Skip to main content

Tag: algae bloom

Aquatic harvester purchase still pending

Aquatic harvester purchase pending

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city commission has delayed the previously authorized purchase of an aquatic harvester that would remove floating algae, seagrass and dead marine life from residential canals and Sarasota Bay.

On Nov. 14, commissioners continued their previous discussion on the harvester purchase and agreed that more information and research are needed before the $137,000 purchase is finalized.

During the Nov . 14 meeting, Commission Chair Terry Schaefer noted the harvester purchase has been included in the city budget for two years, but that a purchase order won’t be issued until the city knows for sure whether a permit or permission is needed from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to conduct the desired skimming and water cleaning activities.

Public Works Superintendent Sage Kamiya hopes to provide clarity on the FDEP permit ting requirements when the commission meets again on Wednesday, Dec. 13.

Schaefer said the $137,000 price includes the trailer that would be used to transport the harvester to its launch points and to store the harvester on the public works department property when not in use.

In September, the city’s Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee provided the mayor and commissioners with a comparison of two different makes and models of aquatic harvesters: the Aquamarine H5-200 and the Eco Harvester. The Committee, chaired by Ron Huibers, recommended the Aquamarine H5-200 over the Eco Harvester.

Aquatic harvester purchase still pending
The Clean Water Committee also researched the Eco Harvester aquatic harvester. – City of Holmes Beach | Submitted

When addressing the commission on Nov. 14, Huibers referenced a more familiar construction vehicle and said an aquatic harvester is basically “a Bobcat that floats.”

Huibers said the harvester would skim the top foot-and-a-half of the water and would not disturb the submerged lands below. He said removing dead marine life from city waterways would reduce the harmful nitrogen and phosphorus that discharges into the water during decomposition.

“With fish kills, the problem we’ve had in the past is when we leave it sit around, it starts to rot,” Huibers said. “We have to get that stuff collected before it gets in that rotting stage.”

Commissioner Carol Soustek asked about the removal of dead marine life, algae, seagrass and other debris from the water. Schaefer said the city’s existing solid waste contractor, Waste Pro, could be contracted at an additional cost to haul away the debris removed by the aquatic harvester.

Kamiya said public works personnel would operate the harvester, but a new full-time position would not be created to do so.

Aquatic harvester purchase still pending
The aquatic harvester would be used to remove algae blooms and dead marine life from residential canals. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Mayor Judy Titsworth wants assurance that there’s enough money in the budget to cover the ongoing operational, maintenance and debris removal costs. She requested a cost estimate on those projected expenses.

Commissioner Dan Diggins compared the harvester’s ongo ing operational and maintenance costs to a city-owned street sweeper. He doesn’t question the need for the harvester, but he feels there are still unanswered questions that need to be answered before the purchase is finalized.

Schaefer said due to the cooler weather and cooling water, it’s unlikely there will be another significant algae bloom this fall and winter. He noted the first algae blooms of 2013 occurred in April and he’d like to have the harvester in place, if possible, before the first algae blooms and/or fish kills occur in 2024.

The commission will continue the discussion this month.

More than $3.5 million approved for manatees, red tide research

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

WASHINGTON – Federal funding is coming to Florida to support two environmental initiatives critical to the state – the protection of manatees and harmful algal bloom research.

A press release from Congressman Vern Buchanan’s office announced that the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed two of his amendments to the Interior and Environment government funding bill.

The first proposal dedicates $1.15 million for the rescue and rehabilitation of manatees.

In October, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began the process to consider reclassifying manatees from “threatened” to the more critical “endangered” status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Buchanan introduced the Manatee Protection Act to officially uplist the marine mammal in 2021.

According to the FWC, almost 2,400 manatees have died in Florida since 2021, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) estimates that there are approximately only 6,500 West Indian manatees in Southeastern U.S. waters.

The ESA defines a threatened species as “any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Threatened species receive protection through separate regulations issued under Section 4(d) of the ESA.

The ESA defines an endangered species as “any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Endangered species are automatically protected by prohibitions of several types of “take,” including harming, harassing, collecting or killing, under Section 9 of the ESA.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a species must be listed if it is threatened or endangered due to any of the following five factors:

1. Present or threatened destruction, modification or curtailment of its habitat or range;

2. Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific or educational purposes;

3. Disease or predation;

4. Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and

5. Other natural or human-made factors affecting its continued existence.

In 2016, Buchanan objected to the FWS downgrading the manatee’s designation from endangered to threatened, saying the FWS may have been using outdated data to support the reduction in protection. The manatee had been listed as an endangered species since 1966.

The second proposal will provide $2.5 million to the National Water Quality Program to enhance research into harmful algal blooms, including red tide.

“Over the last several years, the Gulf Coast has experienced severe levels of red tide,” Buchanan said. “Red tide is caused by toxin-producing algae that is extremely deadly to fish and other marine life and adversely affects tourism in the Suncoast region.”

In 2022-23, Manatee County cleared nearly 5 tons of dead fish and debris from area beaches due to a red tide outbreak.

“These commonsense proposals will help ensure the survival of the iconic Florida manatee and combat red tide, which for too long has wreaked havoc on marine life, our waters and the many businesses that rely on Florida’s tourism-based economy,” Buchanan said. “I am very pleased to see these measures pass with broad bipartisan support and look forward to working to see them enacted into law.”

According to Buchanan’s office, he also introduced the Protecting Local Communities from Harmful Algal Blooms Act, which would amend the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include algal blooms in the definition of a “major disaster.” This change would require the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to provide both technical and financial assistance to states suffering from outbreaks of harmful algal blooms like red tide.

Group disputes county claim that drinking water remains safe

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – A blue-green algae outbreak reported last week at Lake Manatee, the county’s primary drinking water reservoir, has prompted a local water quality watchdog group to question Manatee County’s claim that the water is safe, despite discoloration and an unusual odor.

In a July 19 press release, Suncoast Waterkeeper members noted that the blue-green algae, known as Anabaena or Microcystin-LR, is a cyanotoxin that may be safe from a regulatory standpoint, but not necessarily from a health standpoint.

County says blue-green algae in water ‘safe’
Water straight from a faucet in Manatee County shows water that county officials say is “safe” for consumption. Large particles of unknown material came out of the faucet along with the water. – Kristin Swain | Sun

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, elevated levels of cyanotoxins, including Anabaena, can cause health issues in humans ranging from a rash to liver and kidney damage if ingested. The most common health effects in humans include abdominal pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, nausea, dry cough, diarrhea, blistering around the mouth and pneumonia. Continually ingesting drinking water contaminated with elevated levels of the bacteria can lead to liver and kidney damage. Anyone experiencing any of the symptoms after coming into contact with the toxin should seek medical treatment immediately and rinse off with clean water.

The EPA also warns that pets, livestock and other animals also can be adversely affected by coming into contact with contaminated water. Symptoms of cyanotoxin poisoning in animals include excessive salivating, fatigue, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. In some severe cases, exposure can also lead to death.

In the water where the blue-green algae bloom occurs, plant and animal life may also die both during and after the bloom, resulting in fish kills in the county’s primary water supply.

County leaders say they’re treating the water with activated carbon and that anyone who is concerned about the smell or taste of the water should use a carbon filter at home.

To learn more about Anabaena and how it can affect your health, visit www.epa.gov/cyanohabs.