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Tag: Anna Maria Island water

Voters speak out for water

Voters speak out for water

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time, Water Quality.

I knew that the citizens of Manatee County cared about water quality and preserving the coastal ecosystem. That was apparent when they voted to tax themselves for the Vote Water and Land Referendum in 2020. The measure passed by over 70% despite the fact that one political party opposed the initiative. As the Bradenton Herald reported at the time, “The measure will have a positive impact on generations of Manatee County families, allowing them to enjoy some of Florida’s most precious landscapes and resources.”

That was cause for celebration, but in the ensuing four years, a political shift caused me to question what I knew to be true. When voters in 2020 elected a slate of commissioners completely aligned with the development community, Manatee County’s path seemed dire in the eyes of this angler.

As I’ve mentioned in prior columns, at a time when we all need to be concerned about water quality and protecting the environment that provides us solace and is the basis of the local community, the government was taking us backward. This was a time when the county commission disregarded the will of the people and their own planning commission and labeled those who cared enough to show up and fight these draconian measures as Communists or radical climate organizers.

During the most recent election cycle, when those politicians backed by massive war chests from special interests looked to solidify their hold on the Manatee County Commission, I admit I was concerned. I worried that those who weren’t paying attention might vote for politicians with the largest and most political posters. That didn’t happen as every current commissioner save one lost to challengers who made water quality and environment a part of their platform. The lone commissioner who kept his seat was challenged by a current commissioner whose popularity was so low he changed districts to try and defeat the only voice of reason on the current board.

Now that we will have a majority on the commission who understands the value of water and natural resources come Jan. 1, maybe there’s an opening. Perhaps there’s the possibility of getting the development community on board to help address this elephant in the room.

Manatee County makes strides in improving water quality

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Water Quality.

Manatee County – Local water quality is improving through the efforts of Manatee County environmental staff, according to the county’s Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker.

“Our people in water quality and environmental protection are working hard every day,” Hunsicker told commissioners on Jan. 23. “And with our utility partners and public works partners, we are working to protect the water quality in Manatee County.”

Hunsicker said water is monitored at more than 80 sites around the county, with more than 11,000 samples being tested annually.

“Manatee County is working hard to always observe where we are in our water-quality picture,” he said.

Hunsicker presented numerous charts showing county efforts to maintain water quality that include:

• Wastewater treatment upgrades ($600 million invested over the next five years);

• Increased street sweeping;

• 5,000 seagrass plugs planted;

• 25,000 trees planted in 2023;

• 15,000 acres of habitat restored; and

• 1,500 vertical oyster gardens installed.

“More than 18 million gallons of water were saved last year alone in water irrigation efficiencies (through the IFAS University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences),” he said.

Hunsicker said 114,262 acres of seagrass off the coast of Manatee County in Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are dependent on water quality.

“We also have storm sampling for bacteria,” Hunsicker said. “Last year and the years before we were faced with possible closures of our recreational beaches along the Gulf because of bacteriological readings that were taken around Palma Sola Bay and assumptions made by the health department that contamination extended throughout the entire county. We were able to respond to them and keep our beaches open and to prove and demonstrate with our own sampling efforts that bacteria were not affecting the Gulf beaches of Anna Maria Island.”

“This is really important, and it is of major concern to our residents,” Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Ray Turner said.

Commissioners praised the Natural Resources staff for being stewards of voter-supported efforts to purchase more preservation land through the County’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC).

“I hope the board hears that the investments the county is making into natural resources is bearing fruit,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.

Bioluminescence dazzles AMI beachgoers

Bioluminescence dazzles AMI beachgoers

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The bioluminescent glow coming off the water in recent nights may be related to the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, according to one local expert.

“This could be related to the nutrient pulse from Idalia,” said Dr. Dave Tomasko, executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. “The water came up and much of the grass clippings and yard debris on our landscape got dragged back out into the bay as the water receded. So our water took a little bit of a hit.”

Tomasko said there are several types of organisms that could be responsible for the glowing flashes in local waters.

“It seems most likely to be a dinoflagellate called gonyaulax,” he said. “That’s a type of single-cell organism that’s known to cause California red tide, but not here. Our red tide here is caused by a different organism.”

Another organism, noctiluka, which comes from the Latin meaning “shines by night,” could also possibly be the cause of the glow, Tomasko said.

Tomasko said the organisms are not harmful to humans.

“It’s thought that this lighting is a protection against predators,” he said.

“The neat thing about these organisms is they create light from an enzyme they have that takes chemical energy and turns it into light,” he said. “It has to be there in a high enough amount to see the glow. It’s a neat little show.”

The best time to see the phenomenon is when the sky is darkest, he said.

Tomasko said the bioluminescence has often been seen south of Coquina Beach in Longboat Pass.

“One way to stir them up is to kick at the water, or the waves from a boat will do it,” he said. “I would not advise swimming at night though.”

Testing shows drinking water free of toxins

Testing shows drinking water free of toxins

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

MANATEE COUNTY – County officials say that new tests confirm the drinking water coming from Lake Manatee is safe.

In a July 18 press release, more than a week after attention was first drawn to the strange odor and taste in local drinking water, county officials said that the compound affecting the water is geosmin, not an algal toxin.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, geosmin is a compound, often related to the cyanobacteria Anabaena, that causes taste and odor issues in water related to blue-green algae outbreaks.

“While certain blue-green algae can produce toxins, it is important to note that not all blue-green algae blooms are toxic,” according to last week’s press release from county Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan.

Logan’s previous press release from the county on July 10 stated that tests showed the presence of blue-green algae at elevated concentrations in drinking water.

The algae bloom in the county reservoir, which provides water for a large part of the county, caused a musty taste and odor that persists, according to the county.

Local environmental advocacy group Suncoast Waterkeeper disputed the water’s safety in a press release on July 12, naming Anabaena as a health risk.

Independent testing done by GreenWater Laboratories showed that a number of cyanotoxins related to blue-green algae were not found in the water, according to the county.

The county is treating the reservoir with activated powdered carbon.

Algae blooms in the county’s drinking water are common, seasonal occurrences, according to the county, which advises the public to use a carbon filter on faucets to minimize the earthy taste of the drinking water.

Continued water disruptions expected on AMI

Continued water disruptions expected on AMI

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Customers can expect periodic continued disruptions to water services as contractors continue to work to replace a part of a water main after the aging pipe fell off the Anna Maria Island Bridge on June 19.

In a press release, Manatee County officials said the emergency repairs are being completed as quickly as possible but could take up to a few weeks to complete. While residents and businesses are not without water, water pressure is expected to remain lower than usual and service may be interrupted for short periods of time to accommodate the repairs. Currently, the north end of the Island is receiving water through Bradenton Beach.

In addition to water service disruptions, there also are associated traffic issues to contend with.

Boaters are asked to travel only through the channel underneath the bridge to avoid interfering with workers and hitting the construction equipment or pipes.

Vehicular and pedestrian traffic across the bridge is reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, June 30. Access to the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge will be restricted and drivers will have to contend with alternating one-way traffic across the bridge, which is expected to cause traffic jams and extended travel times. To avoid the construction area, motorists are advised to use the Cortez Bridge to access the Island.

Everyone is asked to conserve water as much as possible while repairs are taking place, including taking shorter showers and limiting outdoor watering.

For more information, or to check for updates to the project, visit www.mymanatee.org.