by Dana Stephens | May 12, 2025
Spring is a time of change. Spring brings changes in our waters as well. Some of these changes are visible on top of the water and cause concern among water users and viewers. Let’s dispel some of these concerns associated with the spring season.
Sometimes, water users and viewers notice what appears to be oil floating on top of the water. Could this be oil? Potentially. Could this not be oil? Most likely. Plants perish, and decomposition occurs, typically during the spring and fall seasons of the year. Much of the decomposition that happens in spring is associated with the initial growth and development of plants. Bacteria living in the soils within and around the water break down the perished plants. These bacteria are decomposing the old plant material. The waste product produced from the bacteria’s decomposition of the old plant material is an oily substance. The oily sheen on the water is a waste product of bacteria. Frequently, the oil accumulates in portions of water where there is little to no water movement. As the decomposition process completes, the oily sheen should lessen over the next few days to weeks. This bacteria-produced oil from decomposition is a natural process.
Petroleum-based oil seen on water is not a natural process. Petroleum-based oil could enter water from various sources, such as but not limited to transportation spills, stormwater runoff, and improper disposal of products containing oil. Like the oily substances produced by bacteria during decomposition, petroleum-based oils will float on top of the water and accumulate where there is little to no water movement.
Here are some tips to identify the difference between oils in water:
|
Bacteria-produced Oil |
Petroleum-based Oil |
| Appearance |
Oily sheen on top of water with little to no difference in color throughout |
Oily sheen on top of water with differences in color throughout (may even appear like a rainbow) |
| Touch
(use a stick) |
When disturbed, the sheen breaks away easily with irregular patterns and does not reform. The oil will not adhere to the stick. |
When disturbed, the sheen swirls, elongates, and does reform. The oil may adhere to the stick. |
| Odor
(not always present) |
Strong organic, musty, or earthy smell. |
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) smelling like gasoline or diesel fuel. |
Another sheen on our waters that is frequent during Florida’s springtime is pollen. Pine, tree, and weed pollen accumulate on top of water, especially in areas with little or no water movement. If the sheen on the water is yellow, orange, or sometimes white, this is most likely due to pollen. Think about how pollen shows on a car in Florida during spring…our waters can show the same to some extent.
Let’s give it a try! See if you can identify the sheens in water in each photo—answers at the bottom of the page.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6
Keep Scrolling For Answers!
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PHOTO ANSWERS: Photo 1: Bacteria-produced oil sheen. Photo 2: Pollen sheen. Photo 3: Petroleum-based oil sheen. Photo 4: Pollen sheen. Photo 5: Petroleum-based oil sheen. Photo 6: Mixture of bacteria-produced oil and pollen sheen. Note all photos were obtained from Adobe Stock Photos.
by Dana Stephens | Apr 11, 2025
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.
Okaloosa Waterwatch February 2025 (PDF Link)
Okaloosa Waterwatch March 2025 (PDF Link)
by Laura Tiu | Mar 7, 2025
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.
by Rick O'Connor | Oct 4, 2024
One of the top concerns with residents in our communities is water quality. Surveys I have conducted with the public support this statement. One of the top concerns with water quality in the coastal areas is health advisories. These are issued when concentrations of selected fecal bacteria are too high.
In coastal areas, the selected bacteria are Enterococcus. It is important to note that Enterococcus bacteria are found in the digestive systems of birds and mammals. So, its presence does not automatically mean there is human waste in the water. However, there are pathogens associated with bird and mammal waste humans should be concerned about. And very high concentrations are most likely due to human waste. Science is working on additional methods to confirm high levels of Enterococcus are human. It is assumed that these will one day be used.
Enterococcus bacteria are used in coastal waters due to their ability to tolerate higher salinity. Some species, such as E. coli, that are used in freshwater systems die in saline ones. This suggests that the waste is not there, when in fact it is. It is also important to know that Enterococcus bacteria in themselves are not health concern for us. They are in our digestive tracts. But their presence in the water indicates that waste is present and there are pathogens in this waste that are of concern – hence the advisories issued.
In this series we will look at three methods we can use to help reduce human waste from entering our local waterways. Those are (1) maintaining your septic system, (2) converting your septic system to sewer, and (3) maintaining your sewer lines. We will begin with maintaining your septic system.
Septic systems have been used in rural and suburban communities where sewer systems have not been available for decades. Even today, the growth of new neighborhoods is outpacing the sewer infrastructure to support them. Many of these new communities are using septic systems. If properly placed and maintained, septic systems can work well. But many are not placed in good locations, and most are not maintained.
