that would improve the quality and decrease the quantity of the Stormwater discharging into Rookery Bay. In the 1950s, an estimated forty thousand birds, especially curlews (pink spoonbills) flew in... it looked like a white sheet spread over it again after they were all settled down for the night. One could see flocks a mile long flying in. -Rob Storter, 1980 Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 12

14 TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS WATERSHED Wildlife A+ Water Quality A- Known as the Ten Thousand Islands, this group of small islands is covered with mangrove forests and surrounded by clam beds. The watershed begins in the west at Marco Island and extends to the east into Everglades National Park. The islands are home to many bird species (some endangered) and roughly 200 species of fish have been documented in the area where seagrass beds and mangroves serve as vital nursery areas for marine fish. The West Indian manatee, bald eagle, wood stork and the Atlantic loggerhead, green, and Kemp s Ridley sea turtles are among the threatened and endangered species in the Ten Thousand Islands. In 1996, the 35,000-acre Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge was established. Ten Thousand Islands does show slight impairment for dissolved oxygen and bacterial contamination in shellfish. With just 6% impairment of the entire watershed, it is the least-polluted watershed evaluated for this Report Card. 94% of the natural wetlands are intact and 80% of the watershed is in conservation. Continue restoration and biological monitoring of Picayune Strand State Forest (formerly known as the Southern Golden Gate Estates Restoration). Construct additional intermittent culverts or elevate segments of U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) to allow sheet flow to mimic historical hydrology. Hydrology has been substantially impacted, due to the Golden Gate Estates development, but a substantial portion of this area is in the process of being restored. There are no other Everglades in the world. No other place combines a subtropical climate, a broad, shallow river, and a stunning diversity of plants and animals into such a complex and fragile ecosystem. -Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Conservancy of Southwest Florida Estuaries Report Card

15 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Comprehensive Monitoring and Consistent Indicators Increased scientific monitoring is essential to identifying and addressing problems. Regional water quality monitoring should be implemented with the use of consistent indicators and monitoring protocol. 2. Pesticide Monitoring Though pesticides are used in agriculture, on golf courses and lawns, and sprayed from planes or helicopters in populated areas, monitoring for these potential toxins has not been conducted throughout the region. A Pesticide Monitoring Plan should be constructed and widespread water quality monitoring for pesticides should be implemented. 3. Improvements in Stormwater Treatment Improved stormwater treatment including retrofits for older urban areas and upgraded treatment requirements for new land developments is imperative. Reduced fertilizer usage and landscape watering are also in order along with other pollution prevention measures. 4. Implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) A TMDL is the total amount of pollutants that may be released into one water body from all sources. To gauge compliance with water quality standards, this maximum allowable level or threshold must be determined. TMDLs for pollutant loading rates should be developed without delay. 6. Southwest Florida Feasibility Study and Restoration Projects The Southwest Florida Feasibility Study should be completed without delay This study determines the feasibility of making regional modifications to improve environmental quality and water supply, and identifies restoration projects for the Western Everglades. 7. Minimum Flows and Levels, and Water Reservations Minimum flows and levels must be established, and water reservations implemented to prevent further hydrologic deterioration. Minimum flow requirements are based on a level below which severe harm to the aquatic environment would occur. Water reservations establish and reserve the amount of water necessary to preserve natural resources, fish and wildlife. 5. Watershed Management Plans Each estuary should have a watershed management plan to address its unique problems and needs. Management plans would also help track the progress of restoration and protection efforts. Estuaries Report Card Conservancy of Southwest Florida 14

16 HOW TO HELP Each and every citizen has the power to make a difference in their daily life and to get involved. Choices in how we plant and care for our lawns and how we dispose of household chemicals are just some of the many ways to improve water quality and quality of life. For more information on how you can help, please call or write: Conservancy of Southwest Florida 1450 Merrihue Drive Naples, FL (239) SPECIAL THANKS The Conservancy thanks the following individuals for their review of the Estuaries Report Card. Joseph N. Boyer, Ph.D., Associate Director and Scientist from Florida International University (Southeast Environmental Research Center) Charles Chuck Jacoby, Ph.D., Estuarine Ecology Specialist from University of Florida S. Gregory Tolley, Ph.D., Professor of Marine Science and Director of the Coastal Watershed Institute from Florida Gulf Coast University Thanks to Lisa Beever, Ph.D. (Director) and the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program for their generous support as well. The Conservancy thanks the following for their generous financial support: Anonymous supporter (1) Banbury Fund Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation The Stranahan Foundation PHOTO CREDITS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce, cover image, page 13 South Florida Water Management District, pages 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15