Hydrophyte Volume 26 Issue 3 - July 2022

The South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

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Highlights How Do You Live Trap Peters’s Rock Agama?

The Environmental Impact of Florida’s Lost Wetlands Why Florida’s Water Resources are Important

Volume 26 Issue 3

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President’s Message

Board Members - 2022 Officers 2022

It’s only mid- July as I am writing this and I think we can all agree we’ve had enough of the summer conditions. Temperatures in the mid 90’s everyday with very little rain is a recipe for lot of invasive growth and algae blooms.

Andy Fuhrman, President (954) 382-9766 afuhrman@allstatemanagement.com

It’s even more important in summer to work smarter as well as harder. SFAPMS hopes we help you put more tools in your toolbox so you can be more effective at your important jobs.

However, another important part of our jobs is educating the public on why the water bodies might not always look as aesthetically pleasing as other times of the year.

Hughie Cucurullo, Immediate Past President (561) 845-5525 hcucurullo@avcaquatic.com

Not everyone will be willing to listen, but it’s important to stick to data and science when speaking to the public. It there are topics you want to learn about at the quarterly meetings, let us know and we will try to get speakers to cover these topics.

James Boggs (352) 521-3538

I look forward to seeing everyone at our September meeting, and keep your heads up.

The summer will be over before you know it.

Andy Fuhrman - President South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

Dail Laughinghouse, Ph.D., Vice President (954) 577-6382 hlaughinghouse@ufl.edu Colleen Sullivan, Secretary/Treasurer (954) 382-9766 csullivan@allstatemanagement.com

Board Members 2022 Keith Andreu (239) 694-2174

andreu@lchcd.org

Rose Bechard-Butman (954) 519-0317 rbechardbutman@broward.org boggsj@helenachemical.com

Norma Cassinari (334) 741-9393

ngcassinari@alligare.com

Lyn Gettys, Ph.D. (954) 577-6331

lgettys@ufl.edu

Scott Jackson (561) 402-0682 Rory Roten, Ph.D. (321) 890-4367 Dharmen Setaram (407) 670-4094

scott.jackson@syngenta.com roryr@sepro.com dsetaram@landolakes.com

Steven Weinsier (954) 382-9766 sweinsier@allstatemanagement.com

The Francis E. “Chil” Rossbach Scholarship Fund

Cover Photo: Holly Sutter | Allstate Resource Management

Funds from the scholarship are used to help defray costs for students taking classes related to the study of aquatic environmental sciences or related areas. The scholarship is open to anyone, and all are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted throughout the year and the scholarship awarded when a suitable candidate is found. Money raised by the Society during the year partially goes to fund this scholarship, the intent of which is to promote the study of aquatics.

For an application, please go to www.sfapms.org.

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My Internship Shadowing Experience: How do you live trap Peters’s rock agama?

By: Ken Gioeli and Sean MacWilliam | UF/IFAS

My Background My name is Sean MacWilliam and I was born and raised in coastal SE Florida. I am currently a senior at the University of Florida studying Forest Resources and Conservation with a specialization in Protected Areas Management. I was informed in November of 2021 that I have received a slot for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science Extension Internship for the 2022 Summer.

I have chosen to intern in St. Lucie County as it is close to home, and I have previous knowledge and experiences within the landscape. My summer internship will be under the mentorship of UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County extension agents Ken Gioeli (Natural Resources & Environment) and Kate Rotindo (Urban Horticulture). This is my internship shadowing experience developing a trap for nonnative Peters’s Rock Agama.

During my summer internship in St. Lucie County, I will be shadowing scientists at various organizations. My first shadowing experience was with Dr. Carey Minteer and her team conducting research on biological control of invasive earleaf acacia at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center.

My next internship shadowing experience was learning about how Florida Atlantic University at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is using native sea vegetables for both human consumption and coastal restoration.

I have since had the opportunity to go on a nighttime sea turtle excursion with Ecological Associates Inc. in Jensen Beach, Florida.

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Background of this lizard The Peters’s rock agama has made its presence known in South Florida and is believed to have become established after coming to the area through the pet trade (Gioeli and Johnson, 2020). This species has been found in several counties along the southeast coast, with a couple sightings along the west coast of Florida.

