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Inside this issue

Pine Island project

Community celebrates completion of project that boasts water quality improvements.

Brown algae

Program director discusses newest algal bloom in lagoon waters.

Lagoon exploration

Teachers learn about the lagoon to bring it to life in their classrooms.

Bird Island project

Partners join forces to build barrier to protect critical nesting habitat.

Cost-share grants

South Florida District awards funds to help water quality, habitat rehabilitation.

Benefits to lagoon reefs

Report shows restored oyster reefs attract wildlife.

License plate funding

“Snook” tag revenues help communities improve the lagoon.

2012 Archives

Spring/summer

Fall/winter 2012

Pine Island project cleans water

The ongoing restoration of Pine Island Conservation Area on Merritt Island will help undo decades of damage to an otherwise idyllic property on the Indian River Lagoon.

Officials recently celebrated the completion of a project that will not only help provide flood protection for north Merritt Island residents but is also improving the quality of stormwater runoff entering the lagoon.

The 850–acre conservation area, jointly owned by the St. Johns River Water Management District and Brevard County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, was originally planned by a developer during the Space Program boom of the 1960s to become upscale waterfront estates, with a man–made canal to provide boat access to the lagoon. The excavated spoil material from the canal was pumped onto the adjacent marsh to provide high ground for the subdivision. The project never came to fruition.

Partially motivated by the torrential rains from Tropical Storm Gordon in November 1994 — which caused widespread flooding on north Merritt Island — the District and EEL bought the conservation area two years later with the intent of providing flood protection, preserving biodiversity and providing passive recreational opportunities for the public.

Prior to the drainage improvements, approximately 6,000 acres of stormwater runoff from residential and agricultural land drained through the Pine Island/Judson Canal directly into the lagoon without treatment. The first phase of the Pine Island Conservation Area Stormwater Improvement Project is now complete and treating water before it reaches the lagoon.

Here’s how the recently completed project works: Water that once flowed through Pine Island/Judson Canal directly to the lagoon is rerouted by a new diversion structure to a converted 80-acre borrow lake where suspended solids, and nutrients that are frequently attached to these solids, will have time to settle out. When large storms occur or are anticipated, a large hydraulic pump will force water from the canal into the north lake, constructed to store and treat the pumped canal water. An outfall structure releases treated water back into the canal and on to the lagoon.

“When a tropical system like Gordon is approaching, we can turn on the pump, lower the water level in the canal, and provide relief to residents of north Merritt Island,” says Project Manager Robbyn Spratt. “The other benefit is that water is being treated for all rain events prior to discharing to the lagoon.”

Phase 2 of the stormwater project is expected to begin this fall. This phase is designed to provide additional storage within a second, existing borrow lake and includes the installation of two more pumps: One for emergency back-up and the other to direct stormwater runoff to the south lake.

The Watershed Management Program of Brevard County Natural Resources Management Office financed, designed and managed the project, with supplemental funding from a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Non-Point Source Management Program.

This project is one of several collaborations between the District and EEL at Pine Island. Five years ago, the two agencies worked together on a $1.2 million project to resurrect the marsh that lay buried beneath acres of earth from construction of the developer’s canal. Work included restoring the site’s elevations, removing old spoil piles and burying tree stumps and other debris that could not be burned on site.

The restoration work uncovered hundreds of fossil remnants, including bone fragments from horses, camels, deer, glyptodonts (a giant, armadillo-like creature), at least five species of turtle, mastodons, tapirs, peccaries (a pig-like creature) and alligators. The bones were from the Pleistocene era, which means they are anywhere from 10,000 to one million years old.

Archaeologists also documented a Native American settlement near the site, including a 5,000-year-old spear point, a trio of cooking pits, and even a shell feature where someone likely dumped a potful of food thousands of years ago. Today, a flourishing new saltmarsh is growing where the spoil once lay.

Director’s Column

Blooms of microscopic algae continue to plague northern lagoons

In July 2012, recreational anglers and St. Johns River Water Management District staff who monitor water quality began to notice cloudy, chocolate-colored water in the Mosquito Lagoon, cutting short what had been a spring season of clear water that followed a devastating “super bloom” of 2011.

