Years of Partnerships 25 in Restoring Our Bays Sarasota Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan Update & State of the Bay Report SARASOTA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM SARASOTA BAY - Past Sarasota Bay and the area surrounding it are a complex environment that has been heavily altered by man. atives of the Sarasota Bay region o!er a vibrant portrait of NSarasota Bay past: t4FBHSBTTUFFNJOHXJUITDBMMPQT CPVOUJGVMPZTUFSIBSWFTUT BOETBOE ìBUTUIJDLXJUIDMBNT t"ëTIQPQVMBUJPOTPBCVOEBOU POFMPOHUJNFSFTJEFOUSFDBMMT UIBU iZPVDPVMEIBSEMZSPXBDSPTTUPPOFPGUIFLFZTXJUIPVUFOEJOHVQ XJUIBEP[FOPSTPëTIJOZPVSCPBUw t4QBSTFMZEFWFMPQFE NBOHSPWFMJOFETIPSFTBTGBSBTUIFFZFDPVME TFF ëMUFSJOHUIFSVOPêGSPNMBOEUISPVHIOBUVSBMWFHFUBUJPOCFGPSF it reached the Bay t $MFBS DMFBOXBUFS QSPWJEJOHFYDFMMFOUIBCJUBUGPSëTIBOEPUIFS marine life t4NBMM MPDBMJ[FEDPNNVOJUJFTXIFSFFWFSZPOFLOFXFWFSZPOFFMTF BOEUIFTFOTFPGQMBDFXBTTUSPOH *O UIFPWFSBMMRVBMJUZXBTEFTDSJCFEWFSZEJêFSFOUMZ t %JNJOJTIFEHSBTTCFET XJUIUIPTFSFNBJOJOHTDBSSFECZCPBU QSPQFMMFSUSBDLTTDBMMPQ PZTUFS BOEDMBNIBSWFTUTDPVOUFEJO TJOHMFOVNCFST OPUCVTIFMCBTLFUT t(FOFSBMMZSFEVDFEDBUDIFTPGëTIUISPVHIPVUUIF#BZ t3FDPOTUSVDUFETIPSFMJOFT XJUINBOZNBOHSPWFGPSFTUTOPXEFTUSPZFE t*OUFOTFSFTJEFOUJBMBOEDPNNFSDJBMEFWFMPQNFOUUISPVHIPVUUIF#BZ BSFB XJUIBDDPNQBOZJOHSVOPêPGTUPSNXBUFS TFXBHF TFEJNFOU BOEDIFNJDBMDPOUBNJOBOUTìPXJOHJOUPUIF#BZ t"IVNBOFOWJSPONFOUJOXIJDIQFPQMFPGUFOEPOULOPXUIFJSOFYU EPPSOFJHICPST BOEMBDLBTFOTFPGQMBDFBOEDPNNVOJUZ — Paul Roat, 1990 SARASOTA BAY - Present ACCOMPLISHMENTS ince 1989, accomplishments in Bay restoration have Sbeen substantial: t4JHOJëDBOUXBUFSRVBMJUZJNQSPWFNFOUTJOUIF#BZBOEUSJCVUBSJFT EVFUPQFSDFOUSFEVDUJPOJOOJUSPHFOQPMMVUJPOBMM#BZXBUFST OPXNFFUTUBUFGFEFSBMXBUFSRVBMJUZTUBOEBSETBOEBSFSBUFE iHPPEwUPiFYDFMMFOUw t4FBHSBTTDPWFSBHF BNFBTVSFPG#BZIFBMUI IBTJODSFBTFEQFSDFOU t 4FBHSBTTMFWFMTBSFQFSDFOUBCPWF t3FTUPSBUJPOPGBQQSPYJNBUFMZ BDSFTPGXFUMBOEIBCJUBUXJUI DSFBUJPOPGOFXFDPMPHJDBMQBSLTBSPVOEUIF#BZ t$POTUSVDUJPOPGOJOFOFXBSUJëDJBMSFFGTJUFT t*NQMFNFOUBUJPOPGBDPNQSFIFOTJWFQVCMJDFEVDBUJPOQSPHSBN TJODF NPSFUIBO TDIPPMDIJMESFOIBWFSFDFJWFE PVUEPPSFEVDBUJPOBCPVU4BSBTPUB#BZ XIJMFBEVMUFEVDBUJPO BQQFBSTUPCFIBWJOHBOJNQBDUPO#BZRVBMJUZ t %FWFMPQNFOUPGQSPUFDUJWFXBUFSRVBMJUZTUBOEBSET /VNFSJD /VUSJFOU$SJUFSJB BEPQUFECZ&1"JO t$SFBUJPOPGUIF(VMG$PBTU)FSJUBHF5SBJMUPQSPNPUFNBOBHFE QVCMJDBDDFTTUPQPJOUTPGIJTUPSJDBM DVMUVSBM BOEFOWJSPONFOUBM JOUFSFTUBSPVOEUIF#BZ t 'SPNUP NJMMJPOJOQVCMJDBOEQSJWBUFGVOET XFSFMFWFSBHFE