NEWS OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON 

Austrailian Spotted Jellyfish Invades Indian River Lagoon

While conducting seagrass surveys in late June, Lauren Hall, a scientist with the St. Johns Water Management District discovered a large, previously unseen species of jellyfish in the Banana River, south of SR 520 and one in the Indian River Lagoon proper near Turkey Creek. Unable to identify it as a native species, she contacted Jim Egan of the MRC who suggested she compare the species with photos of the Australian Spotted Jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata), an invasive species which recently invaded the Gulf of Mexico. Their suspicions were confirmed when a sample was sent to jellyfish expert Monty Graham at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama. Last year the population of Australian Spotted Jellyfish exploded to several million in a 93-square-mile area along the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast. The jellyfish, positioned in prime spawning areas, consumed millions of fish eggs, larvae and microscopic animals. The Australian Spotted jellyfish are incredibly efficient predators, consuming not only fish eggs and larvae but also the plankton the larvae need to survive. A single jellyfish is capable of eating 2,400 fish eggs daily, limited only by the number of eggs and small larvae in the water. Scientists are worried about the potential for the Australian Spotted jellyfish to establish themselves and permanently alter the food web.    These 25-pound jellyfish are native to Australia and have white spots on their upper surface and a cauliflower-shaped mass hanging from the bottom. They originally were brought from Australia to the Panama Canal and the Caribbean, probably in the ballast water of a ship.

Photo: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute They continue to survive in the gulf though conditions this year in the gulf did not encourage their population to explode. There could be as many as several hundred in the lagoon, based on aerial surveys conducted in July. Even if their numbers only reached 200 they would still be consuming up to a half a million fish eggs a day. It is likely they will remain in small numbers and await ideal conditions for a population explosion as was seen in the gulf. The lagoon is a very hospitable environment for the jellyfish, closely matching their native conditions.

Indian River County Seeks To Purchase Lost Tree Island

from Vero Beach Press Journal and other sources

Lost Tree Village Corp. has expressed interest in selling its six islands in the Indian River Lagoon to Indian River County. The Indian River County Commission has authorized $8 million in bonds to be set aside for the purchase. The city of Vero Beach and the town of Indian River Shores would be contributing $1 million each and the County has applied to Florida Communities Trust for $4 million. Lost Tree Village is considering the offer of $15 million, but has not yet accepted it.

In June, the 4^th District Court of Appeals upheld a Circuit Judge’s decision that a 1950’s deed proves that Lost Tree Village owns 206 acres of submerged lands surrounding the islands. Lost Tree is still seeking the permits needed to build a multi-million dollar development, including 55-67 homes and a golf course on the islands. Residents and environmentalists fear the impacts this development might have on the lagoon. Lost Tree’s $72 million law suit against the City of Vero Beach and the Town of Indian River Shores has been dismissed. Lost Tree claimed that their bridge and building ordinances unfairly limit the development of the islands. The judge ruled that Lost Tree never properly applied to either government for permits, so the land-use laws could not have illegally devalued the land. In a separate case, residents of the barrier island, across from the Lost Tree islands have filed a lawsuit seeking $15,000 in damages, from Lost Tree Village and the Internal Trust Fund, which manages state-owned lands. The same 1950’s deed which shows Lost Tree owns the land surrounding the islands, includes parts of their backyards.

MRC Membership Meeting will Cruise Lagoon Oct. 13

IN THIS ISSUE

    Volusia County's Manatee Plan

    Cape Canaveral Hospital Expansion

    U.S. 1 Widening

    County Berths at the Port of Ft. Pierce

    Aquifer Storage and Recovery Wells

    Indian River County Utility Plan for Reverse Osmosis

Low levels of dissolved oxygen in the Indian River Lagoon have caused 38 fish kills in July and 15 fish kills during early August. Decreased levels of dissolved oxygen are common in the summer, but fish kills this year are already several times last summer’s figures. The total fish kills in July and August of last year was 14. (See Lagoon Monitor)

Unexplained Dolphin Deaths in Lagoon

from the Orlando Sentinel and other sources

Over 40 bottlenose dolphins have died in a 25-mile stretch of the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard since June. The dolphins were all found between the 528 Causeway and the Melbourne Causeway. Some dolphins had eaten plastic bags and fishing gear, but biologists at the Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute could not tell if that is what killed them. At most it was the cause of death for two or three, but the most recent bodies found suggest that they died from starvation. Most of the carcasses were so badly decomposed that they offered no clues. The National Marine Fisheries Service has deemed it an unusual mortality event. So far, there is no evidence connecting the dolphin deaths with the recent fish kills in this area or with bacteria, algae or red tide.