The 2011 super bloom of phytoplankton spanned nearly 131,000 acres in the Banana River Lagoon, northern Indian River Lagoon and southern Mosquito Lagoon, causing a steep decline in water transparency and shading seagrasses. The bloom resulted in a 45 percent decrease in seagrass by June 2011 in affected areas, translating to a loss of more than 31,000 acres of seagrasses, based on seagrass coverage mapped in 2009.

The loss of more than 31,000 acres of seagrasses could have an impact of $150 million–$320 million on the local economy over the next several years, based on a 2008 study conducted for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program that found one acre of seagrasses bring between $5,000 and $10,000 per year into the local economy by supporting fisheries.

But what about the newest issue of the chocolate-colored water from Mosquito Lagoon into the northern Indian River Lagoon in summer 2012?

Dr. Edward Phlips with the University of Florida and Dr. Christopher Gobler from Stony Brook University in New York have tentatively identified the dominant organism in this new bloom as a brown tide species of algae, Aureoumbra lagunensis. This species has bloomed elsewhere, such as in and around Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay, Texas, in the 1990s. In these shallow coastal estuaries, an eight-year Aureoumbra bloom caused substantial decreases in light leading to significant decreases in the formerly abundant seagrasses.

The brown tide algae maintains optimum growth in high salinities of up to 70 parts per thousand (ppt); ocean water is around 35 ppt. Similar to the Texas estuaries, northern lagoon waters have frequently experienced high levels of salt (up to 45 ppt) during the past several years due to drought conditions, particularly during 2011 through summer 2012.

A number of conditions may have caused the blooms of 2011 and 2012. Among them are nutrients from stormwater runoff, a prolonged collapse of drift algae or seaweed, and the possible cold-kill of a large number of organisms during the winters of 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. A consortium of scientists from the District, Florida Tech, University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and other institutions are investigating these blooms to discover what triggered them, and if any management action can prevent their reoccurrence.

Rain from Tropical Storm Isaac in late August helped lower salinity throughout the northern lagoons, and it appears to have helped dissipate the brown tide algae. Unfortunately, the runoff and canal discharges that followed Tropical Storm Isaac carried large amounts of nutrient-rich drainage into the estuary, which can produce conditions that may initiate and support future blooms.

Recent events clearly point to the need to reduce nutrient loads to the lagoons if we want to continue to enjoy the value delivered by these exceptional, natural resources.

Teachers explore lagoon’s mysteries

Whether they were kayaking the Indian River Lagoon or learning how to fashion stones into primitive hand axes, two dozen teachers gained a new appreciation for the lagoon region’s biodiversity and cultural history during a summer workshop.

Conducted by the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, the four-day “Exploring the Indian River Lagoon” teachers’ workshop examined the ecology and history of the 156-mile-long estuary.

Teachers participating in the lagoon workshop prepare to tour a mangrove forest as part of their day at the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach.

This year’s workshop focused on the lagoon’s northern reaches, from Ponce Inlet to Melbourne. Participating teachers came from as far south as West Palm Beach and as far north as Lake County.

The workshop began at the Marine Science Center at Ponce Inlet, where the group toured the center’s sea turtle rehabilitation facility and participated in a stingray encounter. Later in the day, they learned about raptors, and were led on a guided nature walk of beach, scrub and hammock habitats. The day ended with the group touring Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, where they learned about the cultural history of the region and got an up–close look at what life was like in the 1890s when the inlet was called Mosquito Inlet.

The Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach hosted the second day of the workshop. The teachers began the day with a kayak trip, paddling through still waters on mangrove-laced trails.

The group next toured sections of salt marsh and hammock, including some that had been colonized by invasive plants. The teachers learned about the ecological damage caused by invasive species. They also participated in a “treasure hunt” for invasive plants using handheld global positioning system (GPS) devices as a means of demonstrating how technology can be used in student engagement. At the close of the day, the teachers toured the facilities at the Marine Discovery Center and heard about the center’s educational programs.

