Florida is known for its beautiful waterways and marshlands, so invasive aquatic plants are particularly threatening to Florida’s environment. In Crystal River, there are four main invasive aquatic plants: water hyacinth, water lettuce, hydrilla, and lyngbya.
Crystal River is known for its unique wildlife and picturesque sawgrass prairies. Some wildlife, like the manatees, can be safely observed up close, but other wildlife, like gators or snakes, should be observed from a safe distance. Many snakes inhabit the sawgrasses and can swim through water. Some are harmless, but some are deadly. In this post I’ll give you a rundown of the most common venomous snakes in Crystal River and how to avoid getting bitten.
We are excited to announce that work will be resuming as Manatee Season comes to an end on April 1st, 2021!
Crystal River has become saltier because of saltwater intrusion. As developments pump freshwater out of the aquifer for drinking or irrigation, the saltwater aquifers under the freshwater aquifers begin to seep into the freshwater and contaminate it. Draining the aquifer not only leads to contaminated waters, but it also decreases spring venting and causes devastating sinkholes.
You’ve probably seen those sandy lines along the river floor, running through the eelgrass (see picture above). These scars are caused by boat propellers. Scars can also be formed by using hooked anchors that uproot native eelgrass and leave sandy patches in the riverbed. While many boaters believe scraping the bottom is no problem, it takes time for eelgrass to grow back. Often, Save Crystal River will intervene and patch the scars before they fill with gunk and detritus.
The ability to transform an algae-based aquatic ecosystem into a plant-based system is the key to making Crystal River crystal clear. Eelgrass is vital to the health of our river. Interested in how it's done?
In the summer, tourists flood to Crystal River to spend their days scalloping in the Gulf of Mexico, but due to over-catching and degrading water quality, the number of bay scallops has greatly decreased over the past ten years.
Next time you’re out at Three Sisters or any other spring, think about how the water you’re swimming through, or paddling on, is rainwater, filtered and cooled through rock, colored by minerals, and reflecting dissolved earth crystals and the blue sky. You’re not only swimming through the water we drink and wash our hands with, but also one of nature’s miracles. No wonder the manatees love it!
While Save Crystal River’s efforts to plant eelgrass does not reduce salinity, the grasses themselves have the capacity to thrive in both saltwater and freshwater. Along with this survival ability, eelgrass helps hold sediment at the bottom of the river floor, which reduces overall turbidity of the water. These traits make eelgrass perfect for restoring Crystal River’s clarity and providing a stable environment for indigenous wildlife.
This post shares the importance of nitrate and pH levels in the calculation of water quality. Nitrates are organic compounds found all around us while pH can be influenced by nitrate levels or human contaminants.
