Okaloosa Waterwatch is an opportunity to explore water quality data in selected locations spanning the Okaloosa County portion of the Choctawhatchee Bay.
A site is selected each month, and available water quality data are summarized and explained. The purpose is to understand water quality and the condition of our waters. Thanks to the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), water quality data has been collected frequently (monthly) for many years.
Below are the February and March Okaloosa Waterwatch water quality summaries. February highlights the mid-bay bridge (Niceville) location, and March highlights the entrance to Rocky Bayou (Niceville) location.
Check out the Okalooas Waterwatch YouTube channel for a personalized audio review of the water quality summaries. The YouTube channel is Okaloosa Waterwatch (@OkaloosaWaterwatch) or navigate directly using this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGPVMsyMiTU5BT9xyrFhuYQ
Please contact Dana Stephens, UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Sea Grant Extension Agent, for more information or to learn more about water quality in Okaloosa County. Email is dlbigham@ufl.edu and office phone is 850-689-5850.
The North American Coastal Plain. Diagram courtesy Musa Jundi, UF Biodiversity Institute.
According to Conservation International, there are 36 biodiversity hotspots worldwide. These are defined as areas with “at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics — which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable. It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it must be threatened.”
An exhibit at the Biophilia Center in Walton County highlights the biodiversity of our region. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Only two of these 36 biodiversity hotspots lie within the United States, including the North American Coastal Plain, which stretches from Texas along the Gulf Coast and up the Atlantic coast. The state of Florida rests fully within the coastal plain. Within that region, northwest Florida is the hottest “biodiversity hotspot,” one of just six designated regions in North America.
Why us? How did our little corner of the state earn such notoriety? If you’ve ever spent August here, you know how very hot and humid it gets in the summer. As we experienced with the snow and freeze a couple of weeks ago, the Panhandle endures some rather extreme temperatures that fall within our natural range. Our coastal communities sit just above sea level, but we’ve also got hills—while not terribly high (345 feet), the state’s highest point is in Walton County. Along the bluffs of the Apalachicola are whispers of the last Ice Age, where fingers of the Appalachian Mountain range are visible in the same hardwood species and geologic formations typical of north Georgia and Tennessee.
Florida Master Naturalist students visit Britton Hill, the highest point in Florida. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
As they say, variety is the spice of life, and this wide spectrum of livable habitats, from coastal marsh to high and dry ridges means we have more options for plants and wildlife to inhabit. The Florida panhandle is home to more than 2500 plant species, 300 species of birds, and 25 species of salamanders, including many endemic species found nowhere else in the world. The oxygen-deprived soils of our flatwood bogs give rise to dozens of carnivorous plant species. They’ve adapted to poor nutrition in the soil by supplementing with insects. Vast waterways mean we have 500 species of saltwater fish and at least 85-90 freshwater fish, including those that live a portion of their life cycle in both.
In the wild world of pitcher plant bogs, frogs compete with plants for insect prey. Photo credit: UF IFAS Extension
A project known as the Northwest Florida Greenway Corridor is actively being funded and set aside to create a 150,000 acre conservation region connecting two million acres of protected land including Blackwater River State Forest, Eglin Air Force Base, and Apalachicola National Forest . Along with coastal barrier islands and inland areas of Gulf Islands National Seashore, these huge swaths of land enable large species like bears, alligators, and cats to roam with less interference from human development. Restoration of longleaf pine and dune ecosystems mean the land and waters are managed to ensure the survival of smaller endangered species like flatwoods salamanders, beach mice, gopher tortoises, red cockaded woodpeckers, and sea turtles. The confluence of less development (compared with densely urban areas to our south), large state and national parks, and protected military bases have allowed plants and wildlife to thrive unlike any other region.
The presence of dragonfly larvae is a sign of good water quality. Photo credit: UF IFAS Extension
In science, we measure both species richness (the number of different species in an area) and abundance (actual number of individuals) to come up with an index for species diversity. Generally, the higher these numbers, the healthier the ecosystem. A clear example of this can be seen when monitoring water quality in streams. If you sample the macroinvertebrate population of a creek and find only bloodworms, you know water quality conditions are terrible. These species can survive in sewage water. But, if you find dozens of species, particularly the larvae of pollution-sensitive caddisflies, mayflies, and stoneflies, this indicates the water is clean and hospitable to a wide variety of species. These insects serve as the basis of the food web for fish, crabs, and larger animals that maintain a healthy ecosystem.