t5IFFDPOPNJDWBMVFPG4BSBTPUB#BZSFHJPO XBTFTUJNBUFEBUCJMMJPO In 2009, the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program received !rst place as a Gulf Guardian from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf of Mexico Program. "e accolade came in the “Partnership” category due to water quality and seagrass improvements. Fran Palmeri SARASOTA BAY - Future IF SFDFOU SFWJTJPOT UP UIF #BZ NBOBHFNFOU QMBO QSFTFOUFE JO UIJT EPDVNFOU GPDVTFE BUUFOUJPO PO UIF 5JNQSPWFNFOUPG4BSBTPUB#BZUJEBMDSFFLTBOEUSJCVUBSJFT"MUIPVHIUIF.PUF.BSJOF-BCPSBUPSZBOEPUIFST IBWFDPOEVDUFEQFSJPEJDTUVEJFTPGUJEBMDSFFLTMPDBMMZ OPDPNQSFIFOTJWFBTTFTTNFOUPGUIFTFTZTUFNTIBTCFFO GVOEFEJO'MPSJEBɨF4BSBTPUB#BZ&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNJTDVSSFOUMZNBOBHJOHBMBSHFTUVEZoJODPMMBCPSBUJPOXJUI UIF5BNQB#BZ&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNBOEUIF$IBSMPUUF)BSCPS/BUJPOBM&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNBOEMPDBMHPWFSONFOUT SFHJPOBMMZ oUPDIBSBDUFSJ[FUIFDPOEJUJPOPGDSFFLTFYUFOEJOHGSPN1JOFMMBTUP-FFDPVOUJFTɨFTUVEZJTEFTJHOFE UPBTTFTTXBUFSRVBMJUZ IBCJUBU BOEëTIFSJFT"TSFTVMUPGUIJTTUVEZ QPMJDZDIBOHFTXJMMMJLFMZCFSFDPNNFOEFEUP JNQSPWFTFOTJUJWFKVWFOJMFëTIIBCJUBUTJOUIFTFFOWJSPOT "TBDPNNVOJUZXFNVTUCFWJHJMBOUJODPOUJOVJOHUPQSPUFDUBOEJNQSPWFPVSQSFDJPVTSFTPVSDFT&EVDBUJPO BOE-PX*NQBDU%FWFMPQNFOUXJMMDFSUBJOMZCFLFZDPNQPOFOUTPGUIFDPOUJOVFEFOIBODFNFOUBOEQSPUFDUJPO PGPVSWBMVFESFTPVSDFT4BSBTPUB#BZJTBSFHJPOBMEFTUJOBUJPOTVQQPSUJOHNPSFUIBO KPCTBOOVBMMZ"T XFNBUVSFBTBDPNNVOJUZ XFNVTUSFNFNCFSBOENBJOUBJOUIFTFOTFPGQMBDFEFTDSJCFEJO4BSBTPUB#BZo1BTUGPS PVSFDPOPNJDQSPTQFSJUZ “Tidal creeks not only serve as vital nursery habitat for juvenile sport !sh such as snook, they are the conduits that connect the productivity of tidal wetlands to the larger estuary. "is important function improves the !sheries productivity of the estuary as a whole.” – Ernst B. Peebles University of South Florida INTRODUCTION i Years PG1BSUOFSTIJQTJO3FTUPSJOH0VS#BZTw JTBOVQEBUFPOQSPHSFTTNBEFJODBSSZJOH PVUUIF4BSBTPUB #BZ &TUVBSZ 1SPHSBNT$PNQSFIFOTJWF $POTFSWBUJPO BOE .BOBHFNFOU 1MBO $$.1 *ODMVEFE JO UIJT EPDVNFOU BSF SFWJTJPOT PG UIF $$.1 iɨF 7PZBHF UP 1BSBEJTF 3FDMBJNFE w TJHOFE JO CZ UIF HPWFSOPS PG 'MPSJEB BOE UIF BENJOJTUSBUPS PG UIF 64 &OWJSPONFOUBM1SPUFDUJPO"HFODZ ɨF4BSBTPUB#BZ&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNJTEFEJDBUFEUPSFTUPSJOHUIFSFHJPOTNPTUJNQPSUBOUOBUVSBM BTTFU4BSBTPUB#BZɨFQSPHSBNTUSJWFTUPJNQSPWFXBUFSRVBMJUZ JODSFBTFIBCJUBU BOEFOIBODF