Scientists with the "Southwest Florida Water Management District's":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/ (District) "Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM program":https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/swim/, released the results of their 2014 seagrass mapping study showing Tampa Bay now supports 40,295 acres of seagrass beds, the largest amount of seagrass measured since the 1950s.
This increase in seagrass has now surpassed the recovery goal of 38,000 acres bay wide, set 23 years ago by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
District scientists report a 16.3 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa Bay, which totals 5,652 acres of seagrass between 2012 and 2014. This is the fourth consecutive survey to show increases for the Tampa Bay system.
The District maps seagrass in five estuaries spanning the five coastal counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte. Map results for the other four estuaries will be available later this year.
According to Kris Kaufman, senior environmental scientist for the District, "By the 1970s, costal development and pollution caused by humans had significantly impacted Tampa Bay seagrass." Kaufman also said, "Seagrass was our canary in the coal mine, major losses occurred when Tampa Bay was in distress. Now with sustained good water quality in the bay, seagrasses are flourishing."
Documenting the extent of seagrass and how it changes overtime is a valuable tool for scientists throughout Florida. Seagrasses are an important barometer of a bay's health because they require relatively clean water to flourish, thus they are sensitive to changes in water clarity and quality.
The District's maps are used as a tool for measuring and tracking biological integrity of estuaries as it relates to water quality conditions. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than 6 feet deep, but in the clear waters around Egmont and Anclote Keys it can be found in water 10 feet deep or more.
The District began its formal seagrass mapping program in 1988. As part of the program, SWIM scientists assess seagrass in five Gulf coast estuaries. Every two years maps are produced from aerial photographs and then verified for accuracy by conducting field surveys. The results are used to track trends in seagrass and to evaluate ongoing water quality improvement efforts.
This increase in seagrass has now surpassed the recovery goal of 38,000 acres bay wide, set 23 years ago by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
District scientists report a 16.3 percent increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa Bay, which totals 5,652 acres of seagrass between 2012 and 2014. This is the fourth consecutive survey to show increases for the Tampa Bay system.
The District maps seagrass in five estuaries spanning the five coastal counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte. Map results for the other four estuaries will be available later this year.
According to Kris Kaufman, senior environmental scientist for the District, "By the 1970s, costal development and pollution caused by humans had significantly impacted Tampa Bay seagrass." Kaufman also said, "Seagrass was our canary in the coal mine, major losses occurred when Tampa Bay was in distress. Now with sustained good water quality in the bay, seagrasses are flourishing."
Documenting the extent of seagrass and how it changes overtime is a valuable tool for scientists throughout Florida. Seagrasses are an important barometer of a bay's health because they require relatively clean water to flourish, thus they are sensitive to changes in water clarity and quality.
The District's maps are used as a tool for measuring and tracking biological integrity of estuaries as it relates to water quality conditions. Seagrass generally grows in waters less than 6 feet deep, but in the clear waters around Egmont and Anclote Keys it can be found in water 10 feet deep or more.
The District began its formal seagrass mapping program in 1988. As part of the program, SWIM scientists assess seagrass in five Gulf coast estuaries. Every two years maps are produced from aerial photographs and then verified for accuracy by conducting field surveys. The results are used to track trends in seagrass and to evaluate ongoing water quality improvement efforts.