Extension offices across the district are now slowly opening on a limited basis. Some essential programs are being provided with limited attendance and social distancing. It is still best to contact us by phone or email.
A few of our CITIZEN SCIENCE projects are under way. Read below for details on which and when.
WEBINAR – UF IFAS WATER SCHOOL: MANAGING STORMWATER IN A CHANGING FLORIDA PANHANDLE.
We would like to invite you to a two-part webinar series on ‘Managing Stormwater in a Changing Florida Panhandle’.
Day 1: Stormwater Management: Nuts & Bolts – Fundamentals
When: Jun 15, 2020, 8:00 am to 10:00 am Central (9:00 am to 11:00 am Eastern)
Topics:
• Watershed Hydrology in Northwest Florida
• Importance of Stormwater Management
• Stormwater Pollutants: Sources, Fate, Transport, and Impacts
• LID/GI Concepts, Typical Realizations/Practices and their Pros and Cons
Day 2 – Stormwater Maintenance
When: Jun 22, 2020, 8:00 am to 10:00 am Central (9:00 am to 11:00 am Eastern)
Topics:
- LID/GI/Stormwater Maintenance – stormwater ponds and LID/GI common practices,
- Planning Tools
o Green infrastructure and issues with scale (headwaters versus larger watersheds)
o Integrated Planning Approach (Capital Improvement Plan)
o NPDES Permitting
o Incorporating practices into predictive models
- Local Case Studies
- Funding Opportunities for LID projects – FDEP
Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtceCqqzosGdADpT2WhaaWkYjavHkIuXvR
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information and password for joining the meeting.
BITE SIZED SCIENCE WEBINARS
Florida Sea Grant is presenting short webinars are a variety of marine science related topics.
We will going to a Tuesday-Thursday schedule for June and July. 3:00 PM CDT. Registration link http://bit.ly/bite-sizedscience
NEXT WEEK
Tue (Jun 8) Water Quality & Eutrophication – Dr. Ashley Smith
Thu (Jun 11) Stony Coral Tissue Disease – Dr. Ana Zangroniz
SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS
Live broadcast of local seafood items and how to prepare them. The presentations will include cooking!
Each Wednesday – 5:00 PM – http://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/seafoodatyourfingertips/
This Week: Steamed Clams and Blackened Fish
MANATEE SIGHTINGS – 2 manatees reported this week
Both were in the Gulf of Mexico and may have been the same animal – please keep a look out while boating.
Please contact me if you see one. Thanks!
CURRENT ARTICLES
ESCAMBIA COUNTY EXTENSION NATURAL RESOURCE BLOGS
Weekly “What is it?” – Saltbush
Carrie Stevenson
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
Embrace the Gulf 2020 – The Nematodes
Continuing this series about the natural and cultural history of “The Pond”
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
2020 Year of the Turtle – The Sliders
Continuing this series on Florida turtles
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
The Connection Between Nitrogen and Water Quality
A look at the nitrogen issue with fish kills, health advisories, and algal blooms.
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
Panhandle Outdoors
Heavy Rains Spark Explosive Breeding Events for Amphibians – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
Hurricane Season has Arrived – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
The Connection Between Nitrogen and Water Quality – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
2020 Year of the Turtle – the Sliders – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
UF IFAS Water Management Lunch & Learn Courses
The lunch and learn In-Service Training opportunity, Introduction to Water Resources Management in Florida has been updated to ensure the safety and security of these webinars. We have changed the Zoom link and are requiring registration for all webinars.
Topic | Presenter | Date | Click Link to Register |
TMDLs overview | Mary Lusk | 3/17/20 | Video recording here |
BMAPs overview | Lisa Krimsky and Charles Barrett | 4/28/20 | Register here |
BMAPs – Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) | Eban Bean | 5/19/20 | Register here |
BMAPs – On-site sewage systems | Andrea Albertin | 6/16/20 | Register here |
BMAPs – Ag BMPs | Lakesh Sharma | 7/14/20 | Register here |
Hydrology 101 and using the DBYHYDRO environmental dataset | Haimanote Bayabil | 8/18/20 | Register here |
You can view the past webinars at : https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/martin/sea-grant—martinst-lucie/.
Water Quality Updates
Health Advisories
- Jun 1 – Bayou Chico, Bayou Grande, Bayou Texar, Big Lagoon SP, Perdido Key SP, Sanders Beach (all good)
- Jun 2 – Casino Beach, Park East, Park West, Quietwater Beach (all good)
- See all data below
Rainfall
- The rain is returning… and the fires are under control
- Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
- Mean annual rainfall historically around 60” each year
- 2019 rainfall total in East Hill was 47.5”. Rainfall for airport was similar.
- Jan (4.0) Feb (2.8) Mar (0.6) – Winter (7.4”)
- Apr (3.2) May (1.6) Jun (0.3)
Salinity
- The objective to see who has MEAN salinity at or greater than 20‰ for restoration purposes.
