HomeMy WebLinkAboutPresentation_Environmental Advisory Committee_4/9/2025 (2)Environmental Monitoring & 4037-(561) 401bud.howard@lrecd.orgLoxahatchee River DistrictDirector of Information Services Bud Howard River Restoration in the Loxahatchee
•Loxahatchee River District Ecological LaboratoryWildPine•River CenterEnvironmental Education •Irrigation Quality Water Water Recycling •winning Wastewater TreatmentAward•Special District
The Loxahatchee River
Loxahatchee River Special Designations estuaries in North AmericaOne of the most biologically diverse –Indian River Lagoon System•Lake Worth Creek–Loxahatchee River –State Aquatic Preserve•One
of two in Florida–RiverFederally Designated Wild & Scenic •
Environmental Monitoring Others: Dept. of Health, Surfrider Foundation, SFWMD, FDEP•Restoration–Mapping & Vitality–Spawning Activity–Oysters•scale-Landscape–scale-Patch–Seagrass•15min
interval Salinity, Temperature•Datasonde Instruments–Monthly & Quarterly Sites; Many parameters; Partners •Comprehensive MonitoringRiverKeeper–basic parameters–Weekly •–Enteric Bacteria•Weekly
Bacteria Testing in Popular Recreational Areas–Water Quality•
Loxahatcheeriver.org or LRECD.org
Weekly Bacteria Results Map
RiverKeeper Since 1991 Water Quality Monitoring Program
RiverKeeperBacteria-‘Stoplight’ Maps
RiverKeeperAnnual Nutrients–‘Stoplight’ Maps
RiverKeeper
Instrumentation Salinity Measurements–
Why is the water so “Dirty”?Brown water is not always “polluted” water
St. Lucie Lake OkeechobeeNOT connected to Loxahatchee is WatershedLoxahatcheeSt. Lucie River Watershed 80-S46-S WatershedsLoxahatchee Rivervs.
Seagrass Monitoring Patch Scale–
Seagrass Monitoring Landscape Scale–
Seagrasses In Decline globallyloss 7% per year -IUCN Report •Harbor, etc.Biscayne Bay, Tampa Bay, Charlotte Indian River Lagoon, Florida Bay, •Similar Observations Elsewhere Storms•Boats
& wakes•Damage/Scour•Sand accumulation•dirt) = ’muck’Organics (grass clippings, leaves, •Temperature Extremes•Salinity•Water Clarity / Light Attenuation•Water Quality•Likely Factors•
•Oysters Healthy beds present•Historically widespread•(e.g., fish, crabs, shrimp, worms, etc.)home to > 300 species Habitat value •Amazing water filtering capacity
Restoration Projects 2009 & 2010
OysterRock & ShellShell
1398765423114N8
Reasonable Assurance Plan Opportunities with Stormwater–Water Quality Improvement Projects Ongoing•Completed 2020–Reasonable Assurance Plan –Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)–•VOT Member–(LRMCC)
Loxahatchee River Management Coordinating Council •Watershed Approach•FDEP & EPA: Impairments in Water Quality•
Stormwater Issues& Bacteria“Muck”Dog waste–Auto fluids–Pesticides/Herbicides–Fertilizers–Trash–Sediments–Leaf debris–Grass clippings–Pollutants Straight To River•Little/No Treatment–Move
Water Quickly–“Old Stormwater Design”Many older neighborhoods are •
Opportunities For VOT npdes.org-www.pbco–Required: MS4 & NPDES•Grant Funding•Swale Restoration–Infrastructure: Recent improvements–Stormwater System Rehabilitation•Enforcement–Monitoring–Rules,
Education & Expectations–Construction Site Best Management Practices •Dog Waste–Fertilizer, Herbicide and Pesticide Use –Grass Clippings, Vegetation, Dirt–Resident Education & Culture
Shift•Partnerships–Make it a Priority & Support the Staff–Become the Stormwater Leaders in Florida•
Let’s help the public and “muck”vegetation, dirt, trash, and river bacteria, make the connection
Wastewater Surveillance
Sources of Fecal Coliform Bacteria in Resources Journalet. al. 2017, Florida Water TomaskoDavid Stormwater Runoff
20112019 Site 14Oyster Restoration9 Years Later
•Expensive•Swales•Hydro Separators, etc.–Baffle Boxes–Structures / Vaults
Simpler Solutions 20 Installations-Town of Jupiter ~15–Oldcastle Infrastructure (formerly Suntree Tech)–FLOGARD +PLUS –Inlet Filters
Filter Box Study 2019 Require monitoring & maintenance–Heavy rain events caused washout–Evaluate accumulation or loss of material (washout/decay)–month monitoring with no debris removal-Phase
2: 6•More debris captured during the summer/wet season–Grass, sticks and plastic most prevalent–trash; box emptiedPhase 1: Monthly quantification of sediment, vegetation, •Monitored
10 filter box installations•2021-
Septic Tank Pollution Plumes Pennock Point-