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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2548 |
| Red Tide Technology Project |
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| Requester: |
Dr. Kumar Mahadevan |
Organization: |
Mote Marine Laboratory |
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| Project Title: |
Red Tide Technology Project |
Date Submitted |
1/12/2006 4:24:59 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Bennett |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| The Florida red tide occurs along the Gulf Coast on an annual basis; however, recent years have seen very intensive and long-term red tides impacting large areas of Florida's coastlines. The current red tide event that began in January 2005 has lasted through October and has affected the entire Gulf Coast from the Florida Keys to the western end of the Panhandle. This event has caused massive fish kills, 72 manatee and 14 dolphin deaths, as well as numerous sea bird and sea turtle deaths. Public health effects have been doclumented, as well as multi-million dollar economic impacts on the tourist industry and commercial and recreational fishing. Commercial shellfish beds have been closed on the east and west coasts of Florida. During August and September, the red tide was instrumental in causing a zone of oxygen depletion along several Gulf Coast counties, resulting in a bottom mortality zone exceeding 834 square miles of once-productive reef communities. Other types of red tides also affect the Atlantic Coast and Indian River Lagoon, making this a statewide problem. |
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| Recipient: |
Dr. Richard Pierce |
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Contact: |
David A. Shepp |
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1600 Ken Thompson Parkway |
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Contact Phone: |
(863) 581-4250 |
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Sarasota 34236 |
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Contact email: |
dave@fsg-llc.net |
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| Counties: |
{Statewide} |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| This project will establish infrastructure to apply new detection technology to track red tides along Florida's Gulf Coast. This technology will be used to initiate a prototype Coastal Ocean Observing System focused on red tides, but applicable to other marine environmental issues, including oxygen depletion events and dead zones, along the Florida Gulf Coast. This array of sensors and supplemental analytical procedures will allow scientists to identify offshore red tides, provide early warning for impacts, implement mitigation of effects on public health and natural resources, and assess the feasibility for application of red tide control techniques. Specific automated techniques will include:
a. Nutrient analyzers to observe nutrient influx from rivers and estuaries;
b. Red tide sensors to detect red tide and its movements;
c. Water quality monitors to provide information about factors controlling red tide bloom dynamics; and
d. Automated control room for receiving, processing, and disseminating real-time data from remote instrumentation for resource manager use including public information.
Although the red tide organism occurs naturally in the Gulf, a major concern is that nutrient influx from land and riverine runoff may be enhancing existing red tides, causing them to occur throughout the year, increasing their range, duration, and intensity. The cooperative FWC/FWRI-Mote Red Tide Research Program provides excellent monitoring and assessment of red tides and their effects from Tampa Bay to Naples to supplement FWC/FWRI state red tide monitoring effects; however, the ability to address questions regarding red tide initiation, development, and control requires obtaining information on a continuous, real-time basis simultaneously over large areas of the Gulf Coast. This project will incorporate coastal ocean-observing technology to obtain data and disseminate results for science-based decisions regarding public health and resource management. |
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| a. Six (6) red tide sensors strategically placed along the Florida Gulf Coast;
b. Two (2) MARVIN nutrient and water quality monitors to assess nutrient influx from land-derived runoff;
c. Determine conditions conducive to the development of red tides; and
d. Identify conditions under which mitigation technologies may be applied. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$1,000,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$1,000,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$1,000,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Economic impact of the 2004-2005 red tide event |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Manatee County Legislative Delegation |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
11/17/2005 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