- 2020 1st Quarter Results
- 20‰ or higher: Bayou Grande, Big Lagoon, Lower Perdido Bay, Old River
- Below 20‰ at this time: Kees Bayou, Little Sabine
Longnose Killifish Monitoring
- ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Red Tide & Harmful Algal Blooms
- Last report for RED TIDE was posted May 22 (FWC)
- Panhandle – not detected
- SW Florida – background concentrations in Manatee County
- East Coast of FL – not detected
- HABs not detected in panhandle this week
Fish Kills
- No Fish Kills reported in Escambia / Santa Rosa for Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, or May
- Report fish kills to FWC at – https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.
Marine Science Academy – Washington High School – Fish & Water Quality Data – updated
http://whs-ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/MarineScienceAcademy.
Habitat Restoration
- OCEAN HOUR – Saturday June 6
- – Meet at 8:45 AM; clean ups are from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
- – Naval Live Oaks on 98 east of Gulf Breeze
- – Bob Sikes Fishing Pier – meet at Gran Marlin
- Living Shorelines – NO SITE VISITS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Seagrass Monitoring – WILL BE RESUMING THIS WEEK
- – If interested in this citizen science project – contact me.
- Mangrove Migration – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Wildlife & Fisheries Updates
- Panhandle Diamondback Terrapin Project – WILL BE RESUMING THIS WEEK
- – If interested – contact me.
- Horseshoe Crabs – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- Barrier Island Cottonmouth Survey – ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
- The Great Scallop Search – ON HOLD FOR NOW
- The Great Scavenger Hunt – PLANNED FOR SEP 12
- Manatee Watch – PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SIGHTINGS (roc1@ufl.edu)
- 2020 Goliath Grouper Count – coming in June; more details coming
- IT IS BIRD NESTING SEASON ON OUR BARRIER ISLANDS – please slow down
- SALTWATER FISHING
- – June 1 – Gag grouper opens in state and federal waters of the panhandle from Escambia to Gulf counties.
- – June 1 – Greater Amberjack closes in state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
- – June 2, 4 – FWC seeks input on flounder management; 5:00 PM; join meeting at adobeconnect.com/mfm
Invasive Species Updates
- Weed Wrangles – ON HOLD FOR NOW
- Lionfish
- – 2020 Emerald Coast Open – Sep 11-13 in Destin
- Inshore Lionfish Surveys – ON HOLD – IF YOU SEE ANY LIONFISH NEARSHORE OR IN THE BAY, PLEASE CONTACT ME
- Regal Demoiselle – Currently working on post on how to identify and report this reef fish
- – For information on this view video at https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleOutdoorsNews/.
- Brown (Cuban) Anole – REPORT TO EDDMAPS IF FOUND IN YARD
- Tropical Fish Species of Concern – Currently working on publication; MORE SOON.
- SCAVENGER HUNT – scheduled for Sep 12; more to come.
Seafood Updates
- SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS
– Each Wednesday @ 5:00 PM – http://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/seafoodatyourfingertips/
- – THIS WEEK – STEAMED CLAMS & BLACKENED FISH
- Local Seafood is here and available! Consider local seafood for your meal choices
- Here’s what’s in Peak Season for JUNE
- – Softshell blue crab
- – Clams
- – Crawfish
- – Mahi-Mahi
- – Brown shrimp (bay shrimp)
- – Pink shrimp
- – Rock shrimp
- – White shrimp (Gulf shrimp)
- – Snapper – check state limits and accessibility; change frequently
- – Yellowfin tuna
- Seafood Safety Guidelines – Escambia County Division of Marine Resources – https://www.myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/seafood-safety.
HEALTH ADVISORY DATA
Enterococcus bacteria count rubric for health advisories (Florida Department of Health)
GOOD 0-35 colonies/100ml of sample
MODERATE 36-70 colonies/100ml
POOR 71> colonies/100ml
Health Advisory Frequency
Data provided by the Florida Department of Health’s Healthy Beaches Program
Body of Water | # of samples collected | # of POOR reports | # of advisories issued | % frequency of advisories |
Bayou Texar | 18 | 6 | 6 | .33 |
Sanders Beach | 15 | 2 | 0 | .00 |
Bayou Chico | 10 | 1 | 1 | .10 |
Bayou Grande | 9 | 2 | 2 | .22 |
Big Lagoon SP | 8 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Perdido Key SP | 9 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Casino Beach | 8 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Park East | 8 | 1 | 0 | .00 |
Park West | 8 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Quietwater Beach | 8 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Ft. Pickens | 1 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Opal Beach | 1 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Fish Kill Data provided by FWC (Escambia and Santa Rosa counties)
Month | # of Fish Kills reported | # of Dead Fish reported | Cause |
Jan | 0 | 0 | |
Feb | 0 | 0 | |
Mar | 0 | 0 | |
Apr | 0 | 0 | |
May | 0 | 0 |