US Fish and Wildlife officials plan to create refuges for manatees at four locations in Brevard; the Barge Canal, Sykes Creek, Haulover Canal and near the Cocoa Beach Municipal Golf Course. These four slow-speed zones are identical to regulations the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved in May. The state’s new Brevard rules are in limbo because of challenges by boating groups. The US Fish and Wildlife Barge Canal and Sykes Creek rules could be finalized by the end of the year, but most of the rules would be completed Dec. 2002. The federal zones could be withdrawn if state rules provide the same level of protection. Federal officials have scheduled a hearing at the Radisson Hotel in Melbourne for Sept. 13^th.

The appeal of the state’s rules, filed with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, is set to go before an administrative law judge on September 24^th. The judge could uphold the zones, overturn them or send certain zones back to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for reconsideration.

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The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed controversial changes to the manatee recovery plan, which may downlist the manatee by 2003 from endangered to threatened. Several biological criteria must be met each year before the species can be downlisted. An average survival rate of 90 percent or greater for adults, at least 40 percent of adult females having calves in winter time, no decrease in the total population, and elimination of threats to their habitat. Any change in their status would not eliminate speed limits, no-entry zones or other regulations designed to protect them. It would only state that the species is no longer at the brink of extinction.

Environmental groups have sued the US EPA for accepting a controversial state pollution rule they believe would make Florida?s water, including the Indian River Lagoon, dirtier not cleaner. On July 19, a coalition of eight conservation groups notified the EPA of their intent to file suit if the agency does not formally review Florida?s revised water-quality rules. Earlier this year, the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission adopted an administrative rule changing the definition of "impaired waters." The change could remove a large number of Florida rivers, lakes and other surface waters from a federal priority cleanup list and make it harder to impose clean water standards on industrial polluters. Portions of the Indian River Lagoon were on the former list and may be eliminated due to the new rule (see Marker Summer 2001). The EPA had warned Florida its new water rule was unacceptable and pointed out 41 problems with the rule. The new Washington administration of the EPA accepted the rule without any resolution of the 41 problems. Environmental groups have sued the US EPA for accepting a controversial state pollution rule they believe would make Florida?s water, including the Indian River Lagoon, dirtier not cleaner. On July 19, a coalition of eight conservation groups notified the EPA of their intent to file suit if the agency does not formally review Florida?s revised water-quality rules.
Earlier this year, the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission adopted an administrative rule changing the definition of "impaired waters." The change could remove a large number of Florida rivers, lakes and other surface waters from a federal priority cleanup list and make it harder to impose clean water standards on industrial polluters. Portions of the Indian River Lagoon were on the former list and may be eliminated due to the new rule (see Marker Summer 2001).
The EPA had warned Florida its new water rule was unacceptable and pointed out 41 problems with the rule. The new Washington administration of the EPA accepted the rule without any resolution of the 41 problems.

Despite opposition from environmentalists, the Martin County commissioners voted unanimously to change the county’s comp plan and land development regulations in order to exempt county projects from wetland rules. Commissioners
claim that the regulations, banning the filling of wetlands, requiring wetlands buffers and preserving uplands on site, have impeded progress on county projects in recent years. Opponents argued it establishes a double standard that would hold private business to standards that the county could ignore. It would also set the stage for legal battles with developers that may further erode protections offered by comp plan and land development regulations.

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The Brevard County Surface Water Improvement (SWI) program won first place in the EPA’s 2000 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program for demonstrating innovative and cost-effective ways to improve stormwater quality. In its effort to reduce the amount of stormwater reaching the St. Johns River, the Indian River Lagoon and other water bodies, Brevard county has designed and built in stormwater retrofit projects totaling more than $14 million.

If you or your group have articles of interest related to the Lagoon, submit them to us. We try to publish all articles. Email articles to council@mrcirl.org, fax to (321) 504-4488 or mail to 270 Paint St. Rockledge, FL 32955.

