Hydrophyte Volume 19 Issue1

The South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

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Highlights Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Sciences Program

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Fish Relocation

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PPE Checklist

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Diversity - Today's Challenge for the Commercial Applicator

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Subs, Drones Part of Flood Control Plans

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Calendar of Events

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President’s Message

Board Members - 2015

Greetings fellow Aquatic Managers! I hope everyone has enjoyed our short winter break, as spring is now upon us and the dog days of summer will be here before we know it! Summer for we Aquatic Managers in South Florida is a double-edged sword. Although summer chases most of our driver-skill challenged motorists back to points north, golf becomes affordable, and restaurants are again accessible, it also brings ideal growing conditions for aquatic plants and algae to South Florida.

Officers 2015

As I work and see the Aquatics Market on a national level, I recognize that Aquatic Managers in South Florida are uniquely challenged in many ways. Our waterways are generally shallow and are often flowing. We must contend with oppressive heat, humidity, heavy rainfall and severe storms almost daily. Our warm sun-bathed waters are clear and nutrient-rich, making a wonderful home for native, nuisance and exotic aquatic plants and algae.

James Boggs

(352) 521-3538

Rose Butman-Bechard

(954) 382-9766

Norma Cassinari

(334) 741-9393

Andy Fuhrman

(954) 382-9766

Lyn Gettys, PhD

(954) 577-6331

Scott Jackson

(561) 402-0682

John Selby

(954) 612-9664

Here in South Florida, we are on the front line… The center of the aquatic weed and algae control cinnamon bun… There is no other region of the United States, or the World for that matter, that conducts more aquatic plant and algae management activities on an annual basis than we do!

Michael Shaner

(813) 267-5650

Steven Weinsier

(954) 382-9766

Yes, we have job security in these parts… but at times, a difficult job it can be. We all must stay on top of our game. Continuing education and training in what we do is critical. I want to remind us all, what an important and valuable resource we have in the South Florida Aquatic Plant Mgt. Society. The Society’s quarterly training meetings and our informative Hydrophyte publication are invaluable tools for us all. Don’t forget, this is our society. From our vendors and advertising supporters to the general membership at large, we must all continue to make the SFAPMS our forum for sharing our knowledge, our experiences, our failures and our successes.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our next quarterly meeting!

Craig Smith President / SFAPMS

Craig Smith, President

(561) 301-8326

Linda Wolonick, Secretary/

(954) 370-0041

Treasurer Mark Weinrub, Immediate Past

(954) 972-8126

President Board Members 2015

The Francis E. “Chil” Rossbach Scholarship Fund

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.

Cover Photo By Stephen Montgomery / Allstate Resource Management

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Credit: Dr. Nicholas G. Aumen / Regional Science Advisor / U.S. Geological Survey

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Fish Relocation How do you get fish out of a pond?

Requests for fish stocking are a common occurrence in the waterway management business, but what do you do when people want fish “out� of their pond?

Occasionally a situation arises where someone wants to relocate fish from one water body to another.

Whether the pond was being filled in, being drained to repair a liner, drawn down for weed control or a construction project, how do you get fish out of a pond?

Electrofishing is one option, IF you have access to the equipment. Sometimes old tried and true methods work the best. In this case, the tried and true method is a net, a really big net. Beach seines have long been used for fishing and scientific sampling. It turns out they are also quite effective tools when it comes to removing fish from ponds and small lakes. Depending on the size of the lake and net, and how much area you can cover per haul, the majority of a fish population can be collected in a relatively small number of tows. The seine is pulled through the lake and up onto the shore where the fish are collected into containers on trucks and transported to their new habitat.

