Citizen Oversight Committee Speaker Presentations

Each month, the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee brings in experts to present on different topics related to the Indian River Lagoon. Below is a list of each presentation organized by topic.

Government

Clean Waterways Act & Lagoon Funding – Senator Debbie Mayfield, District 17 

Federal and State Legislative Update – Dr. Duane De Freese, IRL Council & IRL National Estuary Program 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Efforts for the Indian River Lagoon – Jeff Beal, FWCC  

Indian River Lagoon and the Space Coast Environment – David Jackson, Director of Community Relations for U.S. Representative Bill Posey 

Indian River Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (IRLCCMP) Update – Dr. Duane De Freese, IRLNEP 

St. Johns River Water Management District Efforts for the Indian River Lagoon – Dr. Charles Jacoby, Supervising Environmental Scientist Estuaries Section and Lead Scientist, Indian River Lagoon Basin, Bureau of Water Resources, SJRWMD 

Update on the Indian River Lagoon – Dr. Chuck Jacoby, Supervising Environmental Scientist, St Johns River Water Management District 

Habitat

Accelerating Seagrass Recovery in the Indian River Lagoon Through Infrastructure Investments by the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program – Daniel Kolodny, Chief Operating Officer, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program 

Algal bloom status and investigation Dr. Chuck Jacoby, SJRWMD 

Brevard County Seagrass Restoration Protocol – Jenny Hansen, Ph.D., CE, Environmental Scientist 

Brevard Zoo Lagoon Restoration: Past, Present and Future – Ashley Rearden, Brevard Zoo 

Brevard Zoo’s Partnership for Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation in Brevard County – Jody Cassell, Director of Conservation, Brevard Zoo 

CCA Florida Restocking and Habitat Restoration – Frank Gidus, Director of Habitat and Environmental Restoration 

Clam Aquaculture Incentive Program – Matt Badolato and Jenny Hansen, NRMD 

Comparison of Results of Different Oyster Reef Construction Strategies in the Indian River Lagoon – Dr. Melinda Donnelly, Assistant Research Scientist, and Dr. Paul Sacks, Field Research Technician, University of Central Florida 

Dolphins of the Indian River Lagoon: Sentinels of Estuary Health – Megan Stolen, Hubbs Sea World Research Institute 

Drift Macroalgae in the Indian River Lagoon – Lauren Hall, SJRWMD 

Engaging the Community in Pilot Hard Clam Restoration in the Indian River Lagoon - Hope Leonard, Conservation Restoration Coordinator, Brevard Zoo 

Florida’s Horseshoe Crab Watch Program and Spawning in Brevard – Holly Abeels, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent 

Four Years of Clam Restoration: Lessons Learned and New Directions – Dr. Todd Osborne, Associate Professor, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience 

Getting Ready for Shovel-Ready Seagrass Restoration – Mark S. Fonseca, Ph.D., CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. 

Harmful Algal Blooms of Florida – Dr. James Sullivan, Executive Director, HBOI 

Implications of Seagrass Changes on Manatee Distribution in the Indian River Lagoon Waters Surrounding NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) - Doug Scheidt, Ecologist III, Herndon Solutions Group, LLC, NASA Environmental and Medical Contract, KSC. 

IRL Clam Restoration Project Update – Dr. Todd Osborne, UCF 

Living Shoreline Panel – Annie Roddenberry, FWCC; Dr. Leesa Souto, MRC; Jake Zehnder, Brevard Zoo; Dr. Robert Weaver, FIT; Dr. Melinda Donnelly, UCF; Jane Hart, NRMD 

Living Shoreline Public Map Tool – Jane Hart, Environmental Scientist 

Manatee Habitat Enhancement of the Atlantic Estuaries – Julie Mitchell, FWCC 

Manatee Health Investigations in the Indian River Lagoon – Martine de Wit, DVM, Research Scientist at the Marine Mammal Pathology Lab, Fish and Wildlife Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 

Mosquito Control – Joe Faella, Brevard County Mosquito Control 

Oyster Material Testing – Dr. Jenny Hansen, Environmental Scientist 

Oyster Reef Restoration Video 

Oyster Restoration Progress – Keith Winsten, Executive Director Brevard Zoo 

Population Decline of Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) – Beb Sebastian, Associate Environmental Specialist 

Remote Sensing of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County – Andrew Kamerosky, Applied Ecology 

Results of Pilot Seagrass Transplanting Efforts in the Indian River Lagoon Using Nursery-Reared Shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) - Olivia Escandell, Senior Conservation Manager, Brevard Zoo 