MRC NEWS

Two Southern Offices for the MRC Open in September In September MRC will be opening two new offices one in Ft. Pierce, at 223 Orange Ave. and one in Stuart, 7000 SE Federal Highway. MRC staff in these offices will be coordinating an educational event and a shoreline restoration event every week in both St. Lucie and Martin County. Congratulations to MRC Board Member Ruth Stanbridge, who has been awarded a Refuge Hero Award by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for her decades of activism for wildlife and environmental preservation. Fond farewells to Mike Arnold, who is now attending college at Oxford University in Georgia. His contribution to the lagoon will be missed. Welcome to Matt Hawley and Damien San Filippo who have joined the Shoreline Restoration Program. The MRC has started production of the Lagoon Minute, an educational radio spot, cosponsored by the Indian River County Solid Waste Disposal District. The Lagoon Minute airs on Wednesdays at 12:20 p.m. Tune in to 93.7 fm to learn interesting facts and hear some familiar voices! (See pg.9)

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Indian River Lagoon Species Spotlight

 

The Red Mangrove

Red Mangroves are one of nature’s most productive nurseries for fish and they help cut down on erosion from storm, wind, and wave action. Mangroves filter pollutants from runoff and their leaves provide food to the food chain. Red mangroves, Rhizophora mangle, grow to heights of 30 feet along the water’s edge with their roots extending in an umbrella shape from the trunk down to the water. Mangroves reproduce by spreading pencil-shaped green propagules (See page 5). An estimated 75% of the Game fish and 90% of commercial fish species depend on the mangrove ecosystem. tAnimals find shelter in mangrove roots and branches, and the branches serve as (nesting areas) for egrets, herons, brown pelicans, and roseate spoonbills. They also function as the basis of the food chain for a multitude of marine species such as crabs and shrimp and oysters. Florida’s mangroves are tropical species and are sensitive to freezing temperatures. There are three species of mangroves in Florida, all of which are protected. Mangroves are native to Florida and are found in brackish on the east coast to the tip of Florida.

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MRC Membership Meeting Oct. 13 Cruises The Lagoon

The MRC Membership meeting will be held on Saturday, October 13 on board the River Queen cruise boat. The meeting will begin at Captain Hiram’s restaurant, 1580 US1, in Sebastian at 4 p.m. and will continue with a cruise on the Indian River Lagoon. The boat will be departing Captain Hiram’s at 5 p.m., arriving in Grant between 6-6:15 and return to Sebastian between 7:15-7:30 p.m. Members may board at either location and enjoy a one-way or round-trip. A van will be available for those who wish to leave their vehicles at the either end. The boat is an enclosed pontoon boat, capable of holding 49 people, it is handicapped accessible and has restrooms available. Please RSVP to the MRC at (321) 504-4500 if you plan on attending.

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Hot Issues at the Indian River Lagoon Public Workshops

 

Cape Canaveral Hospital Expansion Tom Mills from Cape Canaveral Hospital gave a presentation on the hospital’s proposed expansion. Mr. Mills explained that the number of hospital beds would remain at 100 but more private rooms would be available and more space for advancing technology. The expansion would also increase parking from 300-400 to over 2,000. The proposal would fill 8.9 acres of submerged lands, including a portion which is in the aquatic preserve. The filled in area would include 1 acre of seagrass. The submerged lands owned by the hospital would be given to the state as part of the mitigation. There were questions about the desirability of expanding a hospital in a high hazard area and on a hurricane evacuation route.

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Volusia County’s Manatee Plan Steve Kitner from Volusia County Environmental Management gave a presentation on the Volusia County Manatee Plan. Phase I of the plan which makes provisions enforcement of the existing ordinances and education has already been approved. Phase II will make recommendations on locations of new facilities based on zones of Low, Medium or High risk for watercraft related manatee mortality. In addition current facilities permitted to expand will be required to pay a per slip impact $1000 in High Risk areas, $500 for Medium Risk areas and $ 250 for Low risk areas.

U.S. 1 Widening Amy Mosher spoke on her concerns about the widening of the U.S. 1 portion of the IRL Scenic Highway in Cocoa. The main concern is that the FL DOT follow the rules it created for construction along a Scenic Highway which take into account impacts to the intrinsic resources of the corridor.

