Clean Water Strategy Update October 2020Clean Water Strategy Update
October 14, 2020
Challenges Facing Biscayne
Bay1
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Biscayne Point Canal August 22, 2020
What causes fish kills & algal blooms?
Morningside Park August 10, 2020
Kathryn Mikesell Ronnie Issenberg
•Oxygen-demanding substances
•Nitrogen and phosphorus
•Pathogens
•Petroleum hydrocarbons
•Metals (zinc, copper, lead)
•Synthetic organics
•Chemical fertilizers
•Human/pet waste
•Food waste, dead plants and animal tissue.
•Urban pollution from
vehicles, household chemicals, detergents, gas, and oil
Sources
Nutrients and Contaminants
Rainwater picks up pollutants from land.
“Catastrophic (seagrass)
losses can occur in bodies of
water with limited tidal
flushing, such as the Julia
Tuttle Basin in north Biscayne
Bay, and nutrient loads that
are both concentrated and
frequent.”
-Report on the Findings of the County’s
Study on the Decline of Seagrass and
Hardbottom Habitat in Biscayne Bay –
Directive no. 175137, January 29, 2019
There are many land-based sources of pollution.
Construction
Land development
Septic tanks vulnerable to sea level rise
Phosphorous loading into Biscayne Bay.
*Ardurra Group, Inc. 2019
Biscayne Bay Task Force
Recommendations2
Biscayne Bay Task Force
Recommendations
Number of
Recommendation
Number of
Recommendations
Implementable in
Miami Beach
Water Quality 13 7
Governance 6 4
Infrastructure 11 3
Natural
Infrastructure
9 6
Marine Debris 7 7
Education &
Outreach
9 9
Funding 7 6
TOTAL 62 41
Pollution Prevention
in Miami Beach3
•Changing Habits:
•Polystyrene Ban
•Plastic Straw/Bags Ban
•#PlasticFreeMB
•Recycling Ordinance
•Green Procurement
•Florida Friendly Landscaping
•Round-up Ban
•Operations & Maintenance
•Waterway Contractor
•Stormwater Cleaning
•Inspections
•Trainings
•Measuring and Monitoring:
•Water Quality Sampling Program
•Recycling Assessment
We are committed to preventing
pollution at the source.
Cross-training departments
Proactive interdisciplinary inspections
Water Quality Sampling
2020 Water Quality
Goals & Opportunities4
The City’s Strategic Plan incorporates
the Clean Water Strategy as a goal.
GOAL 1
Reduce the volume of nutrients going into Biscayne Bay across the region.
GOAL 2
Continue to reduce construction run-off into the stormwater system through
increased training and enforcement.
GOAL 3
Upgrade aging underground infrastructure and Implement blue and green
infrastructure elements of the Jacobs Engineering integrated water
management plan.
GOAL 4
Increase public awareness of individual impact on water quality and steps
each person can take to further reduce pollution at the source.
GOAL 5
Leverage work across the region to reduce pollution at a larger scale.
GOAL 6
Increase recreational user awareness of water quality conditions in
swimmable waters on the beaches and the bay.
Next Steps
THANK YOU!