Tampa Bay Restoration through Seagrass

[Captain Zissou]

Tampa seems to have found a common sense solution to improve the water quality of Tampa Bay.  If they can do it, why can't we?  The annual algae blooms and fish kills are totally man made problems that can be overcome with a coordinated effort.  I hope that the new leadership will do something other than authorize a study on the water quality.

In Tampa Bay, rare environmental win measured in seagrass

By Letitia Stein

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (Reuters) - When Tampa Bay was grappling with repeated fish kills and murky waters two decades ago, the scientists who set out to restore its health by bringing back once-bountiful underwater grasses were doubtful it could be done in their lifetimes.

Yet that mission has now been accomplished. New data show Tampa Bay's seagrasses at levels not seen since the 1950s, before urban development exploded along Florida's west coast and nitrogen pollution of its waters soared.

The rejuvenation of Tampa Bay is hailed as a model for the bays and sounds in other U.S. communities seeking to restore critical coastal habitat under the Clean Water Act, from the Chesapeake Bay in the mid-Atlantic region to San Francisco Bay.

These estuaries, where freshwater from rivers mixes with the salty sea, provide a home or nursery for a wide swath of marine life, including most commercially sold fish.

Experts say the sweeping recovery in Tampa Bay is made more impressive because it appears so far unmatched.

"It shows that you can actually do it," said Rich Batiuk, associate director for science with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program. "Kudos to them for really seeing it through and providing a great shining example."

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-in-tampa-bay-rare-environmental-win-measured-in-seagrass-2015-6

[ChriswUfGator]

Because the problem is long-term licenses granted to large corporations to suck 1/8 of the river's flow out for bottled water production and other uses, and to Georgia Pacific and others to dump tons of pollutants, including nitrates which cause the algae blooms, into the river further downstream. These people have a property right in their licenses at this point, and they never should have been granted in the first place. It's insane. And yet a majority of the state went and re-elected him. What do you do with that?

[ChriswUfGator]

One more thing, if riverkeeper is successful in having the rodman dam demolished, that will add significant watershed back to the river and increase flow. That would help the problem. But what you do about the dumping and discharge permits that have already been granted? Good question.

[acme54321]

I think the amount of water the state permits to be sucked out of wells and springs to be bottled is ridiculous.  Hopefully they can get rodman dam removed.  I'm not sure why it's still there.  Close the lock, rip out the dam, and let nature do its thing.

[ChriswUfGator]

Here's your problem:



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/04/1361864/-EXCLUSIVE-Koch-Brothers-Rick-Scott-And-Jeb-Bush-Exposed-In-Florida-Pipeline-Scandal

[UNFurbanist]

Tampa seems to have found a common sense solution to improve the water quality of Tampa Bay.  If they can do it, why can't we?  The annual algae blooms and fish kills are totally man made problems that can be overcome with a coordinated effort.  I hope that the new leadership will do something other than authorize a study on the water quality.

In Tampa Bay, rare environmental win measured in seagrass

By Letitia Stein

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (Reuters) - When Tampa Bay was grappling with repeated fish kills and murky waters two decades ago, the scientists who set out to restore its health by bringing back once-bountiful underwater grasses were doubtful it could be done in their lifetimes.

Yet that mission has now been accomplished. New data show Tampa Bay's seagrasses at levels not seen since the 1950s, before urban development exploded along Florida's west coast and nitrogen pollution of its waters soared.

The rejuvenation of Tampa Bay is hailed as a model for the bays and sounds in other U.S. communities seeking to restore critical coastal habitat under the Clean Water Act, from the Chesapeake Bay in the mid-Atlantic region to San Francisco Bay.

These estuaries, where freshwater from rivers mixes with the salty sea, provide a home or nursery for a wide swath of marine life, including most commercially sold fish.

Experts say the sweeping recovery in Tampa Bay is made more impressive because it appears so far unmatched.

"It shows that you can actually do it," said Rich Batiuk, associate director for science with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program. "Kudos to them for really seeing it through and providing a great shining example."

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-in-tampa-bay-rare-environmental-win-measured-in-seagrass-2015-6

This is awesome! We should also look at New York and see what they are doing with the "Billion Oyster Project" which has the potential to clean huge volumes of water. http://www.billionoysterproject.org