Credit: Stephen Montgomery / Allstate Resource Management

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PPE Checklist Aquathol K:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear, NIOSH respirator

Arsenal:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves

Captain XTR:

Coveralls over shirt and pants, Chemical-resistant footwear and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear, Chemical-resistant apron (mixing, loading, cleaning)

Clipper:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves

Copper Sulfate:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear

Hydrothol 191:

Coveralls over long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Chemical-resistant footwear and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear, Chemical-resistant apron (mixing, loading, cleaning), NIOSH respirator

Komeen Crystal:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Waterproof gloves, Protective eyewear

Nautique:

Coveralls over long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Chemical-resistant footwear and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear, Chemical-resistant apron (mixing, loading, cleaning)

Navigate:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks

Pathfinder:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves

Rodeo:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks

SeClear:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks

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PPE Checklist Sonar A.S.:

No PPE listed on label

Stingray:

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Waterproof gloves

Tribune:

Coveralls over shirt and pants, Chemical-resistant footwear and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear, Chemical-resistant headgear, Chemical-resistant apron (mixing, loading, cleaning), Face shield (mixing, loading, cleaning) **Exception: Once diluted to .5% or less (32oz. per tank or 3oz. per pack) required PPE is: Long sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Waterproof gloves, Protective eyewear**

Trycera: * PPE Checklist As Of March 1, 2015

Long-sleeve shirt and long pants, Shoes and socks, Chemical-resistant gloves, Protective eyewear Credit: Stephen Montgomery / Allstate Resource Management

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Diversity - Today's Challenge for the Commercial Applicator Commercial applicators must provide a broad spectrum of services in order to compete in today's marketplace.

Planned urban developments are now designed to include a combination of residential, commercial, and "open space areas" which encompass lakes, drainage canals, mitigation areas, and aquascapes. Biological, recreational and aesthetic enhancements such as floating and architectural fountains, transitional zone plantings, and fish stocking additionally add to the complexity of waterway management programs.

Agency requirements on water quality standards and environmental considerations, such as endangered species preservation, must receive special attention.

Because of these facts today's commercial applicator must be very flexible. Field technicians need to be knowledgeable in pesticide handling, weed identification, environmental and permit regulations.

In addition, they must be able to recognize and adequately document other potential problems and exposures. In order to fulfill the needs of property owners and managers, the private sector applicators need the manpower and equipment to remove trash, pump organic sediments from lake bottoms, clear blocked culverts, plant and maintain wetland preserves and transitional zones, maintain irrigation intake systems, and provide guidance to community associations on controlling the environmental conditions surrounding waterways that affect water quality parameters.

Only a few companies in Florida have the ability to handle the multitask needs required to satisfy all of the aspects of our industry. This has put stress on small aquatic weed control firms and has given the competitive edge to the larger, more financially able companies. Is this an indication that the small operator is doomed and that all contracts will eventually go the larger operations? Not necessarily.

In order to survive, small companies must utilize every opportunity for education, acquiring marketing and business acumen and coordinating efforts in cooperation with other professionals and agencies.

Local universities and research extension satellites provide an excellent source of information and continuing education. We are very fortunate in south Florida to have the University of Florida's IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Education and Research Center nearby.

This facility provides valuable classes, information, and research for local industry.

The IFAS Center for Aquatic Plants in Gainesville houses a library full of knowledge that is easily accessible. The Center is probably the best-known aquatic plant institution in the world.

In addition to maintaining a relationship with these sources of research and education, other opportunities exist for hands-on training. State agencies have auxiliary programs where training can be acquired for the investment of volunteer time. These include working with wildlife and fisheries management biologists on projects such as participation in senior and children's fishing events.

Other organizations that help the aquatic plant manager are the local South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society, The Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society (State), The Florida Lake Management Society (State) and the Aquatic Plant Management Society (National). Current research reviews and articles of interest can be found in the Hydrophyte, the F.A.P.M.S. Aquatics Magazine and the Journal of Aquatic Plant Management, a publication of A.P.M.S. These groups produce newsletters and sponsor annual educational seminars.

Business and administrative guidance for small companies is provided by the Small Business Administration and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). At times, financial aid may be obtained through the S.B.A. All of these resources must be utilized in meeting today's challenge of diversity for the private sector applicator. The ability to survive depends upon versatility. The ability to diversify depends upon training and education.