 

County Berths at the Port of Ft. Pierce The St. Lucie County Manager, Doug Anderson, revealed that permits for berth 1 and 4 at the Port of Ft. Pierce have been extended till May 2003. The permitting process on berths 2 and 3 is waiting to determine how the berths will be used. Florida Atlantic University will work on the Port Master Plan. The whole process should be completed by March 2002.

Aquifer Storage & Recovery Wells Pete Kwiakowski of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) gave a presentation at the Ft. Pierce workshop on Aquifer Storage and Recovery Wells (ASR) proposed as part of Everglades Restoration Plan. ASR would pump freshwater down wells into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, during wet periods and then pump it back out during dry periods. The advantages is the ability to provide water storage with less land requirements and less evaporation loss than retention ponds. Dr. Harold Wanless the head of Geological Sciences at the University of Miami gave a presentation on the same subject at the Stuart workshop. He was concerned that the confining layer of the aquifer, Southwest of Lake Okeechobee may not be continuous and that the aquifer is sloped. This causes freshwater to migrate away from a well site and up through cracks in the confining layer reducing the recovery of the freshwater. There is a lack of information on how the injection of large volumes of acidic water will effect the aquifer and its confining layer. The main concern for many of the citizens was whether the stormwater pumped into the aquifer would be treated. There is a belief that microorganisms found in the stormwater would release toxins contaminating the aquifer. Due to this concern legislation for this project was defeated this past year. In response, the SFWMD has set up a pilot project to evaluate the performance of the ASR wells. The Everglades Project cost is estimated at $7.8 billion dollars. Cost for the ASR component is $1.7 billion dollars 40 percent of that cost is for treatment of water.

County Utility Plan for Reverse Osmosis Gene Rauth from Indian River County Utilities gave a presentation on how the Utility is looking to dispose of its Reverse Osmosis waste water in the most environmentally friendly way. Currently the South County Facility is discharging into the South relief canal and the North County Facility discharges directly into the Indian River Lagoon. As a short term solution they want to move the discharge from the north facility into the North Relief Canal so there would be some mixing. For the future they are looking to mix the wastewater with stormwater and use it to irrigate golf courses. There is also a power Plant being built which might use some RO waste water for cooling. The plant would evaporate the wastewater into salt and dispose of it as solid waste.

Indian River County’s Stormwater Plan Indian River County Commissioner Ruth Stanbridge gave a presentation on the County’s Plan to reduce the County’s stormwater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon. The plan would divert the water west to large retention areas surrounded by parks. Retention would help recharge groundwater while removing harmful nutrients currently being flushed into the lagoon. The conceptual plan will be done this December .

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Shoreline Restoration/Pepper Buster Program

	Bay Day Restores 1000 Feet of Lagoon     The Palm Bay Redevelopment Agency, the City of Palm Bay, the Marine Resources Council, the Indian River Lagoon Program and Keep Brevard Beautiful held a huge invasive plant removal event on June 16, 2001. In four and a half hours, over 100 volunteers restored 1000 feet of shoreline along the area for which Palm Bay was named, by removing invasive Brazilian pepper. Volunteers enjoyed free live entertainment and refreshments in the shade of Castaway Point Park after the days work.     Brazilian Pepper is a native to Brazil where over 270 natural predators keeps its population in check. In the 1800s, it was brought to Florida where it has no natural predators to keep it in check.
Volunteers clearing pepper trees at Bay Day		Thanks to Gary Dotson and members of the Bayfront Redevelopment Agency for their enthusiasm and dedication to promoting the event. Big thanks to all 100 volunteers and especially to those who have been active week after week clearing the lagoon of invasive species: Mary Blucker and her son Dan, John Baker, Lisa Allgeyer, Jack Dearhammer, Tim Glover and Joe Woolweaver who coordinates for the MRC

Plant a Mangrove for the Lagoon

It is that time of year when mangrove propagules start washing up on our shores. The propagules are more than a seed, they are already a miniature plant just looking for a home. Mangroves filter pollutants from runoff and their leaves provide food to the food chain. Each mangrove converts 55 lb. of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide to leaves every year. We need to restock our supply of seedlings to be planted along the Indian River Lagoon. We have started our Fourth Annual Mangrove Propagule Contest. Tom Stewart’s class from Rockledge High won the last contest. Winners of this year’s contest will receive a pizza party and an award. During the summer and fall you can collect mangrove propagules that are floating around the Indian River Lagoon or washed up on the beaches. The propagules of the red mangrove look like a green pencil floating vertically or laying on the shore. A seedling with little roots coming out cannot be collected legally in the lagoon and may grow by itself.