OBUVSBMSFTPVSDFTPGUIFBSFBGPSUIFVTFBOEFOKPZNFOUPGUIFQVCMJD 2 2014 CCMP - SBEP artnership P 9 - 201 198 4 YEARS SARASOTA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM Restoring Our Bays TABLE OF CONTENTS *OUSPEVDUJPO 1BSUOFSTIJQT 5 State of the Bay 2014 (FPHSBQIZ #BZ1PMMVUJPO 8BUFS2VBMJUZ4FBHSBTT 4BSBTPUB#BZ$POEJUJPO3FQPSU 0UIFS*NQPSUBOU#BZ)BCJUBUT 'JTIFSJFT 18 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan 8BTUFXBUFS5SFBUNFOU3FDMBNBUJPO 4UPSNXBUFS5SFBUNFOU1SFWFOUJPO 'SFTIXBUFS4BMUXBUFS8FUMBOET 'JTIFSJFT0UIFS-JWJOH3FTPVSDFT 3FDSFBUJPOBM6TF (PWFSOBODFUP0WFSTFF*NQMFNFOUBUJPO 68 Citizens Participation Chapter .BSLFUJOH$PNNVOJDBUJPO $PNNVOJUZ*OWPMWFNFOU &EVDBUJPO 4FB-FWFM3JTF 3FDFOU1VCMJDBUJPOT &DPOPNJD7BMVBUJPO 3FTUPSF"DU -JUFSBUVSF$JUFE 80 Project Area Map Back Cover "DLOPXMFEHNFOUT James Sweiderk 2014 CCMP - SBEP 3 PARTNERSHIPS BSBTPUB#BZXBTOBNFEBOiFTUVBSZPGOBUJPOBM STJHOJëDBODFwJOUIF8BUFS2VBMJUZ"DUPGɨF 4BSBTPUB#BZ&TUVBSZ1SPHSBN 4#&1 XBTFTUBCMJTIFE BTB4QFDJBM%JTUSJDUJO'MPSJEBPO+VMZ XJUI UIFTJHOJOHPGBO*OUFSMPDBM"HSFFNFOU1BSUOFSTUP UIFBHSFFNFOUBSF4BSBTPUB$PVOUZ .BOBUFF$PVOUZ UIF$JUZPG4BSBTPUB UIF$JUZPG#SBEFOUPO UIF 5PXOPG-POHCPBU,FZ UIF'MPSJEB%FQBSUNFOUPG &OWJSPONFOUBM1SPUFDUJPO UIF4PVUIXFTU'MPSJEB8BUFS .BOBHFNFOU%JTUSJDU UIF64'JTI8JMEMJGF4FSWJDF UIF/BUJPOBM0DFBOJDBOE"UNPTQIFSJD"ENJOJTUSBUJPO BOEUIF64"SNZ$PSQTPG&OHJOFFSTɨF64 &OWJSPONFOUBM1SPUFDUJPO"HFODZ &1" JTQBSUJDJQBUJOH BTBQBSUOFSVOEFSB.FNPSBOEVNPG6OEFSTUBOEJOH ɨF4#&1JTPOFPG&1"/BUJPOBM&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNT JOUIF6OJUFE4UBUFT'MPSJEBIBTGPVS/BUJPOBM&TUVBSZ 1SPHSBNTUIF*OEJBO3JWFS-BHPPO/BUJPOBM&TUVBSZ 1SPHSBN UIF5BNQB#BZBOE4BSBTPUB#BZ&TUVBSZ1SPHSBNT BOEUIF$IBSMPUUF)BSCPS/BUJPOBM&TUVBSZ1SPHSBN arasota Bay Estuary Program would like to thank the citizens and technical advisors for their thousands of volunteer hours, and for the contributions of federal, state, and local governmentS staff in making Bay restoration a reality. GOALS: *O UIF4#&1XBTGPSNFEXJUIUIFGPMMPXJOHHPBMT FTUBCMJTIFEUISPVHIUIF&1"OPNJOBUJPOBOEBDDFQUBODFQSPDFTT t*NQSPWFXBUFSUSBOTQBSFODZ t3FEVDFUIFRVBOUJUZBOEJNQSPWFUIFRVBMJUZPGTUPSNXBUFSSVOPêUPUIF#BZ t3FTUPSFMPTUTFBHSBTTFTBOETIPSFMJOFIBCJUBUT BOEFMJNJOBUFGVSUIFSMPTTFT t&TUBCMJTIBOBQQSPQSJBUFNBOBHFNFOUTUSVDUVSFGPS4BSBTPUB#BZ t1SPWJEFJODSFBTFEMFWFMTPGNBOBHFEBDDFTTUP4BSBTPUB#BZBOEJUTSFTPVSDFT t3FTUPSFBOETVTUBJOëTIBOEPUIFSMJWJOHSFTPVSDFTJO4BSBTPUB#BZ t&EVDBUFUIFQVCMJDPOJTTVFTBOEQSPCMFNTGBDJOH4BSBTPUB#BZ "GUFSBQQSPYJNBUFMZUISFFZFBSTPGUFDIOJDBMBTTFTTNFOUBOETUVEJFT