Nature's water purifiers
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A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Sediment and nitrogen cause problems in Bay waters. Though nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants and animals, too much of it—often from fertilizer runoff and septic tanks—boosts the growth of algae, which overwhelm water bodies and ultimately reduce oxygen levels in them.
Oysters, clams, and other shellfish help remove excess nitrogen from waters by incorporating it into their shells and tissue as they grow. Oysters also filter these pollutants by consuming them or shaping them into small packets, which are deposited on the bottom of the sea where they are not harmful.
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YES WE CAN MAKE OUR WATERWAYS SAFE AND SWIMMABLE ONCE AGAIN!
In 2021, The Nature Conservancy in Florida and partners began construction on 33 oyster reefs along 6.5 miles of Santa Rosa County shoreline to restore oyster populations in East and Blackwater Bays, a region where oysters once thrived. This animation shows how oysters grow on the reefs, promoting growth of seagrass and attracting fish, birds and recreational anglers.
Oysters: Nature’s water filtration system!
Oysters
Natures Amazing Water Filter
Join R4R as we advocate to bring oyster life back into our
Fort Lauderdale waterwaters to begin remediations efforts!
We have 4 marine water quality pilot projects in the works for 2024!
JOIN HERE to recieve our monthly newsletter
HERE IS SOMETHING YOU DON’T SEE VERY OFTEN...
OYSTERS SPAWNING RIGHT OFF OF OUR DOCK!
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VERTICAL OYSTER GARDENS!
Residents for Resilience (R4R) would like to give a big bravo to the Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA) for sponsoring the building of vertical oyster gardens (VOGS) at George English Park this past Saturday.
Special thanks to the CCA members from Broward and Orlando, Mike Lambrechts, CPFA Stacy Brown from the Urban Farm Institute, and the latest graduates of the City of Fort Lauderdale City Neighbor Leadership Academy!
Great job, everyone! It was a pleasure working with you to help save our precious waterways.
THE NEED FOR BASELINE IN-DEPTH
WATERWAY QUALITY TESTING
Before any true research begins, in-depth waterway quality monitoring is needed for baseline data.
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WaterVue and The Oyster Institute:
Enhancing Water Quality Insights with Drone Bathymetry at George English Park
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Dear R4R Community,
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We are excited to share an important update on our ongoing efforts to monitor and enhance the quality of our coastal waters. In partnership with WaterVue, our community group has taken a significant step forward by conducting a state-of-the-art drone bathymetry survey at George English Park.
A New Perspective on Coastal Waters
The primary goal of this survey was to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the conditions beneath the water’s surface going beyond what is currently being measured by our governmental institutions. Traditional methods of surveying aquatic environments often leave gaps in data, making it challenging to form a complete picture of underwater topography and water quality. By employing drone bathymetry, we can now capture high-resolution images and precise measurements of the underwater landscape.
The Importance of Bathymetry
Bathymetry, the study of underwater depth of lake or ocean floors, is crucial for several reasons:
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Environmental Protection: Understanding the underwater terrain helps identify areas that may be at risk of erosion or habitat degradation.
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Water Quality Management: Detailed maps of the underwater environment allow for better monitoring of water quality changes and pollutant sources.
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Recreational Safety: Accurate bathymetric data ensures safer navigation for recreational activities such as boating and fishing.
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Findings from George English Park
The drone survey at George English Park has already provided valuable insights. Preliminary results indicate variations in the underwater topography that were previously unknown. These findings will help us pinpoint areas where sediment build-up might affect water quality and where conservation efforts with The Oyster Institute and other partner organizations, could be most effective.
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Looking Ahead
This project is just the beginning. With the advanced capabilities of drone technology, we plan to expand our surveys to other critical areas along our coastline. By continuing to gather and analyze this data, we can make informed decisions that will help protect and preserve our precious coastal waters for future generations.
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We are grateful for the support and collaboration from Residents for Resilience, and we look forward to sharing more updates as we progress. Together, we are building a resilient community, committed to the stewardship of our natural resources.
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Thank you for being a part of this journey,
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Jose Sucre
CEO
WaterVue
Speaking of our waterways...
Recently, Residents for Resilience (R4R) received multiple emails from our members expressing significant concerns regarding a Fort Lauderdale Commission agenda item, M4-24-0553, which was later re-designated as M11-240676. This item involved a $4.5-7 million Motion Approving Agreement Contract for “waterway clean-up” with the Aquatic Control Group from Miami.
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Initially, this agenda item (M4-24-0553) was set to be voted on at the June 18th Commission meeting. However, when many of us arrived to this meeting, to request this agenda item be pulled and reviewed,we were told the item had already been pulled due to various reasons—one being the substantial volume of objections received by the Commission from our community.
It reappeared as M11-240676, now under the title "Waterway Cleaning and Algal Control," and was subsequently approved at the July 2nd meeting.
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While we are thrilled to see such a significant financial commitment to improving the health of our waterways, several aspects of this contract have prompted a strong response from our community. The key issues are as follows:
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Key Concerns:
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Questionable Bidding Process: Many members have raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the bidding process for this contract. There is a strong sense that the process was rushed and lacked the necessary scrutiny to ensure the best possible outcome for our waterways.
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Short-Term Chemical Solutions: The contract appears to focus heavily on chemical treatments and short-term fixes such as herbicide and algaecide applications. These methods, while effective in the short run, do not address the root causes of waterway pollution and could have long-term adverse effects on our ecosystem.