A conventional septic system is composed of a septic tank and a drainfield, where most of the wastewater treatment takes place. Image: US EPA
The system begins with the water leaving your home and entering a large tank made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene buried in the yard. The average size of these tanks is 1000 gallons, but – depending on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the house, they could be larger. Here the sewage sits. Over time the solid waste will settle on the bottom (sludge) while the fats, oils, and grease float to the surface. The liquid layer in the middle (effluent) will flow from the tank into a series of smaller perforated drainpipes that slowly discharge into a drain field. A properly designed drain field will have a layer of sand that will allow draining of the effluent to occur.
Let’s talk about how to maintain this system.
- Do not overload the system with too much water. The tank is designed for a specific number of bedrooms/bathrooms. Overusing water can fill the tank and initiate leaking before the sewage has had time to settle. Watch your water use.
- Watch what you are flushing down the drain. Fats, oils, grease, and even milk will solidify and clog the lines. There are many products that describe themselves as “flushable”. They are, but they are not biodegradable. These two will cause clogs and backups in the system. Some harsh cleaning products can harm the bacteria within the tank who are breaking down the waste – these should be avoided. Also avoid using the garbage disposal. Septic systems were designed for water and sewage, not garbage and food. Compost your food waste instead.
- Periodically have your tank pumped and inspected. This is a step that many do not follow and can lead to leaking of untreated sewage into local waterways. It is recommended that you have your septic tank pumped and inspected once every 3-5 years. There are several businesses in your area who do this type of work. They can also provide advice on how to better maintain your specific system.
- Protect your drain field. Do not drive over this area of your lawn. Vehicles can compact the porous soil needed for efficient percolation and possible crack pipes. Planting trees and shrubs in this area can introduce roots into the lines, plant shallow root plants only. Design your landscape so that rainwater does not flow over the drain field during storms. The draining of your system is designed to be a slow process, allowing both physical and biological treatment of the waste to occur before reaching any water source. Rain and flooding conditions impede this from happening.
Developing a septic maintenance plan for your property can help reduce the number of health advisories your community will see. For more information contact your county health department or extension office.
by Andrea Albertin | Jun 7, 2024
Flooding due to heavy rains can cause septic systems to fail. Image: B. White NASA. Public Domain
About 30% of households in Florida rely on septic systems to treat and dispose of household wastewater. This includes all water from bathrooms and kitchens, and laundry machines.
Conventional septic systems are made up of a septic tank (a watertight container buried in the ground) and a drain field, or leach field. The septic tank’s job is to separate out solids (which settle on the bottom as sludge), from oils and grease, which float to the top and form a scum layer. Bacteria break down the solids (the organic matter) in the tank. The liquid wastewater or effluent, which is in the middle layer of the tank, flows out through pipes into the drain field and underlying soil, where most of the treatment takes placeDuring floods or heavy rains, the soil around the septic tank and in the drainfield become saturated, or water-logged, and the effluent from the septic tank can’t properly drain though the soil. Special care needs to be taken with your septic system during and after a flood or heavy rains.
Diagram of a conventional septic system. Courtesy of the Leon County Public Works Department.
What should you do after flooding occurs?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers these guidelines:
- If your water supply comes from a private well, have it tested for bacteria (total coliform bacteria and E. coli) to make sure it’s safe for consumption, which includes drinking, brushing teeth and cooking. Contact your local County Health Department for testing information. Use an alternate water source or boil your water (bring it to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute) before using it.
- Relieve pressure on the septic system by using it less or not at all until floodwaters recede and the soil has drained. For your septic system to work properly, water needs to drain freely in the drainfield. Under flooded conditions, water can’t drain properly and can back up in your system. Remember that in most homes all water sent down the pipes goes into the septic system. Clean up floodwater in the house without dumping it into the sinks or toilet.
- Avoid digging around the septic tank and drainfield while the soil is water logged. Don’t drive heavy vehicles or equipment over the drainfield. By using heavy equipment or working under water-logged conditions, you can compact the soil in your drainfield, and water won’t be able to drain properly.
- Don’t open or pump out the septic tank if the soil is still saturated. Silt and mud can get into the tank if it is opened and can end up in the drainfield, reducing its drainage capability. Pumping under these conditions can cause a tank to pop out of the ground.
- If you suspect your system has been damage, have the tank inspected and serviced by a professional. How can you tell if your system is damaged? Signs include: settling, wastewater backs up into household drains, the soil in the drain field remains soggy and never fully drains, a foul odor persists around the tank and drain field.
- Keep rainwater drainage systems away from the septic drainfield. As a preventive measure, make sure that water from roof gutters doesn’t drain into your septic drainfield – this adds an additional source of water that the drainfield has to manage.
More information on septic systems and maintenance, can be found on the UF/IFAS septic system website.
By taking special care with your septic system after flooding, you can contribute to the health of your household, community and environment.
