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Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 #1306 |
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Here in the wilderness, it's easy to be alone without feeling lonely.
Mark Renz photo art & words
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DRAFT AGENDA
SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION WORKING GROUP SPONSORED PUBLIC WORKSHOP
CENTRAL EVERGLADES PLANNING PROJECT
South Florida Water Management District
3301 Gun Club Road
Building B-1, Governing Board Auditorium
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
May 15, 2012
9:00 AM - 5:00
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South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Integrated Calendar
Task Force, Working Group (WG), & Science Coordination Group (SCG)
Biscayne Bay Regional Restoration Coordination Team (BBRRCT)
Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP)
CEPP Project Delivery Team (PDT)
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board (GB)
Water Resources Advisory Commission (WRAC)
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For the last seven years Florida Earth has partnered with UNESCO-IHE, also known as the Institute for Water Education, located in Delft, Netherlands. UNESCO-IHE awards MSc and PhD degrees in water related disciplines to mainly students from developing countries. the Florida Earth/UNESCO-IHE Partnership brings their Hydroinformatics (Modeling) students to the US to study models developed around the Everglades Restoration program. Water Ambassadors 2012 offers to organizations the opportunity to sponsor one of these bright students for the program in the US. Sponsoring organizations get the picture and bio of their Water Ambassador and have an opportunity to meet him or her in Florida while they are here studying, May 25 - June 8. The Water Ambassadors will also be at the INTERCOL Wetlands Conference in Orlando, June 6-8. Sponsorships are $1,000 for a full year that organizations can highlight their Water Ambassador. For more information, go to http://floridaearth.org
and click on one of the three Water Ambassadors already taken and you will be linked to the program page or call Stan Bronson
at (561) 281-5081.
2012 Water Ambassadors |
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Local fish market Harns Marsh (canal next to it), May 14, 2012 Mark Renz photo art |
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Lake O Scientists' Conference Call: Estuaries/releases
Periodic Scientists Conference Call -
Lake Okeechobee/Estuaries
The next conference call is scheduled for Tuesday, 10:30am.
The call-in number is (877)322-9654 and the code is 842466.
Members of the public can "listen in" but are not participants in the discussion.
Public comment is accepted at the conclusion of the representatives' discussion.
News-Press Editorial: Water releases good step
Freshwater will be released anew into the Caloosahatchee from Lake Okeechobee.
Not as much as we would like, but it's a start to ensure the river gets this life-giving resource.
So, we thank the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board for reversing course from its decision last month to stop such freshwater releases.
Board members agreed at their meeting Thursday to order the district to recommend that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers release pulses of freshwater into the river.
Salinity levels have increased and river watchers have seen blue-green algae blooms, toxic to plants and wildlife - detrimental to Southwest Florida's ecology and tourism economy.
The pulses, which may start in five to 10 days, should help clear out the algae, but it won't address the issue of balancing salinity levels.
We are aware that Lake O is below normal levels and that the water is a scarce resource in demand by other interests, including agriculture.
It's a delicate balance, but Southwest Floridians must continue to stay alert and keep the pressure on water officials to improve the conditions of the Caloosahatchee and keep the river in mind in future decisions.
We had editorialized Wednesday that singling out the river was unconscionable and encouraged members of the public to let their board members know what they thought.
Local officials and conservation professionals and activists did their part to make their case for Lee County, and they should be commended.
We encourage the public to send its gratitude to board members but also to urge them to develop policy to responsibly release the right amount of water the river needs.
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Keynote by Cynthia Barnett
An award-winning journalist reports on the many ways one of the most water-rich nations on the planet has squandered its way to scarcity, and argues the best solution is also the simplest and least expensive: a water ethic for America.
Americans see water as abundant and cheap: we turn on the faucet and out it gushes, for less than a penny a gallon. We use more water than any other culture in the world, much to quench what's now our largest crop-the lawn. Yet most Americans cannot name the river or aquifer that flows to our taps, irrigates our food, and produces our electricity. And most don't realize these freshwater sources are in deep trouble.
Blue Revolutionexposes the truth about the water crisis-driven not as much by lawn sprinklers as by a tradition that has encouraged everyone, from homeowners to farmers to utilities, to tap more and more. But the book also offers much reason for hope. Award-winning journalist Cynthia Barnett argues that the best solution is also the simplest and least expensive: a water ethic for America. Just as the green movement helped build awareness about energy and sustainability, so a blue movement will reconnect Americans to their water, helping us value and conserve our most life-giving resource. Avoiding past mistakes, living within our water means, and turning to "local water" as we do local foods are all part of this new, blue revolution.