While there is some documentation of feral cats, hawks, and snakes eating smaller agama, the larger ones will not be targeted as much (Gioeli and Johnson, 2020). The males are brightly colored with shades of orange, red, blue, and violet on their bodies. This show of color becomes bold when male agama are reproductively active. Female agama have less showy brown pigment throughout their bodies.

Trapping I have been working on a system to trap Peters’s rock agama throughout my time here as an intern and each time I have learned more about this lizard. One thing I saw every time was that they are not afraid to be near me. For instance, this past time I went with St. Lucie County Extension Agent Ken Gioeli, we had a juvenile male approach us and stay about ten feet from us. We were puzzled that this lizard came up to us and stayed near us for a bit. It should be noted that when we were studying agama in the field, we were often sitting quietly on the ground and nearly motionless. Typically Peters’s rock agama are wary of people.

The mesh trap itself is made for catching baitfish. We bought it online, but they are commonly found in bait shops. For agama bait, we bought crickets from a local pet store which are similar to the insects that agama would prey upon in nature. Trapping began when I found an area with agama present. I always had luck in areas that had lots of trees nearby or concrete structures for them to hide in. For trap placement, I would put some crickets outside of the bait bucket, this is because agama are visual predators.

Being a visual predator means that they sit and wait for prey to move in front of them before running it down to consume it.

When the Peters’s rock agama would notice the crickets in the trap, they would approach cautiously. They would then begin probing the outside trying to find a way into the trap. Eventually, the lizard would find the ramp, which was just a piece of wood, and allowed them to enter.

On the other hand, it also allowed a way for them to escape. This is because the weight of the ramp would also bring the net opening closer to the ground. There was success using this method, but the lizards would still be probing the sides.

Since the probing was happening every time, the decision was made to cut the trap to make a little hole on the bottom of the trap for the lizards to enter. This worked better than the previous method.

Once the agama entered the trap, it was unable to figure out how to get out. The size of the slit was 2.5 inches wide and 1.5 inches tall. This is the ideal size because the agama have no problem entering the trap and will not get caught in the mesh. The slit should be near the bait bucket, as that is the reason they are trying to get it.

Since this trap has six entry points, I took some screen material and bread ties to close off the holes. I made them into little doors, this way agama could still enter through them. I have also zip-tied the two closest holes to the bait bucket.

This is to prevent the agama from climbing right into the top of the bait bucket and forces them to use the slit at the bottom.

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Data Analysis On the first trapping day, a male was seen adjacent to the trap, at the trap, or in the trap 11 times. 14 females were documented in the same time span. The second day of trapping had more promising numbers, with 13 males and 27 females. Between two days, a total of 24 males and 41 females were documented. Almost every time when the trap was placed, moved, or fresh crickets were added, the male agama would be the first one to go up to the trap. Once the male ran off after inspecting the trap, the females would come up to the trap. The male would be residing nearby.

In both trapping locations, there would only be one alpha male and a harem of three to five females with him. There is only one instance in which I documented two males within the survey area. I believe that these two males were fighting over the nearby females.

The data above reflects the total number of agama present and they were counted each time they entered the perimeter. There is no way to keep track of each agama once it leaves the surveying area.

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FWC Humane Euthanizing Protocols Extension Agent Ken Gioeli contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regarding humane euthanizing protocols since people make inquiries on this topic. FWC Permitting Specialist Gabe Prichard referred us to FWC specialist Jan Fore who provided instructions for humane euthanizing. Humane euthanizing protocols are the same as with many other nonnative reptiles and can be found online.

Works Cited Gioeli, Kenneth T., and Steve A. Johnson. “Peters’s Rock Agama In Florida.” UF|IFAS Extension, University of Florida, 12 Oct. 2020, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/. Accessed 17 June 2022.

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Florida has lost 44% of its wetlands since 1845.

What is the environmental impact?

By: Tony Judnich | Northwest Florida Daily News

While some folks might view them as messy, bug-infested places to avoid, swamps, marshes and other types of wetlands provide numerous benefits to people, flora and fauna. Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season, Northwest Florida Water Management District environmental scientist David Clayton said in an email.

“The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from terrestrial landforms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique oxygen-free hydric soils,” Clayton said. “Wetlands are considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of unique plant and animal species.”

He said two general categories of wetlands are recognized: Coastal or tidal wetlands and inland or non-tidal wetlands, which can be either forested or herbaceous.

“Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment,” Clayton said. “Wetlands protect shorelines from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, remove pollutants, improve water quality, store floodwaters, maintain surface water flow during dry periods and provide fish and wildlife habitats.”

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Florida Grouper with Gouda Grits

Recipe from Fresh From Florida Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Ingredients 4 (5-7 ounce) portions Florida grouper 2 large Florida tomatoes, diced small 1 cup thick-cut bacon, chopped small 1 cup grits, coarse ground 2 ½ cups vegetable stock 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon butter ½ cup smoked Gouda cheese, cubed

1 teaspoon olive oil ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped fine ¾ cup heavy whipping cream ½ lemon, juiced 4 scallions, sliced thin for garnish Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Gouda Grits In a medium-sized saucepot, add 2 cups vegetable stock and 1 cup of milk. Bring ingredients to a simmer over medium heat. Add grits and butter and let cook according to the directions on the package of grits. When the grits are cooked, add the smoked Gouda cheese and stir to combine. Taste grits and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If the grits seem too thick, add a small amount of vegetable stock or milk until the desired consistency is reached. Turn the temperature to low until the dish is ready to be plated.

Florida Grouper Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the preheated pan. Lightly season the grouper fillets with salt, pepper and fresh parsley. Carefully place the seasoned fillets top side down in the sauté pan. Cook each fillet for around 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and completely cooked throughout the thickest part of the fillet. Remove the cooked fillets from the pan and add the chopped bacon. Cook the bacon until crispy, and add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook the tomato mixture until the tomatoes start to wilt and release their juices. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and 1/2 cup vegetable stock. Quickly bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat. Taste tomato gravy and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the grouper over a bed of grits and top with the tomato gravy. Garnish with the thin sliced scallions.

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For regulatory purposes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have used the following definition of wetlands since the 1970s: “Wetlands are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.”

Except for wetlands flooded by ocean tides, the amount of water present in wetlands fluctuates as a result of rainfall patterns, snow melt, dry seasons and longer droughts, according to the EPA. While they can be found in every county and climatic zone in the United States, wetlands currently cover only 5.5% of the land in the 48 contiguous states, according to the EPA. It reports that about 95% of these wetlands are freshwater; the rest are marine or estuarine.

The National Park Service states on its website that in the not too distant past, wetlands were regarded as “wastelands.”

About 900 terrestrial animal species use wetlands for foraging, breeding or other activities while at least 150 bird species and 200 fish species are wetland dependent, he said.

According to the National Park Service, wetlands provide a home to at least one third of all threatened and endangered species.

The value of wetlands was highlighted in early December, when the Water Management District fined the owner/developer of the future Crestview Commons mixed-use project $12,000 and ordered it to take “corrective actions” after allowing fill dirt to enter more than a half-acre of wetlands buffer and wetlands areas next to the project site and committing other violations.

A few weeks before the district issued that fine and orders, the worth of wetlands had made the news after the Okaloosa County Commission agreed to buy more than $700,000 of “mitigation credits” to offset the loss of about 6 acres of wetlands from the construction of part of the Southwest Crestview bypass.

The east-west connector road will pass through several wetlands areas as it makes its way from State Road 85 west through the undeveloped central part of Crestview. The road is part of the larger Southwest Crestview bypass project. To offset the loss of about 6 acres of wetlands, the Okaloosa County Commission recently agreed to pay more than $700,000 for the purchase of “mitigation credits.”

“Most people felt that they were places to be avoided, and it was common practice to drain them, fill them or treat them as dumping grounds,” Park Service officials said on the site. “A study published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1990 revealed a startling fact: more than half of the 221 million acres of wetlands that existed in the lower 48 states in the late 1700s have been destroyed.”

Since Florida became a state in 1845, its total wetland area has decreased by about 44%, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The EPA reports that while wetlands extent can be affected by a variety of natural stressors such as erosion, land subsidence, droughts, sea level change and storms, the vast majority of wetland losses and gains during the past few centuries have occurred as a result of human activities.

“For years, people have drained or filled wetlands for agriculture or development, causing habitat loss as well as a decline in many other important wetland functions,” EPA officials said on their website.

Because of their importance, wetlands are protected by the state of Florida and the federal government, Clayton said.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers protects wetlands under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act,” he said. “The Florida Water Resources Protection Act provides the Department of Environmental Protection and the water management districts with the responsibility of regulating the state’s wetlands through the environmental resource permit program."

