Last week, SCCF Research and Policy Associate Leah Reidenbach collected the first images of water quality conditions in San Carlos Bay from a drone recently purchased with grant funding provided by the Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP). 

 

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. By documenting water quality and ecological conditions, SCCF scientists are now able to track water quality visually over time. Policy staff will be able to utilize these images to make a compelling argument for protection and restoration of our unique coastal ecosystems in Charlotte Harbor.

 

Images collected with the drone will be incorporated into the Caloosahatchee & Estuary Conditions Report, a weekly report published in conjunction with J.N. “Ding” National Wildlife Refuge, the City of Sanibel, the City of Cape Coral, and Lee County. The report provides updates on water quality and ecological conditions within the Caloosahatchee estuary and coastal waters of Lee County.

 

Reports are provided to water managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District to inform their recommendations on water management issues related to Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee.

 

“While our data are scientifically valuable, the photos we take with our new drone will serve as a powerful visual aid that can have a stronger impact on the public and policymakers than water quality data alone,” said Reidenbach said.

 

Timing is everything!

 

 

We thank our partners at the CHNEP for making this project possible.