Reporting from across the country and around the globe, Barnett shows how people, businesses, and governments have come together to dramatically reduce water use and reverse the water crisis. Entire metro areas, such as San Antonio, Texas, have halved per capita water use. Singapore's "closed water loop" recycles every drop. New technologies can slash agricultural irrigation in half: businesses can save a lot of water-and a lot of money-with designs as simple as recycling air-conditioning condensate.
The first book to call for a national water ethic, Blue Revolution is also a powerful meditation on water and community in America. |
Audubon Calls for Stronger Lake Okeechobee Protections
The fight to clean up excessive nutrients that are killing Lake Okeechobee continues with Audubon's science-based recommendations for controlling pollution sources. With the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan under a three-year review, Audubon is pushing a list of actions to meet water quality goals. Warning that excessive amounts of phosphorus cause toxic algae blooms and dead zones, which endanger fish, wildlife and human drinking water supplies, our scientists have also demonstrated approaches to reducing pollution. Audubon submitted extensive comments for eliminating the disposal of human waste in the watershed and reducing farm fertilizers that were headlined in a major news coverage article.
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP)
The Office of Ecosystem Projects Program Coordination and Regulation is the lead office responsible for implementation of the Department of Environmental Protection's responsibilities under the NEEPP, pursuant to Chapter 373.4595 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.).
Background
In May 2007, the Florida Legislature passed the NEEPP, which expanded the existing Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) to include the Caloosahatchee and the St. Lucie Rivers and Estuaries. The primary goal of the legislation is to restore and to protect the state's surface-water resources by addressing water quality, quantity, timing, and distribution of water to the natural system. .....
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Where I'll be as you view this Harns Marsh (7:00 a.m.)
Mark Renz photo art
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Ag is booming
The boom on the farm
By Robert J. Samuelson, The Washington Post
Samuelson writes a weekly column on economics.
Driven by high grain and soybean prices, farmers' cash income hit a record $109 billion in 2011. Land values have followed high crop prices. Since 2006, an average acre of Iowa farmland has doubled in value. Last year, the increase was 33 percent to $6,708, reports Michael Duffy of Iowa State University. And farms sustain factories. In Cedar Rapids, a few miles from here, Cargill makes corn syrup and soybean oil; ADM produces ethanol; Quaker Oats makes cereal. Iowa's unemployment rate is now 5.2 percent compared with 8.1 percent nationally.
"In the last 30 or 40 years, these are the best times we've seen," says Kirk Weih of Hertz Farm Management, an advisory firm.
American agriculture is the story of unending small changes relentlessly boosting productivity. In 1960, an average acre of planted corn yielded 55 bushels; that's now about 150 bushels. Behind the increase lie better seeds (including bio-tech seeds that combat corn borer and root worm - two threats to healthy corn), improved use of fertilizer, insecticides and herbicides, better planting techniques and advances in farm machinery......
Price increases in the 1970s reflected general inflation. Present prices rest on sturdier pillars: for starters, corn demand for ethanol mandated to be mixed with gasoline. From 1999 to 2011, ethanol's share of U.S. corn use climbed from 6 percent to 39 percent. Although ethanol use is flattening, the congressional mandate has been a lucrative boon to corn farmers. (It's also unwise, raising food prices for modest gains in fuel.)
A second source of demand comes from developing countries, led by China, that are improving diets by shifting to more beef, pork, poultry and dairy products. This requires more corn and soybeans for animal feed. Poultry require roughly two pounds of feed for every pound gained, reports Janet Larsen of the Earth Policy Institute; for cattle, the ratio is seven-to-one. The United States is the largest exporter of corn and, along with Brazil and Argentina, in the top three for soybeans. Corn prices, which once averaged $2 to $3 a bushel, now hover around $6.
There is a lesson here for government. American agriculture transcends the Midwest farm belt. It also includes fruit and vegetable producers, poultry operators and cattle ranchers. But most of these others, dairy farmers excepted, are largely unsubsidized. Meanwhile, subsidies going mostly to grain and cotton now average about $12 billion annually, reports the Agriculture Department.
Begun in the Great Depression, these subsidies could once be justified as cushioning farming's enduring insecurities: bad weather, big shifts in supply and demand, crop infestations. But most industries now face comparable uncertainties from new technologies, global markets and erratic business cycles. Congress is writing a new farm bill and is struggling with how much to trim subsidies. But why should prosperous grain farmers and absentee owners receive special treatment and windfalls? The proper level of subsidies is simple: zero.