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WHY FLORIDA’S WATER RESOURCES ARE IMPORTANT By: Tara Wade and Tatiana Borisova | UF/IFAS "Water is the lifeblood of our bodies, our economy, our nation and our well-being" (Stephen Lee Johnson, Head of EPA under G.W. Bush Administration).

This quote sums up the importance of water resources. We use water for drinking, gardening, and other household uses, in agriculture (e.g., for irrigation), and in energy production and industrial processes (e.g., for cooling in thermoelectric power generation). Clean and plentiful water resources are also important for our recreational activities (e.g., boating, swimming, or fishing). Water also sustains wildlife (such as manatees) and is an integral part of Florida's environment (Figure 1). As of November 2021, record breaking manatee deaths (over 1,000 deaths within 11 months) highlights the importance of clean waterways for wildlife’s survival (Chesnes 2021, FFWCC 2021).

The use of water is increasing along with Florida's population. Floridians rely on underground freshwater reserves, called aquifers, to supply our diverse water needs (USGS 2016a). In some Florida regions, this underground freshwater reserve can no longer sustain the growing water demands of the population, while also feeding Florida's rivers, springs, and lakes. With periodic droughts, shortages of freshwater may occur. Drought and water shortages in the state have caused urban planners and policy makers to pay closer attention to water use, water supply development, and water resource management.

Florida public opinion surveys show that the majority of Floridians rate water as an issue of top importance for the state (UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education 2016). A better understanding of Florida's water resources is a first step toward optimizing current freshwater supply use and ensuring adequate water resources in the future.

Figure 1. In November, manatees migrate to warmer coastal waters, such as Crystal River on the west coast of Florida. Credit: UF/IFAS

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HYDROLOGIC CYCLE: WHERE WATER ORIGINATES AND WHERE IT GOES Toni Morrison, an American novelist, once said that "all water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was." Indeed, water is constantly moving. The hydrologic (or water) cycle is the continual circulation / distribution of water on the surface of the land, in the ground, and in the atmosphere (USGS 2016b). Where water originates and how much water is available are fundamental to how water "cycles" through the environment. There are five basic processes in the hydrologic cycle: (1) condensation, (2) precipitation, (3) infiltration, (4) runoff, and (5) evapotranspiration (Figure 2). These processes can occur simultaneously and, except for precipitation, continuously. We will discuss these five processes in the context of Florida.

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PRECIPITATION Precipitation is the product of condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Rain is an example of precipitation, another stage in the hydrologic cycle.

Precipitation occurs as water droplets formed at higher altitudes increase in size and gain weight, causing the droplets to fall due to gravity. Depending upon conditions, precipitation most typically occurs as rain, hail, snow, or sleet.

Florida has a subtropical to tropical climate and receives an average of 55 inches of rainfall per year (statewide averages for 1981–2010) (OSU/PRISM 2014; Florida Climate Center 2017).

This is almost twice the national average of 31 inches per year, and five times higher than the level of rainfall in the driest US state, Nevada (11 inches per year; averages for 1981–2010) (NOAA/NCEI 2014, 2017).

Rainfall varies in amounts and in intensity from one Florida region to another, with the highest mean annual rainfall occurring in northwest Florida (the Panhandle) and in coastal areas of southeast Florida (Figure 3).

In these regions, the average precipitation is about 60 inches per year. Other regions receive less rain. For example, the Florida Keys have an average of 40 inches of rainfall annually (average for 1981–2010) (OSU/PRISM 2014; Florida Climate Center 2017a).

Figure 2. Water cycle. Credit: SWFWMD

CONDENSATION This process is familiar to any Floridian who leaves his or her car outside at night. In the morning, the car windows are covered with small droplets of water or dew. In general, condensation is the process by which water vapor changes from gas to liquid.

This occurs as moist air cools. The cooling water vapor forms tiny droplets that cling to dust, salt, and smoke particles in the air and then form dew or fog. Cloud formation is another example of the condensation process which occurs at higher altitudes where the air is cooler.

Figure 3. Florida's average annual rainfall, 1981–2010. Credit: OSU/PRISM

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Seasonal variations in rainfall are also evident. Traditionally, summer is the wettest season in Florida, with more than half of the annual rainfall occurring during the June to September "wet season" (Figure 4). However, this pattern of seasonal precipitation varies (see minimum and maximum monthly precipitation values in Figure 4).

