Watershed Management Lab
Hot Topics!
Several issues are hot topics in watershed management in Northwest Florida. Here are just a few that are related to ongoing projects the Watershed Management Lab.
Forest management
The majority of northwest Florida’s watersheds are forested. Forest composition can play a large role in the water balance of a watershed: differences in factors such as species type and density can affect evapotranspiration, altering wetland hydrology and discharge into the Gulf and its estuaries. Groups such as the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership are leading projects on this topic.
Stream restoration in the gulf coastal plain
Decades of landscape modifications without thinking about hydrologic ramifications have altered the form and function of streams. Channel incision and bank erosion are common across the Gulf Coastal Plain. Many mechanisms for stabilizing stream banks that have been useful elsewhere such as boulders and riprap are not ideal in Northwest Florida because they are not characteristic of local ecosystems.
Panhandle Estuary Programs
In 2018, The US EPA provided funds to develop an Estuary Program for Pensacola and Perdido Bays. The goal of an Estuary Program is to improve and maintain the health of estuaries through collaborative programs and to promote awareness of the resources they provide. Neighboring counties around Choctawhatchee, St. Andrew, and St. Joseph Bays are providing resources to support Estuary Programs in these estuaries as well.
Hydrologic Variability
Scientific models suggest that hydrologic conditions such as floods and droughts will become more extreme over the next few decades. Resource managers and planners will need to adapt practices to reflect a wider range of hydrologic conditions that may be encountered in the future.
Rapid development
Parts of Florida's Panhandle are experiencing population growth as fast as anywhere in the state. This growth can place stresses on natural resources and the ecosystem services that help to regulate water quality and accommodate the heavy rainfall we receive in this region.
Water-borne illnesses
Aquatic organisms such as Karenia brevis, cyanobacteria, and Vibrio vulnificus have attracted a lot of attention across Florida. Though uncommon in the Panhandle, they do exist here. Factors such as eutrophication may cause these organisms to become more abundant in our warm local waters.