To grow a mangrove tree, follow these easy steps:   1.   Pick up propagule with no roots. 2.   Place them in a container with water, brown side down. Change water every few days. 3.   When roots grow, pot them with a mixture of sand and potting soil. Cover 2/3 of the propagule. 4.   Mangroves must be kept wet, sitting in an inch or two of water is okay. In a couple of months, you will see leaves spout. 5.    MRC volunteers plant mangroves along the shoreline of the lagoon where we have removed Brazilian Pepper trees.   MRC provides mangroves free to any individual or group who wishes to volunteer to plant them along the lagoon.

THE LAGOONMONITOR Report from the Indian River Lagoon Watch by Gerry Rosebery and Jim Egan   Welcome Aboard to our new monitors Sally Draper, Robert Gates, Pat & Lou Kriss, Conrad Luecke, James Mahoney, Michelle Morse, Jay Pauly, Benjamin & Tricia Polk, Amanda Sesser, Michael Skiscim, The Koh Family, Charlene & George Terry and John Yust. The Indian River Lagoon Watch program still needs new monitors in rural areas of Brevard County, on the western shore of the lagoon in Vero Beach and between Vero and Ft. Pierce. E-mail council@mrcirl.org with a mailing address for more information. A one year commitment (50 tests) is necessary and e-mail is required. The water quality program is seeking volunteers to help a few hours a week in day-to-day office and lab/technical aspects on weekdays. Volunteers with boats available in different areas are needed. Trips start at dawn and last about 3 hours. MRC pays for gas. End of Three Year Drought Impacts Lagoon Water Quality Fish Kill Reports Soar Over the past ten years, we have had droughts and hurricane events, all of which have had a profound effect on water quality in the lagoon, particularly the salinity. Salinity rises during the dry winters and crashes following hurricane events and from summer rain runoff. This has impacted the fishing industry and has influenced fish, shellfish and crab reproduction over the years. The three year drought which broke with a vengeance in early May, flushed into the lagoon a three year supply of pent-up nutrients, dissolved organic material, and fine sediments from parking lots, canals, retention ponds and lawns. The heavy rains almost daily for weeks, created some of the worst scenarios for run-off. All this pent-up material was washed into the lagoon in a short time span, overwhelming the normal biological process of the lagoon. The dissolved organic material and suspended sediment turned the lagoon dark tea brown over large areas with huge plumes of lagoon water turning the ocean brown for miles outside the inlets. Secchi disk measures of water clarity dropped throughout the lagoon as the brown water kept light from penetrating the water and reaching seagrass beds. The rains brought large inputs of nutrients from lawn fertilizers and from the seepage of groundwater rich in nutrients from septic tanks. A new EPA study found that every person using a septic tank contributes 100 lbs. of nutrients a year into groundwater. An FIT study found that groundwater seeping into the lagoon may account for as much volume as all the surface water inputs combined. The nutrients and warm water has led to big algal blooms which have severely impacted dissolved oxygen levels. Algae, like seagrasses, create oxygen during the day through the process of photosynthesis. At night they respire, like we do, consuming oxygen with the lowest levels occurring in the early morning hours just before the sunlight can trigger photosynthesis to begin. When oxygen levels dip below 2.0 mg/l fish kills are the result. This August has seen four times as many fish kill reports to the DEP