For suggestions related to residential irrigation practices, see Florida Friendly LandscapingTM information at the University of Florida's website:

During the wet season, tropical storms are normal in Florida, with some delivering over 10 inches of rainfall during a 24-hour period (causing flooding). Hurricane Easy (in 1950) has the highest estimated rainfall of almost 39 inches in 24 hours in Yankeetown (west-central Florida).

For best management practices (BMP) related to agricultural irrigation, consider exploring the BMP manuals available at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website:

Hurricane Jeanne (in 1980) has the highest official measured state record rainfall of approximately 23 inches within a 24-hour period (Florida Climate Center 2017b). Conversely, spring 2017 will be remembered for its widespread drought conditions, where in May, an astonishing 66% of the state registered drought of various severity levels due to low rainfall in the preceding months (Rice 2017).

http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/homeowners/nine_principles. htm

https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Water/ Agricultural-Best-Management-Practices Capturing and storing rainfall in reservoirs to reduce the need for pumping water from aquifers during drier months is also a strategy being explored by Florida municipalities.

INFILTRATION, PERCOLATION, AND RECHARGES When rainfall reaches the Earth's surface it can enter the ground (infiltration), collect into surface streams and lakes (runoff), or return to the atmosphere as water vapor (evapotranspiration). The phases of runoff and infiltration are highly interrelated, and are influenced by the form of precipitation, the type and amount of vegetative ground cover, topography, and soil permeability.

Figure 4. Statewide monthly precipitation, 1981–2010.

Credit: Florida Climate Center

In Florida, significant volumes of water are used for residential landscape and agricultural crop irrigation. In the dry spring months, residential homeowners rely on supplemental irrigation for landscaping their yards.

In turn, many agricultural crops in Florida are planted in the fall season when the air temperatures cool down, with harvesting in the winter and spring seasons, using irrigation during dry winter and spring months for supplemental irrigation and frost protection. Increasing water-use efficiency is a high priority for Floridians.

Infiltration occurs when water first enters the soil surface zone. Groundwater collects as the water that is not used by plants percolates (or seeps) downward until it encounters a zone (stratum) where the pores in the soil or rocks are saturated.

Underground layers of porous material that are saturated with water are called aquifers. The water level can rise and fall in shallow or surface aquifers, depending upon local rainfall conditions.

When a shallow groundwater aquifer is underlain by a stratum of low permeability called a confining unit (e.g., clay) (Figure 5), water is forced to move laterally through the aquifer and emerge into a surface spring, stream, or lake.

www.sfapms.org Conversely, when groundwater levels are low, water may flow in the opposite direction—from surface streams and lakes into the shallow aquifer. Sometimes freshwater exists deep underground in confined aquifers, where the water-bearing aquifer is confined below a stratum of low permeability (e.g., cavities under the clay layer) (Figure 5). A confined aquifer can sometimes hold water under sufficient pressure, allowing water to rise above the confining layer when a tightly cased well penetrates the confining unit (think about how a water fountain works). These are known as artesian aquifers. When tapped, they sometimes produce free-flowing artesian wells. Naturally occurring springs also result from this same phenomenon (Figure 5).

Water can also enter aquifers through recharge zones where the water-bearing stratum emerges at the surface or where the confining layer is broken up by faults or natural sinkholes that allow downward infiltration of water (Figure 5). Note that recharge zones may be some distance away from the springs or wells that are fed by the aquifer.

page 19 A non-artesian, sand-and-gravel aquifer is the major source of groundwater in the extreme western part of the Florida Panhandle. Water in the sand-and-gravel aquifer is derived chiefly from local rainfall and is of good chemical quality.

Wells tapping this aquifer furnish most of the groundwater used in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, and part of Okaloosa County.

The non-artesian Biscayne aquifer underlies an area of about 3,000 square miles in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties on Florida's lower east coast. Water in the Biscayne aquifer is derived chiefly from local rainfall and, during dry periods, from canals ultimately linked to Lake Okeechobee.

The Biscayne aquifer is an important water supply for the lower east coast Florida cities.

Thick layers of porous limestone of the Floridan aquifer underlie all of the state, and extends beyond the state boundaries, to Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. In south Florida, water from the Floridan aquifer is too highly mineralized (i.e., salty) to be usable.

Figure 5. Diagram of the Floridan aquifer system.

