By STAFF REPORTS
SJRWMD Expands Springs Monitoring
Trutta Environmental Solutions, LLC, has been selected by the St. Johns River Water Management District to expand mapping and monitoring efforts for eight springs and their spring runs in the District. Trutta will collect detailed scientific information to help protect water and habitats associated with Alexander, Blue, Juniper, Rock, Salt, Silver, Silver Glen and Wekiwa springs.
The District identifies these springs as popular destinations where millions of people swim, paddle, snorkel and experience Florida’s natural beauty each year.
Trutta will be deploying a specialized survey boat equipped with above-and-below-water cameras, high-resolution global positioning system, sonar and water quality monitoring instrumentation to collect detailed information about spring and spring run conditions. The system records underwater channel bottom depths and substrate hardness, water quality, aquatic vegetation and other environmental characteristics to establish a baseline for future monitoring.
“Florida’s springs are among our state’s most treasured natural resources,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Mike Register. “By collecting consistent, high-quality scientific data, we can better understand these systems, identify changes as they occur and make informed decisions to help protect them for future generations.”
SWIFTMUD Restores Withlacoochee River Navigation Lock
Current extended dry conditions have helped the Southwest Florida Water Management District complete planned Wysong-Coogler structure improvements in Sumter County. The boat navigation lock has not been operational for several years.
The Wysong-Coogler structure is located on the Withlacoochee River, downstream of Lake Panasoffkee, between Citrus and Sumter counties. Under normal conditions, the gates at Wysong are kept raised to help store water upstream, while still allowing river flows to pass downstream.
The improvements include replacement of the structure’s air bladders, installation of larger air flow pipes, and several other enhancements to streamline future maintenance. The improvements will allow the structure to operate more efficiently, reduce required staff time to operate, and restore function to the boat navigation lock.
Although the project is complete, water levels remain exceptionally low along the Withlacoochee River and in area lakes due to extended drought conditions.
Army Corps Stops Dredging at Port Everglades Pending Environmental Consultation
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has removed authorization for dredging for the Port Everglades Inlet Sand Bypass Project in Broward County. The halt was issued after Miami Waterkeeper, the Center for Biological Diversity, Florida Wildlife Federation and the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association filed a lawsuit against the Corps and the National Marine Fisheries Service for violating the Endangered Species Act in relation to the project.
The advocates, represented by Earthjustice along with co-plaintiff Center for Biological Diversity, filed a motion seeking an injunction to halt work until the Corps and the Fisheries Service reassess the Port Everglades Inlet Sand Bypass Project’s harm to critical marine habitat, threatened corals and queen conch.
The project involves dredging a 10.8-acre sand pit north of the inlet to capture sand to later use for beach renourishment.
In an Aug. 7 letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Corps acknowledged that recent underwater surveys revealed the project may have exceeded limits for “incidental take” – meaning harms or deaths – of threatened staghorn coral. The Corps agreed to reinitiate consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service to assess environmental risks and ways to minimize ecological damage.
“We’re glad the Corps decided to hit pause on this project in response to our lawsuit,” said Earthjustice Senior Attorney Danika Desai. “The corals and queen conch the project threatens are crucial to the health of the Florida Coral Reef and we will continue to push the agencies to give these species the full protection they deserve and that’s guaranteed to them under the Endangered Species Act.”
NWFWMD Agricultural Cost-Share Grant Funding Program Open until September 30th
The Northwest Florida Water Management District’s Agricultural Cost-Share Grant Funding Program provides cost-share funding for projects to improve water quality and reduce water use in the Jackson Blue Spring and Chipola River Springs Groundwater Contribution Areas.
Selected projects need to be within the groundwater contribution areas and need to increase efficiency in both irrigation and fertilizer use in Jackson and Calhoun counties, the largest agricultural area in northwest Florida.
