Water Quality Monitoring
The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) is working to prevent as well as to address existing water quality degradation in the CHNEP study area. We engage in numerous efforts to gather data, facilitate stakeholder discussions on water quality issues, and to develop consensus and science-based recommendations and solutions for improving water quality in our region.
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Water Quality Monitoring
The CHNEP is a partner in the Coastal Charlotte Harbor Monitoring Network, which collects and analyzes water samples from 60 randomly selected field sites throughout 10 waterbodies each month. Our scientists audit water quality sampling techniques for partner organizations, in order to ensure there are quality assurance checks in place so that data can be used by the state for water quality assessment, which in turn assists the development of pollutant limits and clean-up plans. Learn more about the Coastal Charlotte Harbor Monitoring Network data on the CHNEP Water Atlas.
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Water Atlas
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The CHNEP's Water Atlas website collects and analyzes water quality data from the various entities in our study area - making it publicly available so anyone can access to understand the condition of their waters.
Microplastics Research
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CHNEP assisted in microplastics research to gather information about the presence of this emerging pollutant in Southwest Florida. Prior to the study, little was known about their presence in our region. Microplastics are becoming of increasing concern as they can introduce added chemicals into waterways and be readily taken up through the food chain.
In addition to the Water Atlas, the CHNEP is now creating periodic Water Quality Status Fact Sheets - easy-to-understand snapshots of nutrient and bacteria levels in each of the basins in the CHNEP study area. They also include updated lists of waterbodies that are currently not meeting water quality standards.
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) and Nutrient Pollution
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A priority of the CHNEP is to reduce nutrient pollution that fuels harmful algae blooms (incl. red tide and cyanobacteria green slime events). We are engaged in numerous projects that use technological and natural approaches to removing nutrient pollution.
CHNEP worked with The Balmoral Group to develop and test a “dashboard” that will enable coastal resource managers to quantify the economic implications of HABs, and thereby assess the value of restoration investments or management actions in avoiding negative economic impacts.