Day three found the teachers at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Teachers learned about how the refuge actively manages water to maintain habitat quality for wildlife, and about the life histories of three of the refuge’s premier species: manatees, scrub jays and sea turtles.

This year’s workshop also highlighted the rich cultural history of the lagoon region. On the final day, hosted by the Marine Resources Council at the Ted Moorhead Lagoon House, Kevin Gidusko of the Florida Public Archeology Network conducted a half–day workshop about the region’s earliest humans and how they lived. Gidusko closed his portion of the workshop with an activity that allowed teachers to fashion stone tools such as hand axes, scrapers and arrowheads that were used centuries ago by Florida’s first inhabitants.

Storm water and its effect on the health of the lagoon was also discussed and illustrated with a guided driving tour of the Canal 1 (C-1) Rediversion Project. St. Johns River Water Management District Engineer Ralph Brown led the tour and told the group how the project was designed to prevent storm water from entering the lagoon by diverting it west and holding it in the St. Johns River marsh rather than having it empty from C-1 into Turkey Creek, one of the central lagoon’s main tributaries.

In addition to earning continuing education units, teachers benefitted from the workshop in several other ways. Some particularly appreciated the benefits of the hands-on activities that could be shared with their students and others most appreciated being able to get out into the lagoon to learn more about specific plants and animals.

Bird Island stabilized after years of erosion

For years, one of Florida’s top 10 nesting sites for pelicans, herons, egrets, wood storks and other wading birds was ravaged by erosion and other forces of nature.

Experts hope the completion of a rock revetment project will be the critical factor in ensuring Bird Island remains stable for future generations of birds to roost and raise their young.

“Bird Island is one of the most important bird nesting sites in Florida due to the variety of species,” says Mike Yustin, Martin County environmental lands coordinator. “There are roseate spoonbills, oyster catchers, all the heron species and egrets. Even frigate birds periodically roost there.”

Bird Island is located about a mile south of the Stuart Causeway and, like many of the islands dotting the Indian River Lagoon, is battered by wind and waves. The island has lost 30 percent of its acreage to erosion since 1970.

“The main problem was high tides in the fall and winter and strong nor’easter events,” Yustin says. “The island was small to begin with.”

Martin County officials tried several times to stabilize the island by planting spartina and other plants to act as wave breaks, but the plants didn’t survive the high wave energy.

The solution: an artificial reef the straddles the northeastern corner of the 1.6-acre island and angles along the southeast shore to deflect waves away from the island.

Construction crews were careful to limit impacts to seagrass beds and disturbances to birds. Work was completed between October and December 2011 to avoid nesting season. Yustin says cormorants nesting only 50 feet away from construction equipment actually seemed to be entertained by the activity.

The $600,000 project was largely funded with grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Inland Navigation District, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, and Indian River Lagoon license plate funds disbursed by the South Florida Water Management District and Martin County.

With the revetment in place, spartina and other plants on the eastern shoreline are surviving, Yustin reports. “The plants have held nicely,” he says. “We’ve reduced a lot of the wave energy that used to go in there.”

St. Lucie River Issues Team awards cost–share grants

A combination of state and federal funding will help pay for projects aimed at improving water quality in the southern Indian River Lagoon.

In September, the St. Lucie River Issues Team, administered by the South Florida Water Management District, awarded more than $893,000 to seven cost-share projects that will help water quality, water storage, habitat rehabilitation and estuarine research in the St. Lucie River Estuary. The team has worked for more than a decade to implement 108 cost-share projects in Martin and St. Lucie counties using $63.7 million appropriated by the Florida Legislature and $2 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The projects selected in September include:

• A baffle box for Manatee Pocket
• A stormwater retrofit in the Rio St. Lucie area
• Additional oyster reef enhancements in the St. Lucie River in Martin County
• Three baffle boxes in Port St. Lucie
• A filtration system along West High Point Road in Sewall’s Point
• Phase II of the White City Drainage Project to construct a 4-acre detention pond

Also, the Florida Oceanographic Society will deploy bagged oyster shells at two sites in the St. Lucie River and install co-located acoustic and water quality monitoring stations to collect data near oyster reefs and fish spawning areas.