Seagrass Panel – Dr. Dennis Hanisak, HBOI; Lauren Hall, SJRWMD; Lori Morris, SJRWMD; Marty Smithson, SITD; Carter Henne, Sea and Shoreline 

Soil Health Matters to the Indian River Lagoon – Sally Scalera, Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard Count 

The Fast and the Furriest: Otters of the Lagoon Watershed – Megan Stolen, Hubbs SeaWorld Res. Institute 

Monitoring

A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon – Missy Weiss, S.E.A. a Difference Environmental Services Florida Coordinator for “A Day in the Life Programs” 

A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon – Missy Weiss, ORCA 

A Day in the Life of the Indian River Lagoon, County-wide Public School Data Collection Event – Missy Weiss – S.E.A. 

A Message of Hope from Indian River Lagoon Water Quality Data – Matt Badolato NRMD 

An Introduction to ORCA’s One Health Fish Monitoring Citizen Science Project – Hannah Atsma, Ocean Research Conservation Association (ORCA) 

Breeze Swept Septic to Sewer Project Performance Measures – Dr. Claudia Listopad, Applied Ecology, Inc. 

Citizen Science Video Featuring Missy Weiss of ORCA 

Groundwater Monitoring Study Plan – Dr. Claudia Listopad, Applied Ecology 

Historical Patterns and Trends of Chlorophyll-a in Brevard County’s Indian River Lagoon using Satellite Data – Dr. Claudia Listopad, President, Principal Scientist and Andrew Kamerosky, Environmental Scientist, Applied Ecology, Inc. 

Introduction to the Remote Sensing of Harmful Algal Blooms in the Indian River Lagoon Project – Dr. Claudia Listopad, President, Principal Scientist and Andrew Kamerosky, Environmental Scientist, Applied Ecology, Inc. 

IRL Water Quality Report – Dr. Chuck Jacoby, Supervising Environmental Scientist, Estuaries Section and Lead Scientist, Indian River Lagoon Basin, Bureau of Water Resources, SJRWMD 

Keynote Address from the February 7th Indian River Lagoon Symposium: Quo Vadis Northern Indian River Lagoon? What Recent Lagoon Conditions Might Tell Us about the Future – Dr. Chuck Jacoby, Lead Scientist, Indian River Lagoon Basin, SJRWMD 

Lagoon Water Quality: Dredging, Droughts and Deposition – Matt Badolato, NRMD 

Living Shoreline Monitoring – Dr. Linda Walters and Dr. Melinda Donnelly, University of Central Florida 

Mapping Pollution in Sykes Creek – Dr. Beth Falls, Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA) 

Monitoring performance and measuring success panel: Stormwater Project Performance – Terry Williamson, Stormwater Environmental Scientist; Measuring Groundwater Pollution – Dr. Claudia Listopad, Applied Ecology, Inc.; Muck Dredging Performance – Dr. John Trefry, FIT 

New Kilroy Station Data Feed http://api.kilroydata.org/public/ - Walker Dawson, NRMD 

Preliminary Results from the Leaky Lateral Groundwater Monitoring – Dr. Claudia Listopad, Applied Ecology, Inc. 

Rockledge Breeze Swept Monitoring Data – Dr. Claudia Listopad, Applied Ecology 

Satellite Bloom Mapping Project – Matt Badolato, Environmental Specialist 

Save Our Indian River Lagoon Community Survey – Holly Abeels, UF, IFAS, Sea Grant Extension Agent 

Seagrass Monitoring Update for the Indian River Lagoon – Lauren Hall, Environmental Scientist III, St. Johns River Water Management District 

Water Quality Monitoring Data – Virginia Barker, Director NRMD 

Sykes Creek Biological Monitoring; Dr. Kevin Johnson, Associate Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics and Professor of Biology, Tarleton State University 

From the “Ground” Up: An Initial Look at Groundwater Nutrient Concentrations Post-Septic and Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrades; Laura Thompson, Environmental Specialist II, and Dr. Leesa Souto, Director of Operations, Applied Ecology 

Water Quality Trends in the Indian River Lagoon; Don Deis, Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee 

Muck

Cocoa Beach Golf Muck Dredging/Capping Study – Jim Langenbach, Geosyntec Consultants 

Environmental Modeling of Muck Dredging Benefits – Dr. Gary Zarillo, FIT 

Grand Canal Sediment Testing Update – Jim Langenbach, P.E., B.C.E.E., Geosyntec Consultants 

Internal Nutrient Cycling: Benthic Fluxes from Muck and Sediments in the IRL – Dr. Austin Fox, Assistant Professor, Florida Institute of Technology 