y

DEP Fish-Kill Hotline as compared to the same period last year. If you look at the map on the left, dissolved oxygen data from an MRC early morning (06:30-10:00 am) boat trip are presented. The areas where fish kills have been reported to the MRC in July and August of this year are also shown on the map as X’s. Surface water usually have higher oxygen levels then at depth because wind stirs the upper surface adding oxygen. Near the bottom, D.O. levels below 1.0 mg O2/L predominated. Only 1 test result of the 23 shown could be described as "healthy" (over 5 mg O2 /L). Surface and depth levels of Dissolved Oxygen across the Lagoon near Eau Gallie. Although fish tend to swim away from areas of low D.O. widespread low oxygen areas sometimes trap fish. The overnight drops in D.O. levels occur so rapidly they cannot escape. Many fish kills are of those species like flounder and catfish that are bottom dwellers where D.O. is lowest. If you observe fish that are normally bottom dwellers near the surface, it is an indicator that they are being driven up in search of oxygen. Reduced takes of crabs from commercial leases in the Indian River Lagoon this summer could be attributed to very low D.O. at the bottom, where crab traps are set. Of the 68 "official" fish kill reports filed with the Florida DEP statewide in July, 2001, 38 or 56%, were in the Indian River Lagoon and, of those, 98% were in Brevard County. Brevard was hit harder then St. Lucie or Martin Counties because the proximity to large inlets allowed well oxygenated ocean water to dilute the low oxygenated runoff. The maps on the right which contrast the salinity in the lagoon August 2000 with August 2001. The lagoon is critical habitat for thousands of aquatic species and most marine species require certain levels of salinity for successful reproduction. When salinities drop below 15 ppt (1.5%) fish eggs no longer float in the lagoon and cannot be fertilized. Sustained salinity levels below 15 ppt with kill both clams and oysters. Of the seven species of seagrass found in the Indian River Lagoon, all but Widgeon grass requires salinity of at least 20 ppt (2.0 % salt) to prosper. Last year was a good year for seagrass as salinities stayed high through most of the warm weather growing season and water clarity remained adequate. 2001 is already challenging critical seagrass survival with poor light penetration, with murky water and salinity levels dropping to the mid teens in many central areas of Brevard through Indian River County. Salinity levels were also low in the main channel of the St. Lucie River. The upper St. Lucie and most smaller tributaries to the lagoon should have low salinity water in the upper reaches, with higher salinity near their mouth.

What can you do to help? If you fertilize or use pesticides during rainy periods you treat the Lagoon more than you treat your lawn. Use natural or slow-release fertilizers that may appear to be more expensive, but are actually much more cost effective because they fertilize your plants more and the lagoon less. For pest control, use biological controls like ladybugs or biologically sensitive chemicals or agents like Bt or Neem extract. Your Florida extension service agent can suggest an increasingly large array of these "safer" products. They do work! Resist the temptation to use "old fashioned" herbicides like atrazine or insecticides like Dursban and diazinon that have high impact, are persistent and may leach rapidly into our ground water. If you use a lawn care service, ask them what they use and insist that they use the safer alternative chemicals that are effective with lower quantity. Unless you make a point of it, they’ll use the cheaper more hazardous chemicals. Canals connect our homes directly with the lagoon. What we do around the home will determine whether we have a healthy lagoon.

 

Do your part to stop the fish kills! Reduce nutrient runoff to the lagoon. Use (or insist on the use) of organic or slow release fertilizers in your yard. For pest control use biological controls or "organic" pesticides. They work!

To learn more or to download water quality maps, visit our website at www.mrcirl.org. If you need to contact Dr. Gerald Rosebery or Jim Egan for information, test kit supplies or for any other reasons, call the MRC main line at (321) 504-4500. Our e-mail address is council@mrcirl.org and our fax number is (321) 504-4488.

Volunteer monitors are needed from Stuart north to the Sebastian Inlet, between the 520 and Pineda causeways and north of Titusville. They are also needeed in the Eau Gallie and Sebastian Rivers. No background is required. Call at (321) 504-4500 or e-mail at council@mrcirl.org

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More News Around The Lagoon

 

Invasive Algae Choking Coral Reefs Blamed on Human Waste

from Palm Beach Post and other sources

 

Nitrogen from human waste is feeding two types of invasive algae growing on reefs from Boca Raton to Jupiter, a Harbor Branch scientist reports. A stable form of nitrogen, an indicator of human waste in the algae was higher in north Palm Beach County, possibly because of pipes that discharge treated sewage off Delray Beach and Boca Raton. The data shows that sewage is feeding algae that cover a growing area of the reefs off Palm Beach County. The non-native algae is believed to have been introduced into Florida waters by ballast water from ships. When invasive algae cover reefs, they crowd out algae eaten by fish and reduce the space available for corals to settle and grow.

