Identifying and Diagnosing Locations of Ongoing and Future Saltwater Wetland Loss: Mangrove Heart Attack Credit: Whitney Gray, 2011, Little Panther Key, Pine Island Sound Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Technical Report 16-3 Draft: 9/30/2016 326 West Marion Avenue Punta Gorda, Florida 33950 (941) 575-5090 www.CHNEP.org The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is a partnership of citizens, elected officials, resource managers and commercial and recreational resource users working to improve the water quality and ecological integrity of the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed. A cooperative decision-making process is used within the Program to address diverse resource management concerns in the 4,700-square-mile study area. Many of these partners also financially support the Program, which, in turn, affords the Program opportunities to fund projects. The entities that have financially supported the Program include the following: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Southwest Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District Florida Department of Environmental Protection Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Lee, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee Counties Cities and Towns of Sanibel, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, North Port, Venice, Fort Myers Beach, Winter Haven, and Bonita Springs. This publication was authored by: Lisa B. Beever, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program James W. Beever III, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Roy R. “Robin” Lewis III, Coastal Resources Group, Inc. Laura Flynn, Coastal Resources Group, Inc. Terry Tattar, University of Massachusetts Liz Donley, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program E.J. Neafsey, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Acknowledgement: The Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves provided boat access, captains and expertise. Melynda Brown was the captain on July 27, October 8 and November 5, 2015. Mary McMurray was the captain on July 20, August 25, 2015 and February 18, 2016. Arielle Taylor-Manges was the captain on September 9 and September 25, 2015. Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve manager Cheryl Clark captained the boat on November 17, 2015. The Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park provided off-road access and assistance from Jay Garner on April 18, 2016. James Beever conceived of the project, was persistent for most of a decade in obtaining the grant funding. Robin Lewis coined the term “Mangrove Heart Attack.” Lisa Beever was the GIS Analyst and primary author. Suggested citation: Beever, L., J. Beever, R. Lewis, L. Flynn, T. Tattar, E. Donley, E. Neafsey. 2016. Identifying and Diagnosing Locations of Ongoing and Future Saltwater Wetland Loss: Mangrove Heart Attack. Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program. Punta Gorda, Florida. Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Policy Committee Mr. Doug Mundrick, Co-Chair Mr. Jon Iglehart, Co-Chair Water Protection Division South District Director U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Cities Counties Agencies Hon. S. Delshay Turner Hon. Bill Truex Ms. Patricia M. Steed City of Arcadia Charlotte County Central Florida Regional Planning Council Hon. Adrian Jackson Dr. Philip Stevens City of Bartow Vacant Desoto County Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Hon. Fred Forbes City of Bonita Springs Vacant Mr. Phil Flood Ms. Connie Jarvis Hardee County South Florida Water Management District City of Cape Coral Hon. Larry Kiker Mr. Don McCormick Vacant Lee County Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council City of Fort Myers Hon. Anita Cereceda Hon. Robin DiSabatino Mr. John Heslick Town of Fort Myers Beach Manatee County Southwest Florida Water Management District Hon. Cheryl Cook Mr. Jeff Spence City of North Port Polk County Hon. Gary Wein City of Punta Gorda Hon. Charles Hines Sarasota County Hon. Mick Denham City of Sanibel Hon. Fred Fraize City of Venice Mr. M.J. Carnevale City of Winter Haven Management Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Mike Kirby Ms. Jennette Seachrist Ms. Shelley Thornton City of Bonita Springs Southwest Florida Water Management District TAC Co-Chair Technical Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Keith Kibbey Ms. Elizabeth Staugler Ms. Shelley Thornton Citizens Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Roger DeBruler Mr. Kayton Nedza Ms. Debi Osborne Staff Lisa B. Beever, PhD, Director Elizabeth S. Donley, JD, Deputy Director Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager Judy Ott, MS, Program Scientist Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................... 1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 2 Background ................................................................................................................ 3 Emergent Habitats and Saltwater Wetlands of the CHNEP Study Area .................................... 3 Distribution and Types of Mangroves in the CHNEP Study Area ............................................. 6 Mangrove Community Types ................................................................................................... 11 Mangrove Productivity and Ecosystem Functions ................................................................... 16 Mangrove Forest Death and Mangrove Forest Heart Attacks .................................................. 22 Salt Marshes of the CHNEP Study Area .................................................................................. 28 Salt Marsh Types of the CHNEP .............................................................................................. 30 GIS Library of Mapping Resources ......................................................................... 41 True Color Aerials .................................................................................................................... 41 Historic Aerials ......................................................................................................................... 41 Infrared Aerials ......................................................................................................................... 43 Lidar .......................................................................................................................................... 45 Water Management District 2008-09 Land Use Maps ............................................................. 46 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 2003 Landsat Interpretation .............................. 47 United State Geological Survey 2015 Landsat Interpretation .................................................. 48 FLUCCS Maps for Charlotte Harbor and Tidal Peace and Myakka Rivers ........... 49 Classification of Mangrove Forest Type................................................................................... 49 Mapping Techniques ................................................................................................................. 53 Mapping Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 57 Mangrove Forest Field Investigation ....................................................................... 69 Site Selection ............................................................................................................................ 69 Field Investigation Methods ..................................................................................................... 71 Pre-Visit Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 80 Mangrove Species Composition by Geomorphology ............................................................... 81 Mangrove Forest Structure by Geomorphology ....................................................................... 88 Mangrove Health by Species and Geomorphology ................................................................ 101 Spectral Modeling to Determine Mangrove Condition .........................................111 Landsat Data Retrieval and Preparation ................................................................................. 111 Top of Atmosphere Conversion .............................................................................................. 123 Mangrove v. Not Mangrove calls using Landsat 8 ................................................................. 124 Final Mangrove Map Series and Analysis .............................................................125 Landsat Interpretation Refinement ......................................................................................... 125 Mangrove Geomorphology and Species using Landsat 8 ....................................................... 126 Mangrove Geomorphology and Species Recalibration .......................................................... 139 Predicted and Observed Species Identification ....................................................................... 140 Landsat Interpretation of Geomorphology and Species .......................................................... 141 Mangrove Condition ............................................................................................................... 146 Comparing Mangrove Condition between Landsat Missions ................................................. 148 Mangrove Condition Trends ..................................................................................................