Our Florida Reefs Florida Oceanographic Society June 18, 2014 Everglades, Estuaries Upper Chain of Lakes and Reefs; Lake Kissimmee Indian River Lagoon

Ecosystem Kissimmee River

Connections in South St. Lucie Estuary Lake Florida Okeechobee Caloosahatchee Estuary

Everglades Mark Perry, Executive Director and Vincent Encomio, Ph.D., Senior Biscayne Bay Scientist Florida Oceanographic Society June 18, 2014

Florida Bay Coral Reefs Upper Chain of Lakes flow south into Lake Kissimmee

Lake Kissimmee flows south into the Kissimmee River – 105-mile Oxbow River with 2-mile-wide floodplain

Water takes 6-8 Months to reach Lake Okeechobee

Lake Okeechobee flows south through “River “River of Grass”, Everglades - 60- of mile wide shallow (1 ft deep) river Grass” flowing at 1 mile in 4 days.

Water takes 16 Months to reach Florida Bay “Drain The Swamp” Diked Lake Okeechobee- Stopped the flow south to the River of Grass (Everglades) Drained the Kissimmee River- 1962-1970 Dug the C- 38 Canal up 105 mile oxbows-drained floodplain Upper Chain of Lakes

Lake Kissimmee

Indian River Lagoon

St. Lucie Estuary Lake Okeechobee

Caloosahatchee Estuary

Biscayne Bay

Florida Bay

Coral Reefs

1.7 Billion Gallons per Day of freshwater is wasted to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico! ($5.9 million/day) South Florida’s Northern Coastal Estuaries

St. Lucie River Estuary

Caloosahatchee River Estuary

Major Impacts Atlantic Ocean C-24 Canal Indian River Lagoon

Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center

C-23 Canal

St. Lucie River Estuary St. Lucie Inlet

Nearshore Reefs

Lake

Okeechobee C-44 St. Lucie Canal

Discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie River Estuary and Indian River Lagoon Indian River Lagoon Seagrass Beds

Before Discharges

During Discharges Silt & Sediment – Freshwater & Pollutants 700 acres of Seagrass habitat inside the St. Lucie Inlet (5 common species) Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserve St. Lucie Inlet Nearshore Reefs

Before Discharges

During Discharges Sediment Plume 6-8 miles offshore Silt & Sediment – Freshwater & Pollutants St. Lucie Inlet State Preserve Reef south and Sabellariid Reef north – both nominated for National Marine Sanctuary (1995) St. Lucie River Estuary Muck Bottom

4-8 ft. thick on bottom 7.9 million cubic yards ++

Stress Harm Death

140 Days

Death Salinity Tolerance for Oysters 7 Days For Spat & Juveniles Results: 100% loss of living Oysters 14 – 28 Days For Adults Death Death

95 Days Salinity Tolerance for Seagrass Death Results: 75% loss of Seagrass cover 14 days < 9 ppt 3 days < 5ppt Effects of Freshwater Discharges on Seagrasses – Johnson’s Seagrass is a Threatened Species under the ESA

Direct Effects on Fisheries Economically important Spotted Seatrout Reproduction is inhibited by low salinity levels in the estuary. Fish Lesions and Abnormalities

1980 - 2003 8 Events

33 Species of Fish 6% of the population Health Warnings posted in the St. Lucie River Estuary 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2013 Most Biodiverse Cool water Ecosystem in North America

•2100 plant species •2200 animal species •800 fish species •310 bird species

Warm water

Uniqueness of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary Oculina Reefs

Shelf-edge, monospecific coral reefs 230-328 feet depth Ft. Pierce to Cape Canaveral. dominated by ivory tree coral (Oculina varicosa). pinnacles up to 82 feet in height important breeding and feeding grounds for grouper, snapper, and amberjack . Highly productive and diverse. (Federal Protected Area-50 CFR 622.35) St. Lucie Nearshore Reefs Hard bottom nearshore reefs 1 - 30 feet depth near the St. Lucie Inlet. Anastasia limestone bedrock reef extends north and south of the inlet. Hard and soft corals, gorgonians spur and groove buttresses. northern limit for several hard corals (Diploria clivosa, Oculina diffusa) and soft corals (Eunicea sp., Gorgonia sp.). Large patches of red boring sponge carpets of the anemone-like zoanthids, algae, colonies of brain corals, and soft corals. More than 122 species of fish. (Florida Preserve State Park Reef)

Nominated on Site Evaluation List for National Marine Sanctuary (1995) Nearshore Reefs off St. Lucie Inlet