BQSFMJNJOBSZNBOBHFNFOUQMBOXBTQSFTFOUFE UPUIFDPNNVOJUZJOUIFi'SBNFXPSLGPS"DUJPO3FQPSUw'PMMPXJOHUXPZFBSTPGSFWJFX UIF$PNQSFIFOTJWF $POTFSWBUJPOBOE.BOBHFNFOU1MBO $$.1 XBTGPSNBMMZBEPQUFEJO+VOF Sponsored in part by the Manasota Basin Board of the 4 2014 CCMP - SBEP STATE OF THE BAY artnership P 9 - 201 198 4 YEARS SARASOTA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM Restoring Our Bays 2014 CCMP - SBEP 5 GEOGRAPHY arasota Bay is a 50-mile-long coastal lagoon on Sthe southwest coast of Florida (Figure 1). It is comprised of one large bay segment (Big Sarasota Bay) and several smaller embayments, including Palma Sola Bay in the north and a series of three contiguous water features Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Segments and Their Watersheds (Roberts Bay, Little Sarasota Bay, and Blackburn Bay) Terra to the south. The Bay has Ceia four inlets or passes (Venice Bay Inlet, Big Sarasota Pass, New Anna Maria Pass, and Longboat Pass). Sound The SBEP area is bounded M to the north by Anna Maria an ate e Ri Sound, which opens into Palma Palma ver Tampa Bay, and to the south Sola Cortez Sola Creek by Venice Inlet. Numerous Bay small tidal creeks enter Longboat Long the Bay along the eastern Pass Bar Point shoreline, ranging in size k Boes Cree wlees e from the largest (Phillippi wl Bo Creek: drainage area of Creek 36,417 acres) to the smallest MANA (Palma Sola Creek: drainage (to I-75) TEE COUNTY SARASOT area of 900 acres). The A COUNTY u yo a Sarasota B r e k Sarasota Bay ta Whitaker i watershed is highly developed Wh and consists of agricultural, BayoDowntown Suarasota Hudson residential, commercial, and Big Pass Bayou dson Hu B ay light industrial land uses. ou Circulation is primarily driven by tidal exchange Big Sarasota Pass PhillippiProctor Rd. k e with the Gulf of Mexico. Big re C pi llip Creek Sarasota Bay circulation is Phi forced by the tides at Anna 72 Maria Sound, Longboat Pass, Roberts Bay New Pass, and Big Pass. Tidal 75 ek h Cre Little tfis circulation in Little Sarasota CNoa rth N o rt h C re Bay is forced by tides at Venice Sarasota Crek eek Bay Inlet and the Intracoastal yakka River M Waterway running through the South681 middle of the Bay. !e closing Gulf Creek of Midnight Pass in Little Gulf Sarasota Bay in 1983 altered Blackburn of Bay Cowpen Slough the circulation in the three of lower embayments. Mexico Mexico Venice Inlet Figure 1. Source: SBEP 6 2014 CCMP - SBEP BAY POLLUTION