Credit: USGS

FLORIDA'S AQUIFERS Florida has several prolific aquifers (Figure 6) that yield large quantities of water to wells, streams, lakes, and springs (some of the largest in the world). The principal source of groundwater for most of the state is the Floridan Aquifer—the source of the municipal water supply in north and central Florida. It also yields water to thousands of domestic, industrial, and irrigation wells throughout the state.

A shallow, non-artesian surficial aquifer is present across much of the state, but it is not an important source of groundwater in most areas because a better supply is available from deeper aquifers. However, in rural areas where residential water requirements are relatively smaller by comparison to other areas, this aquifer is tapped by small-diameter wells. The water in this shallow aquifer is derived primarily from local rainfall.

Figure 6. Florida's aquifers.

Credit: FDEP Water in the Floridan aquifer is replenished by rainfall in north and central Florida (as well as in south Georgia and south Alabama), where the aquifer emerges at the surface or is covered by permeable materials, or where the confining material is broken up by sinkholes. In these areas, it is especially important to exercise appropriate practices when gardening, managing septic systems, or growing agricultural crops.

www.sfapms.org These practices can directly impact the quality of water in the aquifer, and hence, the quality of water withdrawn for drinking and other purposes, and the quality of water in the springs fed by the aquifer system.

For more information about Florida aquifers, see FDEP (2015).

You can learn more about Florida's aquifer system by watching videos collected at the U.S. Geological Service website: https://fl.water.usgs.gov/floridan/visual_gallery.htm

FLORIDA'S SPRINGS Except those areas where its limestone formations break the surface of the ground, the Floridan aquifer underlies several hundred feet of sediment, including thick beds of relatively impermeable material that restrict upward movement of the water (Marella and Berndt 2005). This restriction causes the aquifer to have artesian pressure and make the water move through the openings in impermeable layers creating springs (Figure 7). In Florida, there are over 1,000 springs, including more than 30 first-magnitude springs with an average flow of over 100 cubic feet per second (64.6 million gallons per day) (Knight 2017). Spring water emerges from cavities in the porous limestone of the Floridan aquifer, and often contributes to the flow or level of water in streams and lakes. The springs depend upon the same resources from which we withdraw water for public water supplies, private water wells, and agricultural production. Increases in water withdrawals for any purpose also reduces spring flows. The Chinese proverb 'when you drink water, remember the spring' applies to Florida literally.

Figure 7. Silver Springs, Florida.

Credit: Sally Lanigan, UF/IFAS

SALTWATER INTRUSION Florida's geography as a peninsula between two bodies of saltwater creates the potential for saltwater intrusion into the aquifers (i.e., into the fresh groundwater supply).

page 21 Saltwater is denser than freshwater and exerts a constant pressure to permeate the porous aquifers.

As long as freshwater levels in the aquifers are above sea level, the freshwater pressure keeps saltwater from moving inland and upward into the aquifers. For example, the level of water flowing through south Florida's coastal canals is generally several feet above sea level, which is enough to prevent ocean water from moving inland and upward into the aquifer. However, if during dry periods, the freshwater levels in canals without locks and dams fall to or below sea level, saltwater would move upward in the canals.

In some places, excessively pumping a well can increase saltwater intrusion. If water is pumped at a rate faster than the aquifer is replenished, the pressure of freshwater over saltwater in the land mass is decreased. This decrease may cause the level of the saltwater-freshwater interface to rise in the aquifer, degrading water quality. This problem must be controlled by careful attention to well location and pumping rates. The problem of saltwater intrusion is aggravated by drought periods when there is not enough rainfall to replenish the freshwater aquifers.

RUNOFF Runoff is water that does not enter the ground but collects in rivers, streams, canals, or lakes. This water evaporates, percolates into the ground, or flows out to the ocean. In turn, groundwater can run close to the surface and then discharge to feed springs, streams, rivers, or lakes. Note that surface runoff, as well as groundwater infiltration and discharge rates, depend upon land use, soils, and weather conditions. With population growth and related changes in land use, we significantly alter the relationship between the rainfall volume that runs off the land and the volume that recharges the aquifers. Increases in the area covered with impermeable surfaces, such as roads, driveways, and houses, can decrease the rate of aquifer recharge while increasing the volume of runoff.

