FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2016
GOV. SCOTT APPLAUDS
AGENCIES CONTINUED WORK TO CLEAN UP BROWN TIDE IN
NORTHERN INDIAN RIVER LAGOON
~Brown tide not toxic
to humans, but can impact fish and other wildlife~
TALLAHASSEE,
Fla. –
Today Governor Rick Scott applauded the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the
St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) for partnering with other
state, regional and local agencies to assess and respond to the large brown
algal bloom which has recently inundated the Indian River and Banana River
lagoons. While brown algae is typically non-toxic to humans, it can reduce the
amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, impacting fish and other wildlife.
Coordinating state agencies are assessing and responding to algal bloom events,
monitoring and analyzing impacts to wildlife and water quality, and addressing
short and longer-term solutions.
Governor
Scott said, “The quality and safety of Florida’s waters is a top priority for
our state. While this brown tide event is not a health threat to our families
or visitors, we are assessing and responding to areas that are seeing a loss of
fish. I applaud our state agencies for working together to quickly determine
the effects of this recent event, and we will continue to do all we can to
protect water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.”
Although
algal bloom events can be unpredictable, contributing factors can include
weather conditions and excess nutrients in waterways. As water from Lake Okeechobee
does not reach Brevard County through the Indian River Lagoon, there is no
evidence as of now that this bloom is related to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’ freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee.
FWC
Executive Director Nick Wiley said, “Getting answers to help address this
serious situation is a top priority. We are working closely with our partners
and the local community to better understand the problem and help develop
solutions. Florida’s natural treasures and wildlife are incredibly important to
our state and we will continue to do all we can to ensure its protection and
preservation.”
Interim
State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip said, “While brown tides are not
associated with toxins and do not impact human health directly, it is important
that people do not handle, collect or eat fish or wildlife found dead or dying.
DOH will continue to work with our partnering agencies to keep local families
and visitors safe during this recovery process.”
DEP
Secretary Jon Steverson said, “This algal bloom event reinforces the need for
continued restoration work in the lagoon. We are committed to working with our
state and local partners to expedite and implement projects that will improve
water quality conditions, and ensure our natural treasures are safe for
Florida’s families and visitors to enjoy.”
SJRWMD
Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle said, “It’s only through collaboration
with our communities and partners, like FWC and DEP, that we can make progress
with recovery efforts at the Indian River Lagoon. Our district is committed to
not only helping with immediate relief in the hardest hit areas, but also by
expediting efforts to put projects in the ground that will offer long-term
relief to the nutrient problem in the lagoon.”
Background
on Agency Response:
Local,
state and federal agencies will continue to work together to find answers to
the cause of this brown tide and to identify what can be done in the future to
limit or avoid similar events and build on restoration efforts underway. DEP
and SJRWMD have deployed staff and boats to assist Brevard County with their
local recovery and clean-up efforts, and local DOH offices continue to monitor
for human health impacts and encourage public safety.
Short-term
response efforts include:
- FWC
is serving as the lead agency for documenting and determining the cause of
fish and wildlife mortality events.
- On
March 19, FWC began taking fish and water samples to analyze at the Fish
and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg.
- Current
data and historic analysis indicate fish impacts appear to be the result
of low dissolved oxygen conditions associated with the brown algae bloom.
- To
help them respond to this algal bloom and other wildlife events, FWC
encourages the public to hotline allows the public to report directly to
researchers the locations of fish kills and diseased or abnormal fish by
calling a toll-free hotline at 1-800-636-0511.
- The
SJRWMD continues to collect water quality monitoring samples and track
movement and trends in the bloom activity.
- The water management district routinely monitors water
quality in the Indian River Lagoon and its tributaries, collecting and
managing data from 58 sites monthly to provide reliable data about current
water quality conditions.
- To monitor specifically for algae species, the SJRWMD
partners with FWC and the University of Florida to sample and analyze five
sites monthly and provides additional event-driven support when algal
blooms are reported.
- In addition, the district maintains five stations that
provide continuous water quality monitoring, sending the information
electronically to the agency’s headquarters.
In
addition to on-the-ground response and monitoring efforts, state and local
agencies are also focusing on longer-term water quality restoration efforts for
Indian River Lagoon. These restoration projects and management strategies are
essential to reducing nitrogen and phosphorous levels, which will help to
decrease the intensity and duration of algal bloom events.
Long-term
restoration efforts include:
- Including
the recently signed Florida First budget, the state will have invested
nearly $80 million dollars in projects in Brevard County to restore the
lagoon over a three-year span.
- To
address elevated levels of nutrients in the lagoon, in 2013, DEP adopted
three basin management action plans (BMAPs) to implement the projects and
activities necessary to bring the lagoon back to health. In addition, the
Department has adopted the St. Lucie BMAP, which will also help the Southern
Indian River Lagoon. To date, the stakeholders have achieved all
obligations outlined in the BMAPs.
- Several
projects have been completed in recent months that will bring relief to
the Indian River Lagoon in time. Recently, SJRWMD activated large scale
stormwater treatment and control projects on the C-1 Canal and at the
Wheeler Stormwater Park.
- DEP
and the district are also working to expedite a number of projects that
can help improve the health of the lagoon. Recently, innovative dispersed
water pilot projects have been approved in Indian River County that are
projected to keep thousands of pounds of nutrients from reaching the
lagoon.
| 