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Lack of Natural Remediation Strategies:
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There is a notable absence of long-term, natural remediation solutions in this contract, or any city waterway clean-up efforts! For the past few years, R4R has repeatedly advocated for sustainable methods such as enhanced living seawalls, biochar filters, mangroves, and other nature-based solutions including oysters, that could aid in providing lasting improvements to our marine water quality.
These methods not only align with ecological principles but also have the potential to create a healthier, more resilient marine ecosystem that benefits both the community and local wildlife, along with aiding in shoreline protection.​.
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We were informed that this contract primarily covers canal garbage and debris pickup, costing $681,543.60 annually. Dr. Gassman and Colonel Dodd explained that any delay in its approval would halt all trash removal services on our canals and waterways until a new contract could be drawn up and agreed upon, which could potentially take up to a year.
Not wanting to risk the discontinuation of garbage removal services, we chose not to request the item be pulled from the July 2nd agenda. However, we expressed our ongoing concerns in an email to all Commissioners and the Mayor. (see below). Commissioner John Herbst was the only one who responded to our email, expressing support for our concerns.
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*The day before publication of our upcoming July newsletter, R4R received an email from the city stating that this contract is being reissued to bid, with the same scope and line items, and is scheduled to close on July 24th.
Below is an example of some of the many emails exchanged with City Leaders, highlighting our community's concerns and the need for a more balanced approach to waterway management.
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Call to Action:
If you share these concerns, I urge you to contact our City Leaders and express your support for a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to waterway management. Your voice is crucial in advocating for long-term remediation efforts that will benefit our community and our environment for years to come.
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Together, we can push for the changes needed to ensure our waterways are not only clean today but healthy and thriving for future generations.
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Best regards,
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Suzee
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dtrantalis@fortlauderdale.gov
JHerbst@fortlauderdale.gov
wsturman-fortlauderdale.gov@shared1.ccsend.com
SGlassman@fortlauderdale.gov
pbeasleypittman@fortlauderdale.gov
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Concerns and Recommendations Regarding
Motion Approving Agreement for the Purchase of Waterway Cleaning and Algal Controls -
Aquatic Control Group Inc - $4,557,000--M11-240676
Dear Commissioners, Vice Mayor, and Mayor,
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I hope this message finds you well. I am writing on behalf of Residents for Resilience (R4R) to address the concerns that have been raised regarding the Waterway Cleaning and Algal Control contract (M11-240676) with the Aquatic Control Group (ACG). Though is seems that you all will be voting to approve this M11-240676, we believe it is crucial to clarify the nature of this contract and consider outlining revised next steps.
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Contract Overview and Concerns
Though many of us are thrilled to see $4.5-7 million being ear-marked for "waterway cleaning", this contract currently is only focused on short-term solutions such as trash removal, herbicide/algaecide application, and the use of aerators.
It is important to note that this contract does not allocate funds for long-term, natural remediation efforts that many of us have been advocating for the past several years. Given its scope, we suggest renaming it to "Waterway Garbage Pick-up" to better reflect its primary focus on debris removal.
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Meeting Summary
Last week, representatives from R4R, including several members of our Expert Advisory Committee, met with Colonel Dodd, Dr. Gassman, and Melissa Doyle. Our goal was to discuss the allocation of funds for this contract and the lack of alternative natural based waterway remediation solutions.
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We proposed limiting the contract to six months to allow for revisions to include natural, long-term solutions. However, city staff emphasized the contract's current focus on trash removal and the need for emergency funding for our waterways, and natural lakes, indicating that adjustments to the bidding process are not feasible at this stage.
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Colonel Dodd mentioned that any significant changes or delays in awarding the contract could lead to a prolonged gap in trash removal services. Both he and Dr. Gassman also noted that while additional services would require budget amendments, which could be addressed either by the commission or administratively, long-term natural solutions are not considered at this time, due to perceived funding limitations.
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Concerns About Pilot Projects
We also took the opportunity at this meeting, to highlight our 3 proposed waterway restoration pilot projects, including a $100,000 NOAA grant, offered by the University of Miami. This time sensitive, generous offer, requires a 1-to-1 cost share with the city. These pilot projects are needed to gather essential data required to ease the permitting process for implementing these alternative waterway restoration collaborative efforts, which include our waterfront homeowners and businesses.
Despite the now availability of additional emergency funds, we were informed that funding requests for these pilot projects should be made earlier in the budget planning process. It is disappointing to note that despite the millions now allocated for this ACG contract’s short-term garbage removal, and emergency funding for the use of herbicides, algaecides, and aerators, finding $100,000 for a meaningful, proposed long-term natural based solutions pilot project seems unattainable.
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Key Questions for Consideration:
1. Effective Allocation of Funds: How can residents be assured that future money allocated for waterway cleanup will be spent on effective, lasting solutions, including natural alternatives, rather than temporary fixes?
2. Contract Transparency: Where is this contract positioned within the CIP (COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN)?
3. Future of Pilot Projects: What are the best steps to ensure contracts to include a mandate for sustainable, long-term solutions.
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Recommendations and Next Steps:
Your involvement and support are crucial in collaborating together for a sustainable future for our waterways. Together, we hope to ensure that future efforts and funds are directed towards meaningful, lasting solutions. Thanks for all you do!
Best regards,
Suzee Bailey
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Suzee Bailey
Founder/CEO Residents for Resilience (R4R)