Increased runoff volumes can potentially impact the quality of water in rivers, lakes, and canals because runoff can carry a variety of pollutants. Indeed, as Alan Levere, Connecticut Department for Environmental Protection, stated, "A river is the report card for its watershed."

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

In-Person General Meetings: September 29, 2022 Sunset Community Park 2801 SW 186th Ave Miramar, FL 33029 Zoom Courses: October 27, 2022 Presenters: Florida Keys Mosquito Control District & Oxitec

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In Florida, surface runoff and groundwater discharge feed more than 1,700 streams and rivers (FDEP 2016). Of Florida's five largest streams, four are in the drainage basins of north Florida: Apalachicola, Suwannee, Choctawhatchee, and Escambia Rivers (Figure 8). The fifth largest stream is the St. Johns River, which flows north from its headwaters near Vero Beach to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville.

At the measuring station in Wilcox, Florida (33 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico), the Suwannee River discharges about 10,000 cubic feet per second (6 billion gallons per day, average for 1930–2013).

The variation is between 3,000 and 25,000 cubic feet per second (or from 2 billion to 16 billion gallons per day) (USGS 2014b). The Santa Fe River flows into the Suwannee River, as do several springs, such as Troy, Ichetucknee, Fanning, and Manatee.

The Choctawhatchee River (Florida's third-largest river by volume of discharge) drains 3,100 square miles in southeast Alabama and 1,500 square miles in northwest Florida (the Panhandle).

Choctawhatchee Bay opens to the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinities of Fort Walton Beach and Niceville.

At the measurement station near Bruce, Florida, 21 miles above the Choctawhatchee River's mouth, average discharge is about 7,000 cubic feet per second (more than 4 billion gallons per day, average for 1931–2013). The variation is between 3,000 and 12,000 cubic feet per second (or from 2 billion to 8 billion gallons per day) (USGS 2014c).

Figure 8. Florida rivers.

Credit: USGS The largest of Florida's streams by volume of water (i.e., discharge flow) is the Apalachicola River, which flows south from its headwaters north of Atlanta, Georgia, past the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers at the Georgia-Florida line.

The Apalachicola River drains 17,200 square miles in Alabama and Georgia, and 2,400 square miles in Florida. From 1978 to 2012, mean discharge of the Apalachicola River at Sumatra, Florida (midpoint of river length in Florida) was 24,000 cubic feet per second (or 15 billion gallons per day), with a variation between approximately 10,000 and 37,000 cubic feet per second (or from 6 billion to 24 billion gallons per day) (USGS 2014a). Despite the fact that the river carries significant volumes of water, the need for water is ever growing due to population growth in all three states. Since the 1990s, the three states have argued over the amount of water each of the states should receive from the river system (priorities: Georgia, Atlanta public water use; Alabama, agricultural irrigation; and Florida, freshwater oyster production in Apalachicola Bay). In other words, wise management and allocation of water is very important.

The Suwannee River (Florida's second-largest river by volume of discharge) drains about 11,000 square miles from its headwaters in Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico.

The Escambia River and its tributaries drain 3,760 square miles in Alabama and 425 square miles in northwest Florida before flowing into Pensacola Bay at a rate of almost 7,000 cubic feet per second (more than 4 billion gallons per day, measured near Molino, Florida, in 1988–2013) (USGS 2014d).

Of Florida's five largest rivers, only the St. Johns River is entirely within the borders of the state.

Managing the flow or quality of water in the other four largest rivers in Florida requires coordinating efforts with other states.

The St. Johns River drains about 9,400 square miles from marshes west of Vero Beach to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville. It is one of only a few U.S. rivers that flows north.

At its mouth near Jacksonville, flow is about 7,000 cubic feet per second (more than 4 billion million gallons per day, an average for 1970–2011) (USGS 2014e). The St. Johns River connects seven major lakes, from Lake Washington to Lake George. Its tributary, the Ocklawaha River, connects nine lakes, from Lake Apopka to Lake Lochloosa.

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Other significant streams include the Kissimmee River (with headwaters near Orlando, flowing south and emptying into Lake Okeechobee in the center of the state); the Peace River (flows into Charlotte Harbor), and the Withlacoochee River (flowing to the northwest from the Green Swamp in central Florida and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown).

An impermeable ground layer underlying the shallow aquifer in this area ensures that most of the rainfall appears in streams. Conversely, for portions of extreme south Florida, where topography is flat and drainage is poor, water is readily available for evaporation.