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The EAC meets regularly the first Wednesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners meeting room, 3rd floor, Building 'F', Collier County Government Complex, Naples, Collier County, Florida.
What does the EAC do?
Sec. 2-1193. - Powers and Duties (Code of Ordinances, PART I, Chapter 2, ARTICLE VIII. ).
The powers and duties of the EAC are as follows:
(a) Identify, study, evaluate, and provide technical recommendations to the Board of Collier County Commissioners (BCC) on programs necessary for the conservation, management, and protection of air, land, and water resources and environmental quality in the County;
(b) Advise the BCC in establishing goals and objectives for the County's environmental conservation and management programs;.......
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Proof alligators kissMark Renz photo art
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Don't be surprised one of these days if you find an uninvited guest of the reptilian kind in your swimming pool or of the ursine kind drinking from it.
Southwest Florida's drought has alligators moving around looking for water; to compound the situation, this is alligator mating season, so gators are moving around looking for something else as well.
"It's that time of year when alligators are more active," said Gary Morse, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "They are cold-blooded creatures, and as the weather and water warm, their metabolism increases: They eat more; the move around more; and they reproduce."
While hormones and warmer weather would normally have alligators moving around, drought conditions are adding to their mobility.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, all of Lee County and northern Collier County are experiencing a severe drought; central Collier County is in a moderate drought; southern Collier County is abnormally dry.
Unlike warm-blooded animals, alligators can't regulate their temperatures internally.
To keep from burning up their energy stores and dying, they need to find a place where they can keep cool.
"Alligators are on the move, looking for a water hole or a dark, shady spot that stays cool," said herpetologist Mike Knight, a resource manager at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. "If their normal environments don't have that for them, they go looking for other places, and they tend to end up in pools and garages."
As wetland water levels drop, alligators become concentrated in the few remaining water holes.
But, Knight said, high concentrations of alligators don't lead to competition.
"They don't want to spend their energy battling each other," he said. "They want to conserve energy, so why waste it fighting with someone else?
"One year, there was a water hole about 25 feet across with about 50 alligators of all different sizes in it. It looked like something out of a Tarzan movie. There was some pushing and shoving for space, but they tolerated each other."
Bears on move
Drought and hormones have Florida's black bears moving around, too, said Mike Orlando, FWC's assistant bear program coordinator.
"They're thirsty, and we do find them drinking out of pools and buckets," Orlando said. "But more than anything, they've recently come out of what we consider hibernation, and they're looking for food.
"They're vegetarians, and with no rain, there aren't many berries on the trees, so they're searching far and wide for food."
This also is the prelude to bear mating season.
"The bears are hungry, and they're getting ready for mating season," Orlando said. "So all these young males are leaving mom, and they're going to show up in all kinds of crazy places in the next month or so."
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Report nuisance alligators
Alligator attacks are rare, but they occur; from 1948 to 2011, there were 335 recorded unprovoked alligator attacks (an average of 5.3 a year) and 22 fatalities in Florida.
Anyone who encounters a nuisance alligator (one that is at least 4 feet long and a threat to humans, pets or property) should call the state's nuisance alligator hot line: 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
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Solel Array
By Stephen Lacey
Even the world's largest producer of oil understands the value of developing renewable energy.
A few months after Saudi Arabia's oil minister called global warming "among humanity's most pressing concerns," the country is rolling out an ambitious plan to source 41,000 megawatts of solar projects over the next two decades - scaling up a domestic solar industry to support one third of electricity production by 2032.
Solar electricity and petroleum serve completely different markets. However, in this case, solar will be directly replacing the oil that Saudi Arabia uses for desalination plants. Officials are currently rolling out a competitive bidding process for 1,100 megawatts of solar photovoltaics and 900 megawatts of concentrating solar power in the first quarter of 2013......
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South Florida cuts water use by 20 percent
Thanks to low-flow toilets, efficient shower heads and washing machines and lawn watering restrictions, South Florida has managed to quit wasting so much water.
By CURTIS MORGAN
South Florida has suffered through some dreary declines of late - home values, paychecks and the Miami Dolphins, for instance.
But in the case of the public thirst for one precious commodity - fresh water - the decline has actually turned into a major money-saving plus.
The 53 water utilities serving Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties pumped about 83 million fewer gallons a day in 2010 than they did in 2000 - despite a population that grew by some 600,000 over the decade - according to a new draft analysis produced by the South Florida Water Management District.