 

Walton Bridge Loses Funding

from The St. Lucie Tribune

 

The Florida Department of Transportation has withdrawn $20 million designated for the Walton Bridge project in St. Lucie County. Without state funding, the bridge to Hutchinson Island is unlikely to be built and the St. Lucie County Expressway and Bridge Authority will terminate its research on the project. The proposed bridge would have cut through the Savannas and across the Lagoon, impacting a habitat used by thousands of birds, animals and plants. A lawsuit designed to stop the construction of the bridge, filed by the Treasure Coast Environmental Defense Fund has been dismissed.

 

Scrub Jay Corridor to be Developed

from Florida Today and other sources

 

The Brevard County Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously to allow the Viera Company to rezone 12.7 acres on Barnes Boulevard from medium density multifamily residential to general retail commercial. This parcel is adjacent to the 141 acre Helen and Allen Cruikshank Sanctuary and provides a critical pathway for scrub jays to reach the sanctuary. Opponents fear that if the parcel is developed, the sanctuary and another parcel of protected land which scrub jays frequent, would become isolated islands, seriously impacting the families of birds caught on either side.

 

New Volusia County Marina Siting Guide

from Daytona News Journal and other sources

 

Volusia County has proposed a guide for building marinas and boat slips, designed to protect manatees. The plan sets zones, (see page 4) based on the number of manatees killed in previous years and property owners would be required to meet certain criteria based on the zone. Single family homeowners, building a dock with four slips or less are exempt.

 

Toxic Algae in Drinking Water

from Orlando Sentinel and other sources

 

Scientist from 28 countries gathered in Australia in July to discuss toxic algae, which have been found in drinking water supplies worldwide. The focus turned to Florida after a leading algae expert unveiled evidence showing that an exotic alga common to Florida waters is more dangerous than researchers suspected. Cylindrospermopsis produces a toxin that scientists now think can cause cancer in one of 20,000 people if they drink even small quantities during a long period of time. Biologist with St. Johns River Water Management District found cylindrospermopsin in treated drinking water last year and the algae have taken over a number of central Florida recreational lakes. Because of Florida?s warm climate and increasing pollution problems, the state?s waterways are ideal for the growth of toxic algae. Several other countries are initiating monitoring programs. US research has been limited to regional studies, but the EPA has begun looking at whether algae toxins in water can harm those who drink it.

 

Proposal to Dispose of Dredge Sand into Atlantic Ocean

from Daytona-News Journal

 

The Florida Inland Navigation District may pump 300,000 cubic feet of sand dredged from the Intracoastal Waterway onto an offshore sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean instead of onto New Smyrna Beach, after residents and vendors voiced concerns about the sand interfering with beach driving. 300,000 cubic feet would be used to build dunes east of beach front homes. 300,000 to 400,000 cubic feet of sand may be used along a one mile stretch of beach that is not open to vehicle traffic as a demonstration project.

 

Air Pollution Kills More People Than Accidents

from Florida Today

 

More people are being killed by pollution from cars, trucks and other sources than by traffic crashes, researchers estimate in a report in the journal Science. Cutting greenhouse gases in four major cities could save 64,000 lives during the next 20 years. Greenhouse gases, principally carbon dioxide or ozone, contribute to global warning, but the study's lead author said the effects are not just long term. The pollutants can cause people to die prematurely from asthma, breathing disorders and heart disease. The study suggests that there are real and immediate health benefits in reducing greenhouse gases.

 

Invasive Algae Choking Coral Reefs Blamed on Human Waste

from Palm Beach Post and other sources

 

Nitrogen from human waste is feeding two types of invasive algae growing on reefs from Boca Raton to Jupiter, a Harbor Branch scientist reports. A stable form of nitrogen, an indicator of human waste in the algae was higher in north Palm Beach County, possibly because of pipes that discharge treated sewage off Delray Beach and Boca Raton. The data shows that sewage is feeding algae that cover a growing area of the reefs off Palm Beach County. The non-native algae is believed to have been introduced into Florida waters by ballast water from ships. When invasive algae cover reefs, they crowd out algae eaten by fish and reduce the space available for corals to settle and grow.

Nature

Everything is fitting for me,

O Universe,

which fits your purpose.

Nothing in your good time

is too early

or too late for me.

Everything is fruit for me

which your seasons,

Nature, bear;

from you, in you,

to you are all things.