In addition to the recently awarded funds that will benefit the St. Lucie River, the team recently announced a request for competitive proposals for the southern Indian River Lagoon. The team has more than $644,000 to award for projects in St. Lucie and Martin counties that will attenuate large quantities of freshwater and/or improve water quality, such as stormwater retrofits or hydrologic restoration projects that assist in the restoration of the Indian River Lagoon.

For more information, contact Kathy LaMartina, South Florida Water Management District, at (561) 682-6594.

Wading birds appreciate volunteers’ efforts to restore oyster reefs

A recent study found that many wading bird species use restored reefs in ways similar to natural (unrestored) reefs.

The report, “Wading bird usage of oyster reefs as a bio-indicator of ecological function of restored intertidal oyster reefs in Canaveral National Seashore (Mosquito Lagoon, Fla.),” was written by University of Central Florida undergraduate students William Gerrard and Noemi Rebeli Szabo under the direction of biology professor Dr. Linda Walters.

The restored reefs are the work of more than 27,000 volunteers, who over the past six years, have made “oyster mats” and deployed them on 58 impacted oyster reefs in the Mosquito Lagoon.

In addition to wading birds, 149 species of flora and fauna use the lagoon’s oyster reefs during some point in their life cycles, and oyster reefs stabilize shorelines and protect emergent shoreline vegetation.

‘Snook’ tag helps fund environmental projects

Florida drivers who purchased the Indian River Lagoon license plate helped to fund eight environmental projects that were completed in the first half of 2012. The projects were implemented in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District.

The “snook” license plate raises funds for the Indian River Lagoon, and provided almost $330,000 for projects in Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.

“The Indian River Lagoon is an important resource for the region,” said South Florida District Executive Director Melissa Meeker. “These completed projects show that the program is being put to good use.”

All of the license plate program money goes directly to environmental projects and is supplemented with funds from other agencies.

Projects recently completed include the following:

Martin County

• Marine Cleanup Initiative removed debris and obstruction from the shoreline to benefit habitat.
• The Living Shoreline Project used volunteers to restore oyster reef habitat and native vegetation in the middle of the St. Lucie Estuary.
• The Shoreline Stabilization Project created a 450-foot limestone rip-rap structure to block wave energy and protect a critical bird nesting site.
• The Rio Civic Center Septic Conversion Project transformed a mandated septic tank abandonment into a viable water harvesting storage unit to be used for non-potable water purposes.

Palm Beach County

• The River Helpers Project completed a school’s waterfront renovation and included educational classes and periodic cleanups.
• Cypress Creek Restoration Project restored 67 acres of shell pits in Jupiter Ranches to natural wetlands with native vegetation, which will improve the overall water and habitat quality of the Loxahatchee River.

St. Lucie County

• Harbor Branch Preserve Water Quality Project involved construction of a pump station at Harbor Branch Preserve Impoundment 14C to improve water circulation.
• Marine Cleanup Initiative removed debris and obstruction from the shoreline to benefit habitat.

In addition, the South Florida District recently identified 11 new initiatives to be implemented in the 2012–2013 fiscal year. The total cost-share amount will be more than $203,000.

Those initiative include:

Martin County

• Colorado Avenue Environmental Improvements — city of Stuart
• Waterfest — city of Stuart
• Cleanup and Ghost Fishing Eradication — Marine Cleanup Initiative
• Living Shorelines

Palm Beach County

• Eagle’s Nest Neighborhood Sewering Project in the Loxahatchee River District
• Cleanup and Ghost Fishing Eradication — Marine Cleanup Initiative
• Fullerton Island Restoration

St. Lucie County

• Cleanup and Ghost Fishing Eradication — Marine Cleanup Initiative
• Blind Creek Marsh and Mangrove Restoration
• Wildcat Cove Restoration and Education with the Smithsonian Institution