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University of Florida Hydrilla IPM RAMP

Learn about the research and control methods being developed to help fight hydrilla at UFs Entomology Department.  Visit the website at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/hydrilla.

Hydrilla is an invasive freshwater plant that causes serious environmental and economic problems in Florida. Hence, natural resource managers, research scientists, and extension specialists are evaluating new sustainable strategies for implementation in a statewide hydrilla IPM plan.

The USDA-funded project, Hydrilla IPM RAMP, is expected to reduce management costs and minimize the risk for herbicide resistance. By combining biological with chemical controls, the project will create more favorable recreational areas on lakes and rivers that have become almost unusable because of the dense surface mats associated with hydrilla infestations.

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Volunteer with Aquiferwatch!

Do you have a well on your property?Do you live in Northwest Florida? Interested in volunteering?

A new group called AquiferWatch is looking for volunteers to measure ground-water levels in north Florida. Volunteers will use specialized equipment to take a measurement from their own well once a month. Training for this activity takes no more than one hour.

Data collected for AquiferWatch will supplement groundwater data already collected by the FL Department of Environmental Protection and the NW FL Water Management District. There is much less data from the panhandle than from the peninsula of Florida, so AquiferWatch is turning to volunteers for help.

If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more, please contact Sarah Kalinoski of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance at 850-517-6843 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . She will be coordinating individual on-site training sessions with AquiferWatch once they are able to gauge the level of interest in the NW Florida area.

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Mobile Field Guide to Plorida Invasive Plants

FLIP is a new mobile field guide that can be accessed by a computer, smart phone, tablet or other device with internet browser capability.  Developed by the University of South Florida, FLIP currently contains 20 plants:  19 of the 2011 Category I invasive species and one of the 2011 Category II invasive species as designated by the Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council (FLEPPC), and will be expanded to include more. 

Check out the app at www.orange.wateratlas.org/flip

While there, why not check out the whole atlas at www.wateratlas.org

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How much pollution can your lake handle?  Visit FDEP's interactive site "Basin411"

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FDEP State-wide ERP Webinars :  Three Successive Events

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) announced the schedule for three successive rule making workshops/webinars for the draft State-wide Environmental Resource Permit (SWERP).  In addition, handbook 2 of the draft rule covers the stormwater regulations for each water management district.

This permit regulates such things as clearing of land, building a structure, digging a pond, crossing a ditch, modifying a dock, repairing a utility line, or dredging a canal.

Due to time constraints, FDEP will hold three successive webinars to discuss the entire rule.  The first event will present a large portion of the rule, with the second and third events building on the previous ones and answering questions that arise from each.

 FDEP is scheduled to present the final rule on Sept 3^rd in a Notice of Rulemaking and to seek adoption by Secretary Hershel Vinyard on November 28, 2012.

Catch up on the latest at:  http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/swerp/rulemaking.htm

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“The Economic Analysis of the FDEP Proposed Numeric Nutrient Criteria in Florida”, by Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis, FL State University.  Jan 20, 2012.

 http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wqssp/nutrients/docs/nnc_economic_analysis_final_report.pdf

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EPA Response letter to DEP's Nutrient Criteria Petition.

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Florida LAKEWATCH report on Florida lakes failing the new current numeric nutrient criteria. Read the report here.

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Springer, the publisher of CERF's peer-reviewed journal Estuaries and Coasts, is providing free access ('Open Access') to the articles published on past oil spills affecting coastal environments, to increase the availability of information relevant to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

To access these articles, use the following link: http://springerlink.com/content/120846/?k=oil+spill

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Coal Tar Sealant Largest Source of PAHs in Lakes: Read about this environmental health concern at USGS's newsroom at http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2651

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