Candidate projects must be in regulatory compliance and enrolled in the applicable Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-adopted Best Management Practices program under specific items listed in Vegetable/Agronomic Crop (row crop), sod and cow/calf or dairy (livestock) criteria.
Cost-share reimbursement can be up to 75 percent, with a combined maximum reimbursement of $100,000 per grant. Application materials and other information are available at https://nwfwater.com/water-resources/funding-programs/.
Duke Energy Promotes National Safe Digging “811 Day”
Duke Energy reported damage to underground electric and natural gas lines nearly 4,500 times this year. To promote national 811 Day, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas are advising customers and excavators to call 811 at least three business days before beginning any outdoor project that involves digging.
811 Day is the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s annual initiative to ensure the practice of safe digging by calling 811, a nationwide toll-free number, before any excavation project.
In 2025, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported 9,800 damages to natural gas and electric lines.
“As summer projects wrap up and fall projects begin, remember to call 811 before you dig,” said Emily Henson, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business. “This simple, free step to locate underground utility lines helps prevent costly damages and outages. And most importantly, it helps keep you and our communities safe.”
Duke Energy Florida, Sea Turtle Conservancy, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium Protect Hatchlings
Duke Energy Florida, Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium recently returned to Treasure Island to review progress in protecting sea turtles during peak nesting season. The partners returned to Sunset Beach, where turtle-friendly amber lighting was initially piloted in 2021.
Sea turtle hatchlings instinctively head toward the brightest horizon, which on a natural beach is moonlight on the water when born. Streetlights and beachfront lighting can confuse the instinct guiding hatchlings landward towards roads and parking lots instead of the sea.
Better lighting to preserve the natural instinct of the hatchings while keeping pedestrians and drivers safe is one of the goals for preserving hatchlings. Across Pinellas County, Duke Energy Florida has converted more than 2,000 lights to wildlife-friendly fixtures.
“We need to work now on our residential areas,” said Carly Oakley, manager, sea turtle conservation program, Clearwater Marine Aquarium. “Whether it be hotels, condos or single-family homes, the next step is to work to switch white outdoor lights to amber lights.”
The Reef Institute Hosts Biobank Visit
The Reef Institute hosted local and federal officials on Aug. 13, for conversation and firsthand look at the organization’s West Palm Beach-based biobank where samples of coral are stored for rehabilitation, breeding and conservation.
Attendees met with Leneita Fix, Executive Director of The Reef Institute, to learn how the organization is preserving coral species, advancing restoration science and helping safeguard Florida’s Coral Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.
The coral biobank was established through support from the Florida Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative, a statewide effort designed to restore and enhance Florida’s coral reef ecosystem. Recent loss of state funding has effectively halted the multi-year initiative aimed at restoring 25 percent of Florida’s 350-mile coral reef tract by 2050. The setback comes at a critical time, as less than 10 percent of Florida’s coral reefs remain alive today.
“When people see the coral biobank for the first time, they quickly understand that its impact extends far beyond research,” Fix said. “It is a lifeline for some of Florida’s most threatened coral species. We were grateful for the opportunity to show our elected leaders the tangible results of the state’s investments in conservation, including the Florida Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative, and the importance of continuing this critical work.”
TECO Tampa Electric Storm Recovery Billing Ends Early
Tampa Electric will stop billing customers storm recovery charges a month ahead of schedule. Future bills will be 11 to 12 percent less than what customers would have otherwise paid, about $20 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) for residential and small business customers.
“We know summer bills can be challenging, and customers will benefit from this charge ending a month earlier than originally projected,” said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “Every dollar matters, especially during the hottest months of the year. As temperatures drop this fall and energy use declines, customers will notice even greater reductions in their monthly bills.”
Tampa Electric began collecting the storm recovery charge in March 2025 to offset the cost of restoring power after 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. The costs were spread over 18 months to reduce customer payment amounts.
The storm recovery charge is separate from ongoing investments in grid hardening and storm protection projects that strengthen the electric system and improve resilience before severe weather occurs.