The layered canopies of trees with diverse fruit and flowers provide habitat for thousands of bird, reptile, mammal, amphibian, and insect species, making it the most biodiverse habitat type on the planet. Photo courtesy Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica.
It’s generally understood in ecology that the “higher the diversity, the greater the stability.” When we create monocultures—ecosystems containing one or only a handful of dominant species types—these systems are weak and susceptible to attack. Agricultural operations that grow one crop are prime examples of how monocultures can be highly vulnerable—orange groves devastated by disease or freezes; chicken farms wiped out by avian influenza. They cannot adapt to threats, and being genetically similar they can be easily devastated by a single disease or environmental threat. Having a diversity of species creates a redundant “back-up” system for crucial ecosystem services, like providing pollen, erosion management, or shade from extreme heat if other species suffer from pathogens or parasites.
Agriculturists recommend rotating crops annually or seasonally to increase soil health and prevent the weaknesses brought on by monocultures. Photo credit: Ann Blount, UF IFAS Extension
Just like economists measure the health of an economy by productivity, ecologists can analyze ecosystems mathematically. And where are those most productive ecosystems located? It’s not the extreme habitats of tundra, grassland, and desert, where only a handful of species survive. The most productive ecosystems—those cycling nutrients, producing oxygen, and converting solar energy to biomass, are the most diverse ones. At the top are tropical rainforests, coral reefs, and estuarine swamps and marshes. These ecosystems have thousands of moving parts and are virtually impenetrable to a single disease or pest wiping them out. If one species suffers, there are so many backups to fill in and perform the important roles. In fact, the only disturbance any of these systems can’t defend against are complete clearing or extreme pollution by humans.
The world is much bigger than humanity. It is wise to consider the words of my favorite biologist, E.O. Wilson. An expert on insects, especially ants, he once said, “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.”
As spring approaches, I’ve been receiving more calls from local pond owners looking for advice on preparing their farm ponds for the season. Managing a pond in the Florida Panhandle can be tricky—especially when dealing with spring-fed ponds. While these ponds are often beautifully clear, their constant water turnover makes management a challenge.
If you’re wondering how to get your pond ready for spring, here are some key considerations and resources to help guide you.
Start with a Water Quality Test
The first step in assessing your pond’s health is testing the water. I always recommend that pond owners bring a pint-sized water sample in a clean jar to their local Extension Office for analysis. Keep in mind that not all offices offer this service, and public testing options are limited. However, private labs and DIY testing kits are available—though they can be costly.
The most important parameters to check are pH, alkalinity, and hardness: pH should ideally range between 6 and 9 for a healthy fish population. Local ponds often hover around 6.5, making them slightly acidic.
Alkalinity and hardness measure the water’s ability to neutralize acids and buffer against sudden pH changes. For optimal pond health, alkalinity should be at least 20 mg/L, but many local ponds fall below this level.
Improving Pond Water Quality
If your pond’s water quality is less than ideal, there are two common ways to improve it: liming and fertilization.
Applying Agricultural Lime: Properly adding agricultural lime can raise alkalinity and stabilize pH levels. However, in high-flow ponds, lime tends to wash away quickly, making this method ineffective for ponds with constant discharge.
Fertilizing to Boost Productivity: Fertilization increases phytoplankton growth, which supports the pond’s entire food web, benefiting juvenile fish and invertebrates. Unfortunately, like lime, fertilizer is quickly washed out of high-flow ponds, making it ineffective in these cases.
Making the Best of Your Pond
If your pond has a continuous discharge due to spring flow, the best approach may be to embrace its natural clarity, even if it doesn’t support a thriving fish population. However, if your pond retains water without frequent outflow, you may be able to enhance its productivity with the right amendments.