Do the math and it adds up to South Floridians using about 20 percent less water each day for drinking, bathing and sprinkling yards per person than they did a decade ago. ....
The district analysis shows that, based on 2010 figures, Miami-Dade remained the largest consumer of the public water supply, slurping some 347 million gallons a day. Broward trailed with 217 million gallons a day, followed by Palm Beach County with 207 million gallons and Monroe with 16 million gallons.
But Palm Beach County's agricultural industry, dominated by sprawling sugar farms, made it the thirstiest county overall. Farms, which draw from their own wells and pumps, pushed Palm Beach's total daily demands to over 600 million gallons. Miami-Dade's combined farm and public total runs just over 400 million gallons a day, according to the report.
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If we can work out our differences, why can't you? Mark Renz photo art
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By Blake C. Guillory
Much has been written about the reduction of revenue at the state's water management districts during the past several months. The Southwest Florida Water Management District has refocused its priorities and mission to address the new economic realities, while remaining committed to protecting the environment and providing funding to local governments for vital water resources projects.
The district is building on a longstanding commitment to providing funding for water supply and natural resources projects within the 16 counties we serve, including Manatee. In fact, the ad valorem revenue we've collected has been reinvested into $1.3 billion in projects to meet the needs of the region. When matched by our project partners this provides a total investment of more than $2.5 billion in water resources infrastructure to protect our environment and support our economy.
Due to our "pay-as-you-go" philosophy, we have not incurred debt and moving forward we are well positioned to provide continued support to our local partners.
The district is committed to providing our local government partners with cooperative funding for water resources projects that meet our core mission responsibilities. Currently, the district has $380 million dedicated to more than 650 ongoing cooperative projects in the region.
When matched, this gives our area $760 million in ongoing water resources work. In addition, the district currently has another $200 million in unencumbered reserves to be dedicated to new projects.
Looking ahead, the district is reviewing our long-range plans for the region. Some of the need for new, large-scale alternative water supply projects has decreased with the downturn in the economy. However, thanks to the passage of SB 1986, as the economy rebounds and the demand for water increases, we have the capacity to grow and meet these commitments.
It is good for all Floridians to ensure that government is efficient and that state laws are implemented consistently and expeditiously for the protection of the water resources and the taxpayer. Gov. Rick Scott's direction to consider every opportunity to implement new business processes has resulted in great savings and improvements in the way we operate.
Under the Governing Board's direction, the district has reduced its operating expenses from nearly $100 million to less than $80 million. This savings allows continued investment for regional projects.
One way we have increased internal efficiencies is by reorganizing our regulatory staff and centralizing our permitting review process. This alone has saved nearly $4 million while increasing our quality of service.
And by implementing a new process of evaluating the complexity of permit applications, using the same rigorous environmental standards, many Environmental Resource Permits (ERPs) are now issued within 48 hours. We also are working closely with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the other four water management districts on statewide permitting consistency.
Yes, we face challenges, but this district will continue to manage and protect the water resources of west-central Florida and provide for the development of new water supplies for years to come. The district is staffed by dedicated public servants committed to our core mission of flood protection, water supply, water quality, and their associated natural systems. We assure you that we are capable of meeting these challenges and we will remain fiscally and operationally strong.
Blake C. Guillory, P.E., DWRE, is the executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District |
 Lack of access is the primary reason that keeps anglers from enjoying a day on the water. With expanding land development and growing regulations restricting angler access, federally owned lands are more important than ever for recreational fishing opportunity. However, a recent Congressional report concluded that more than 35 million acres of land owned by two federal land management agencies - the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service - have inadequate access for sportsmen and women. The Solution
The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act (H.R. 2834), will increase access to angling, hunting and recreational shooting on federal lands by prioritizing these activities within agencies' land management plans. The bill will require that federal lands be operated as "open-until-closed" with respect to recreational access and that any new regulations, management plans or land use initiatives be evaluated to minimize their impact on traditional outdoors activities such as fishing. Take Action The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act will increase public access to federal lands for recreational fishing and other traditional outdoor activities. Click here to take action now! |
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Watery Foundation
Watery Foundation has posted a new item,
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www.calusablueway.com The third phase of the Great Calusa Blueway is open. The trail, now 190 miles long, encompasses three distinct regions of the Gulf of Mexico coast off Lee County. |
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Wild wabbit
Mark Renz photo art
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Sincerely,
Eco-Voice Moderator
Eco-Voice, Inc.
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