District to send resources to assist south Florida with algae bloom recovery
PALATKA, Fla., July 12, 2016 — The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Governing Board passed a resolution today directing the St. Johns River Water Management District to offer assistance to south Florida. The move is in response to Gov. Scott’s recent Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in the southern part of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). The order commits the SJRWMD to support the ongoing efforts of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) with algae sampling and offer other resources for potential water storage, as needed.
“Water resource challenges like the one we are seeing in south Florida require we come together and work as a team to find real solutions,” said SJRWMD Governing Board Chairman John Miklos. “I’m grateful to Governor Scott for his leadership on this issue and look forward to supporting our sister agency through this response.”
The resolution authorizes SJRWMD Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle to deploy staff to assist DEP with surveying and sampling algal blooms in counties operating under the state of emergency declaration — Lee, Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach.
“While the northern portion of the Indian River Lagoon is not experiencing severe algal blooms at this time, we understand the importance of providing assistance in a coordinated manner for the benefit of the IRL as a whole,” said SJRWMD Governing Board Member Doug Bournique. “I am grateful to support this important action that reaches across boundaries to do what is right for our state’s water resources.”
The resolution also calls for SJRWMD staff to support SFWMD through technical assistance to identify additional water storage opportunities in cross-boundary locations and to identify SJRWMD-owned lands for temporary increases in dispersed water storage.
Algal blooms generally occur where there is an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus, particularly when the water is warm and the weather is calm. The districts, federal and state agencies, local governments and educational institutions are individually and collectively working to find answers to the cause of algal blooms in the lagoon and to identify what can be done in the future to limit or avoid similar events. The various partners are investigating the possible causes of the blooms and developing strategies to reduce their magnitude, duration and frequency.
To learn what you can do to protect the IRL, click here.