FAMU-FSU Researchers Identify Storm Driven Long Term Respiratory Health Hazards
Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center have identified how hurricane flooding can impact health long after a storm.
The research group recently published their findings in the Journal of Cleaner Production, identifying the factors most likely to create hazardous respiratory conditions inside homes after flooding.
Roof age, the prevalence of indoor mold spores and maximum flood depth led to the most frequent new respiratory symptoms among people in the homes studied. Airflow rates in bathroom exhaust fans, how often people opened their window blinds and the airtightness of the building were also important factors.
“We pay a lot of attention to direct impacts immediately after storms, but hazardous conditions can linger after floodwaters recede,” said Assistant Professor Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, a study co-author. “Although the respiratory health impacts of flooding are indirect and may emerge gradually, timely intervention offers the best chance for supporting health. We wanted to pinpoint which factors were most harmful, because that tells us where intervention can do the most good.”
Although the study focused on hurricanes, the researchers noted that the same problems can occur after storms that don’t make headlines. For example, nuisance flooding can lead to water intrusion at homes and prime conditions for mold growth.
University of Florida Tests New Roadway Hurricane Recovery Technology
Municipal hurricane damage assessment teams drive their roadways after hurricanes, documenting flooded streets, damaged traffic signals and other hazards to determine where help is needed as soon as a hurricane or tropical storm passes.
USF Assistant Professor Hao Zhou, a member of the Center for Urban Transportation and Research, wants to make that process faster using artificial intelligence. Zhou is working with transportation agencies including the Florida Department of Transportation and Sarasota County, to develop AI tools to help assess storm damage more efficiently, improve traffic signal restoration and better understand transportation needs after hurricanes.
The first technology, an AI-powered dashcam, is expected to begin testing later this fall. “Road inspections are already done from inside a vehicle, looking through the windshield,” Zhou said. “A dashcam is a natural extra set of eyes. By adding AI, it can automatically identify damage and even generate reports to support recovery efforts.”
The AI-powered dashcam records inspection routes, creating a searchable visual database that crews can use to verify damage, generate photos for reports and identify missing road signs that may have been blown away during a hurricane.
The team is also developing scheduling and routing tools to direct crews to which intersections to repair next and the most efficient way to get there. Zhou said. “The faster crews can restore traffic signals, the faster communities can travel safely after a storm.”
Florida Key’s Mote Marine Laboratory Takes on Endangered Corals Project
Mote Marine Laboratory is undertaking a large-scale Keys-wide effort to rescue thousands of vulnerable corals, many threatened or endangered species, from offshore nurseries before prolonged heat stress resulting from ocean temperature rise proves fatal.
Mote scientists are concerned that persistent water temperatures greater than 87°F could cause corals to expel the beneficial algae (Zooxanthellae) that provides much of the coral’s energy through photosynthesis. The resulting stress response – coral bleaching – weakens corals and can lead to mortality.
Using their considerable experience with corals and excessively high water temperatures, Mote’s current coral rescue and relocation strategy was designed to protect valuable coral genotypes while providing optimal conditions for recovery until environmental conditions improve.
Mote has been able to outplant more than 275,000 corals onto Florida’s reefs over the last decade and has nearly 75,000 additional fragments currently being grown among Mote’s Keys-based coral nurseries for future outplanting. Their International Coral Gene Bank is one of the world’s largest collections of living Caribbean coral genotypes outside of the natural reef. The gene bank safeguards approximately 10,000 unique coral genotypes representing 34 species, preserving critical genetic diversity for conservation, propagation, future research, and restoration.
“Our long-term investment in land-based coral restoration infrastructure allows us to respond quickly when ocean temperatures threaten our offshore nurseries,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote President & CEO. “Protecting genetically diverse corals during these events is essential to advancing restoration science and ensuring we have resilient populations ready to return to Florida’s Coral Reef.”