For personalized guidance, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office. You can also start by reviewing this helpful fact sheet: Managing Florida Ponds for Fishing. By understanding your pond’s unique characteristics, you can make informed decisions to keep it healthy and enjoyable throughout the season.
Walton County in the Florida Panhandle has 26 miles of coastline dotted with 15 named coastal dune lakes. Coastal dune lakes are technically permanent bodies of water found within 2 miles of the coast. However, the Walton County dune lakes are a unique geographical feature found only in Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, Oregon, and here in Walton County.
What makes these lakes unique is that they have an intermittent connection with the Gulf of Mexico through an outfall where Gulf water and freshwater flow back and forth depending on rainfall, storm surge and tides. This causes the water salinity of the lakes to vary significantly from fresh to saline depending on which way the water is flowing. This diverse and distinctive environment hosts many plants and animals unique to this habitat.
There are several ways to enjoy our Coastal Dune Lakes for recreation. Activities include stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or canoeing on the lakes located in State Parks. The lakes are popular birding and fishing spots and some offer nearby hiking trails.
The state park provides kayaks for exploring the dune lake at Topsail. It can be reached by hiking or a tram they provide.
Walton County has a county-led program to protect our coastal dune lakes. The Coastal Dune Lakes Advisory Board meets to discuss the county’s efforts to preserve the lakes and publicize the unique biological systems the lakes provide. Each year they sponsor events during October, Dune Lake Awareness month. This year, the Walton County Extension Office is hosting a Dune Lake Tour on October 17th. Registration will be available on Eventbrite starting September 17th. You can check out the Walton County Extension Facebook page for additional information.
My son and his girlfriend were visiting last week and wanted to go fishing. Since she had never been deep sea fishing before, we decided that the best course of action would be to take the short four-hour trip on one of Destin’s party boats.
Party boats, also known as a head boat, are typically large boats from 50 to 100 feet long. They can accommodate many anglers and are an economical choice for first-time anglers, small, and large groups. The boat we went on holds up to 60 anglers, has restrooms, and a galley with snacks and drinks, although you can also bring your own. The cost per angler is usually in the $75 – $100 range and trips can last 4, 6, 8, or 10 hours.
We purchased our tickets through the online website and checked in at the booth 30 minutes before we departed. Everyone gets on and finds a spot next to a fishing pole already placed in a holder on the railing. For the four-hour trip, it is about an hour ride out to the reefs. On the way out, the enthusiastic and ever helpful deckhands explain what is going to happen and pass out a solo cup of bait, usually squid and cut mackerel, to each angler. When you get to the reef, you bait your hooks (two per rod) and the captain says, “start fishing.”
The rods are a bit heavy and there are some tricks you need to learn to correctly drop your bait 100 feet to the bottom of the Gulf. The deckhands are nearby to help any beginners and soon everyone is baiting, dropping, and reeling on their own. There are a few hazards like a sharp hook while baiting, crossing with your neighbor’s line and getting tangled, and the worst one, creating a “birds nest” by not correctly dropping your line. Nothing the deckhands can’t help with.
When you do finally catch a fish, you reel it up quickly and into the boat where a deckhand will measure it to make sure it’s a legal species and size and then use a de-hooker to place the fish in your bucket. After about 30 to 40 minutes, the captain will tell everyone to reel up before proceeding to another reef. At this time, you take your fish to the back of the boat where the deckhands put your fish on a numbered stringer and on ice.
For the four-hour trip, we fished two reefs. We had a lucky day with the three of us catching a total of 16 vermillion snapper, the most popular fish caught on Destin party boats. It’s a relaxing ride back to the harbor during which the deckhands pass the bucket to collect any tips. The recommended tip is 15-20% of your ticket price. These folks work hard and exclusively for tips, so if you had a good time, tip generously.
Once back in the harbor, your stringer of fish is placed on a board with everyone’s catch and they take the time for anyone that wants to get some pictures with the catch. Then, you can load your fish into your cooler, or the deckhands will clean your fish for you for another tip. If you get your fish filleted, you can take them to several local restaurants that will cook your catch for you along with some fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. It is an awesome way to end your day.