The small commercial applicator of 2015 must take advantage of all avenues available to remain a viable industry provider.

Credit: Steven Weinsier / Aquatics Magazine 1994 and Update 2015

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Subs, drones part of flood – control plans Sun Sentinel – Andy Reid

February 20, 2015

Jaws emerge through murky waters, clamping down on an underwater photographer sent into a South Florida canal's unseen dangers.

water management district turns to technology to trim growing expenses for infrastructure maintenance and environmental restoration.

Yet the alligator bite doesn't affect this remote controlled, mini submarine, deployed by the South Florida Water Management District. It just keeps filming during the 2008 inspection of a water-pumping station west of Wellington.

"That's what the future looks like," said LeRoy Rodgers, district biologist. "The question is, how long it is going to be until we are there?"

The mini sub takes some of the danger out of caring for a vast system of canals, pumps and culverts relied on to protect South Florida from flooding. Now, the recent experience of using mini subs to help with underwater maintenance inspections has water management district officials exploring automated ways to monitor South Florida's flood-control system from the sky.

They propose using a fleet of drones for tasks such as looking for levee damage to counting wading bird nests in the Everglades.

Subs in the water and drones in the sky could lessen human risks — as well as personnel costs — as the

Using more technological tools are among the ways that the South Florida Water Management District proposes to tackle more of its flood-control, water supply and Everglades restoration duties in a far-flung region stretching from Orlando to Key West.

The district's responsibilities include care and maintenance of 2,000 miles of canals and levees, 71 water pumping stations and ownership of more than 1 million acres of South Florida land.

The district now spends about $50 million a year retrofitting South Florida's 60-year-old flood-control system, which could cost as much as $6 billion to replace. Add to that the upcoming maintenance expenses of new reservoirs and more pumps and water pollution treatment areas planned for Everglades restoration, and the costs keep growing.

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Subs, drones part of flood – control plans Sun Sentinel – Andy Reid

February 20, 2015

The water management district already has three helicopters, one equipped with floats for water landings, which carry scientists, engineers and other key personnel to the tops of levees and other ares of the Everglades. But adding a fleet of remote-controlled drones, which often look like gliders or tiny, multiblade helicopters, could potentially cover more ground while providing photos and video feeds that lessen the need to put people at risk on manned flights.

Drones could even scoop up Everglades water samples and deliver them for testing back in a lab, instead of requiring a scientist to make the flight. They could also help identify invasive plants that threaten to squeeze out native habitat in the Everglades.

District officials envision deploying drones in the wake of storms to document damage to levees and to send back live images of canal blockages that pose flooding risks.

Federal limitations remain a hurdle. The Federal Aviation Administration still must sign off on most research flights by drones, which can limit where and how often drones can fly, Burgess said.

Instead of flying biologists out to the Everglades to try to count wading bird nests from the sky, hovering drones could feed hundreds of images into computers that boost the accuracy of the count.

New FAA drone regulations have been proposed, but still must be approved by Congress.

"We can take pictures. We can take them back to the office. We can investigate," Kivett said. "We think there's a huge future for this."

"We can take pictures. We can take them back to the office. We can investigate," Kivett said. "We think there's a huge future for this."

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Calendar of Upcoming Events Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Annual Symposium April 8-10, 2015 www.fleppc.org Florida Vegetation Management Association Annual Conference and Trade Show April 15-17, 2015 www.myfvma.org/conference UF/IFAS Aquatic Weed Control Short Course May 4-7, 2015 www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/aw/ Florida State Horticulture Society 128th Annual Meeting May 31-June 2, 2015 www.fshs.org Florida Lake Management Society 26th Annual Technical Symposium June 8-11, 2015 www.flms.net SFAPMS, General Meeting Thursday, June 25, 2015 www.sfapms.org Aquatic Plant Management Society 55th Annual Meeting July 12-15, 2015 www.apms.org Florida Aquatic Plant Managment Society 39th Annual Conference October 5-8, 2015 www.fapms.org SFAPMS, General Meeting Thursday, October 22, 2015 www.sfapms.org

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