Earth loves the rain.

The glorious ether loves to fall

in rain. The Universe, too,

loves to create what is to be.

Therefore I say

to the Universe,

"Your love is mine."

- Emperor Marcus Aurelius,180 A. D.

Northern Right Whale Monitoring

Whale Season Gearing Up Again The 2001-2002 whale season will be starting in November! The whales were finding plenty of food during the summer of 1999 and their overall physical condition was much improved compared to previous years. If reproduction was successful during the summer of 2000, we will be seeing those calves during the upcoming calving season! Some scientists have speculated the baby boom is due to an increased number of copepods in the feeding grounds due to climate changes. Dr. Stormy Mayo has successfully predicted previous years’ calf counts based on the number of copepods in Cape Cod Bay. Dr. Mayo predicted that the 2001-2002 calf count will be even higher than the 2000-2001 season! 2000 - 2001 Best Calving Season Since 1980 Over 150 sightings were reported by MRC volunteers. More than 500 sightings total were reported by the entire network (including aerial survey teams) coordinated by the U.S. Navy in Jacksonville (FACSFAC). The official calf count for the 2000-2001 season was 30 animals. According to Right Whale News (May 2001) four calves have died. Two of those deaths were due to ship strikes, one off the coast of Virginia. The other two calf deaths are undetermined. Of the 30 cow/calf pairs spotted, 27 of those pairs were seen here in the southeast U.S. Eight of the cows were first-time mothers. One of the adults was new to New England Aquarium’s photo identification catalog. Right Whale News reports that one cow, Moon is now a grandmother. She has been sighted here with her sixth calf of record. One of her earlier calves, a 14-year-old female, has also been seen with her first calf.

Moon (above) who gave birth last year, was also made a grand-mother this past season. Photo by Moira Brown Calving Season # of Unconfirmed Sightings # of Adult/Calf Pairs # of Adults 1996-1997 269 18 36 1997-1998 131 5 43 1998-1999 35 3 8 1999-2000 52 1 5 2000-2001 513 30 26 (Table Information courtesy of New England Aquarium)

The Lagoon Minute Airs Every Wed. at 12:20 on 93.7

MRC Executive Director, Jim Egan taping a Lagoon Minute at the WGYL studio

The Indian River Lagoon Minute, a public education radio campaign, airs every Wednesday at 12:20 in the afternoon on 93.7 fm WGYL until 2002. The Lagoon Minute is cosponsored by the Indian River County Solid Waste Disposal District and the MRC. Each 1 ½ minute segment highlights a different aspect of the Lagoon region’s history or unique ecological features and gives residents tips on being a good neighbor to the lagoon. The Lagoon Minute is heard in Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties and each reaches over 13,000 residents every week.

 

Indian River Lagoon - 1500s from Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe and other sources The Ais Indians lived between Cape Canaveral and the St. Lucie River, with their chief village being 5 miles north of the Ft. Pierce Inlet. Their diet consisted of speared fish, oysters, clams, cocoplums, seagrapes and palm berries. A dark tea was made from the leaves of the yaupon holly plant. They used wild plants but did not farm or cultivate crops. Accounts of early Spanish explorers and shipwreck survivors are all we know of life on the lagoon 500 years ago: "This is how they attack alligators. Near the river they put up a little hut full of cracks and holes. In this hut one of the men keeps watch. From his hiding place he can see and hear the animals even if they are a long way off. The alligators, driven to the shore by hunger, give themselves away by their loud bellowing, which can be heard at a great distance.

1500’s Alligator Hunting from Wood carving by LeMoyne

The watchman in the hut now calls his companions, who are waiting in readiness, and they set out for the hunt. They take with them a ten-foot pointed pole, and when they come upon the monster-who usually crawls along with open mouth, ready to attack-they push the pole quickly down its throat. The rough tree bark of its sides prevents the pole from slipping out again. Then the beast is turned over on its back and killed by beating it with clubs and piercing its soft belly with arrows. The alligators are such a menace that a regular watch has to be kept against them day and night. The Indians guard themselves against these animals just as we guard ourselves from our most dangerous enemies." This book, like hundreds of others on the history and scientific study of the Lagoon were purchased with SWIM funds and are available to the public at the MRC Library of the Indian River Lagoon. Call (321) 504-4500.