Florida's Coral Reef Water Turbidity Data Compilation, Analysis and Decision Support: MICCI 28 Project - Phase 1

In 2000, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force adopted a National Action Plan to conserve coral reefs which led to the formation of the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI). SEFCRI’s primary mission is to develop local action strategies that preserve and protect the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area (ECA). The ECA consists of the sovereign submerged lands and state waters offshore of Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties from the St. Lucie Inlet to the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park.
Members of the SEFCRI team identified the need to improve the methodology for measuring and monitoring turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) during dredging, beach nourishment and any coastal construction project that would require turbidity monitoring. This was an overarching objective designated for the Maritime Industry and Coastal Construction Impacts (MICCI) project number 28 (MICCI 28). The project was developed through conversations with the SEFCRI team, a subset of technical experts from the SEFCRI team called the Technical Advisory Committee, and members of Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration and Beaches, Inlets, and Ports Program. It was further determined that the initial phase (Phase 1) of the MICCI 28 project should conduct a data mining effort to locate all turbidity data sets in the ECA and surrounding areas along Florida’s Coral Reef, and provide a review of new and existing turbidity, suspended sediment, and sedimentation monitoring methodologies.