In addition, the St. Lucie Canal connects Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast near Stuart, and the Caloosahatchee Canal connects Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast near Fort Myers. Together, these two canals form a navigable cross-state waterway. Other canals from Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Ocean are the Hillsboro, North New River, Miami, and West Palm Beach Canals (Fernald and Purdum 1998).

In turn, transpiration is the process whereby moisture in plants is returned to the atmosphere through plant leaves. Many plants rely on rainfall that infiltrates the soil from the surface for moisture.

In addition to the rivers, Florida has more than 7,700 lakes, with the largest lake, Lake Okeechobee, being in the top 10 largest lakes in surface areas in the United States (467,200 acres) (Fernald and Purdum 1998; FDEP 2016). Florida also has many types of wetlands, including the Everglades (south Florida) and Green Swamp (central Florida), which provide habitats for a variety of plants and wildlife, and serve as groundwater recharge areas.

Overall, the streams, rivers, springs, lakes, and wetlands produced by the runoff phase of Florida's hydrologic cycle are familiar to Floridians as water supply sources, recreational attractions, transportation routes, and havens for the state's abundant fish and wildlife populations.

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION An additional stage of the hydrologic cycle is evapotranspiration.

Evapotranspiration is a combined process of evaporation from surfaces and transpiration through plant leaves (Irmak and Haman 2021). Generally, evaporation is the process by which water is changed into its gaseous form (water vapor). Part of the rainfall evaporates from the land surface back to the atmosphere.

The potential for evaporation from an area depends upon atmospheric conditions such as temperature and wind speed.

Evaporation is also affected by factors such as soil permeability, the type and amount of vegetative ground cover, and slope of the land.

For example, evaporation is relatively low in parts of northwest Florida. This area is well drained and, compared with other parts of Florida, has steep slopes. Much of the area is covered by permeable soils that readily pass rainfall into a shallow aquifer.

Water deficiency exists when potential evapotranspiration (i.e., evaporation plus moisture demand by plants) exceeds actual evapotranspiration (i.e., soil moisture that is actually available for evaporation and for plant use).

Monthly climatic water budgets indicate that in Key West, water deficiency persists throughout the year; in the Panhandle, water deficiencies rarely occur; and in the rest of the state, water deficiencies are common in winter and spring.

CONCLUSIONS The hydrologic water cycle is a useful way to describe and categorize Florida's water resources.

The cost and feasibility of making water supplies available for municipal, agricultural, and industrial uses is determined to a great extent by the water cycle patterns of rainfall, runoff, and infiltration over time and space.

It is important to remember that while Florida receives significant rainfall every year, most of this water is returned to the environment through evapotranspiration and outflow of the rivers. Only a very small percent infiltrates into the ground to replenish the underground freshwater reservoirs/aquifers that we all depend upon for drinking water.

Everyone should be aware that increasing water withdrawals from aquifers for human needs reduces the amount of water available to feed the springs, rivers, and wetlands not only now, but for years to come.

For references visit: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FE757

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MELANOMA: Unusual moles that may indicate melanoma To help you identify characteristics of unusual moles that may indicate melanomas or other skin cancers, think of the letters ABCDE:

A

is for asymmetrical shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.

B

is for irregular border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders — characteristics of melanomas.

C

is for changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.

D

is for diameter. Look for new growth in a mole larger than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters).

E

is for evolving. Look for changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or that changes color or shape. Moles may also evolve to develop new signs and symptoms, such as new itchiness or bleeding.

Cancerous (malignant) moles vary greatly in appearance. Some may show all of the changes listed above, while others may have only one or two unusual characteristics.

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MELANOMA PREVENTION You can reduce your risk of melanoma and other types of skin cancer if you: • Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy.

• You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays. Avoiding the sun at its strongest helps you avoid the sunburns and suntans that cause skin damage and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Sun exposure accumulated over time also may cause skin cancer.

• Wear sunscreen year-round. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours.

• Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a broad-brimmed hat, which provides more protection than does a baseball cap or visor.

• Avoid tanning lamps and beds. Tanning lamps and beds emit UV rays and can increase your risk of skin cancer.

• Become familiar with your skin so that you'll notice changes. Examine your skin often for new skin growths or changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks. With the help of mirrors, check your face, neck, ears and scalp.

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