Hard & Soft Coral Reefs

Sabellariid Worm Reefs Sabellariid Worm Reef Phragmatopoma caudata Florida Range: Cape Canaveral to Biscayne Bay Size: up to 2 inches long and 1/8 inch in diameter, although most worms are closer to ¾ inch long Water Depth: Intertidal (exposed at low tide) to about 30 feet. Food: Filter feed on microplankton Tube Growth Rate: In good conditions almost 2 inches per week

Forms mounding colonies of 50,000 per square meter on hard substrate Sabellariid Reef Habitat •Worm reefs create habitat for a wide range of plants and animals. •Encrusting algae and seaweeds grow on the reef. •Encrusting animals like sponges and tunicates also cover the reef. •Wide range of invertebrates from amphipods, urchins, lobsters and octopus live around the reef. •Wide range of fish from juvenile ornamental fish (damsels, etc.) to large fish like grouper, snook, barracuda and sharks also juvenile sea turtles. Invertebrates

Florida Cucumber

Flat Tunicate Reef Urchin

Orange Claw Hermit Crab

Red Rock Boring Sponge Pencil Urchin

Spiny Lobster

Orange Golf Ball Sponge Rock-Boring Urchin Fish

Sergeant Major Bermuda Chub Barracuda

Nurse Shark

Silver Porgy Porkfish

Doctorfish Slippery Wrasse

Hairy Blenny Juvenile Tomtate Sabellariid Worm Reef Bathtub Reef Park - Martin County

The Reef forms a calm shallow area between the reef and shore like a “bathtub”. Exposed at low tide, impacts occur when people walk on the sand tube colonies and crush the tops of the tube trapping the animal inside. Please Keep off the living Reef. St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef

St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef  4.7 miles long – 3,820 acres  5 - 35 feet of water depth  1 - 15 feet of bottom relief  Over 12 species of corals  Over 244 fish species on reef  Over 100 invertebrate species on reef Corals The Reef is the northern limit for: Diploria clivosa – Knobby Brain Coral Oculina diffusa - Ivory Bush Coral Eunicea sp. – Sea Rods Gorgonia sp. – Sea Fans St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef

St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef

Area of confirmed abandon Fishing Nets 27 06.600/80 07.600

St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef Abandoned Fishing Nets Observed 5-26-0 4 -FOS St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Reef Abandoned Fishing Nets Observed 5-26-0 4 -FOS Martin County Artificial Reef Program Nearshore Hardbottom Habitat supports a high (species) diversity of algae (340), invertebrates (533), fishes (257)and sea turtles (3). SE Florida Coast Wastewater Ocean Outfalls

24 MGD (Discontinued April 2009) 17 MGD 66 MGD 44 MGD 100 MGD 143 MGD Total 394 MGD

Must have 60% Reuse by 2025 200 Wells 500 MGD CLASS I INJECTION FACILITIES Lower Floridan Aquifer 1 2 (-3,000 feet)

Plugged Proposed Existing Type Municipal Lateral flows to Industrial Rev erse Osmosis (RO) Concentrate SE Coastal Reefs Combined Municipal & Nonmunicipal Class I Facilities

23 62 25 56 3 24 4 28 7 26 5 11 92 27 8 6 9 10 29 99 N 12 13 87 73 80 30 57 93 53 15 18 32 72 20 31 16 55 89 95 83 35 77 54 103 58 33 61 70 3637 17 43 52 19 65 34 21 94 59 96 82 102 38 66 98 22 63 39 91 85 51 40 101 75 69 41 84 60 88 42 45,64,67 0 50 100 90 86 44,79 100 81 46 78 47 68 71 Miles 76 74 97 14 48 49 50 Our Mission:

To inspire environmental stewardship of Florida’s coastal ecosystems through education and research. Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center located on Hutchinson Island in Stuart, Florida. Education & Programs Hands-on learning for children and adults • Ray Feeding Programs • Sea Turtle Programs • Game Fish Lagoon Feeding Programs • Guided Nature Trail Walks

Research & Conservation • Water Quality Monitoring • Oyster Reef Restoration • Native Plant Restoration • St. Lucie Estuary/Indian River Lagoon & Everglades Conservation Efforts www.Floridaocean.org Water Quality Monitoring preformed weekly by volunteers throughout Martin County.

Results published weekly in The Stuart News. St. Lucie River Estuary Oyster Reef Habitat 1940sLoss – 470 acres 1996 – 260 acres 2003 – 116 acres Oyster Gardening Habitat Restoration Program – Started 2005

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6 Oyster Reef Restoration Oyster Shells collected from local restaurants are bagged and deployed to designated reef restoration sites by staff and volunteers. New oyster growth is monitored by staff

1 adult oyster can filter 50 gallons per day, and oyster reefs provide shoreline stabilization and habitat to over 300 estuarine species

In partnership with Martin County Oyster Reef Restoration Project

Learn More at www.FloridaOcean.org