Legacy Loads – Human Sources of Microbial Populations in Indian River Lagoon Muck – Drew Palmer, PhD, FIT 

Making Muck Pollution Visible in Sykes Creek – Dr. Beth Falls, Ocean Research Conservation Association (ORCA) 

Mass Spectrometry Signatures in Indian River Lagoon Muck – Dr. Drew Palmer, FIT 

Master Programmatic Permitting of Muck Removal from IRL – Stephen Berry, Jones, Edmonds & Associates 

Modeling Muck Toxicity and E. coli Screening – Drew Palmer, Ph.D., FIT 

Muck Research Updates: P-and-Ammonium + Oxygen in the Indian River Lagoon – Dr. Austin Fox, FIT 

Subaqueous Sand Capping to Mitigate Releases of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Muck Deposits. – Dr. Austin Fox, & Abbey Gering, FIT 

Tiny Bubbles: Is Aeration a Viable Solution to improve Water Quality in the IRL? – Dr. Austin Fox, FIT 

What are Likely Sources and Chemical Forms of N and P added to Indian River Lagoon Waters? – John Trefry, Ph.D., FIT and Austin Fox, Ph.D., FIT 

Mechanical Dewatering and Nutrient Stripping; Jake Little, President, Gator Aquatic Technologies 

Pineda Dredge Material Management Area Temporary Use Agreement Update; Abbey Gering, Associate Environmental Specialist 

Eau Gallie Muck Dredging Bid Results; Abbey Gering, Associate Environmental Specialist 

Outreach

Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School Aqua Science Program – Cole Mannes, Assistant Principal, Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School 

Controlling Excess Irrigation - Rich Dunkel, Irrigreen 

Educational Campaign for Grass Clippings – Anthony Gubler, NRMD and Lisa Souto, PhD., Marine Resources Council 

Engaging Homeowners Associations as Citizen Scientists to Improve Stormwater Pond Management - Melanie Howarter, Associate Environmental Specialist, Brevard County Natural Resources, Save Our Indian River Lagoon 

Fertilizer Education and Outreach Panel – Dr. Duane DeFreese, IRLNEP; Dr. Martha Monroe, UF; Linda Seals, Brevard County Extension; Dr. Leesa Souto, MRC; Tony Sasso, KBB; Andrea Hill, Brevard Zoo; Lisa Good, Blue Life 

Healthy Lawns without Chemicals – Linda Seals, UF/IFAS 

Helping the Lagoon Through Advocacy, Education and Citizen Engagement – Bo Platt, Board Vice President, Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition 

Junior Achievement Lagoon STEM Pilot Program – Anne Conroy-Baiter, President, Junior Achievement of the Space Coast 

Lagoon Loyal Launch – Jessica Payne, Account Manager, and Jamie Guth, Art Director, MTN 

Lagoon Loyalty Outreach and Engagement – Walter C. Wood, Marketing Talent Network Advertising and Susan Sperling, Marketing Talent Network Advertising 

Lessons Learned from Pond Watchers – Dr. Ernesto Lasso De La Vega, Water Quality Laboratory Manager & Founder and Director of Pond Watch, Lee County Hyacinth Control District 

Outreach Story Maps & Newsletter – Brandon Smith, Environmental Specialist III 

Sounds of the Lagoon – Barry Walton, Endless Media, LLC 

Story Map - Matt Badolato, NRMD 

Story Map Addition: Reclaimed Water Layer – Matt Badolato, Associate Environmental Specialist, NRMD 

The Challenges of the Fertilizer Ban to Rockledge Gardens – Steve Krzyston 

Tourist Development Council + Lagoon Community Transparency Project – Becky Clarkson, contract employee 

Using Science to Guide Educational Communications: Grass Clippings Campaign – Dr. Leesa Souto, MRC 

Water Less: Four Strategies to Decrease Your Home’s Use – Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, SJRWMD 

Project Plan

2021 Audit Report – Jill Reyes and Laura Manlove, Directors at RSM US LPP

August 2019 Half Cent Sales Tax – SOIRL Project Status Report Presented to the Brevard County Audit Committee by the county’s Contracted Auditor, R.S.M. U.S. L.L.P. – Jill Reyes C.I.A., C.F.E.

Brevard County Half-Cent Sales Surtax – Save Our Indian River Lagoon Fiscal Year 2020 Internal Audit Report – Jill Reyes, Partner, RSM US and Rob Broline, Partner, CRI

Brevard County Half-Cent Sales Surtax - Save Our Indian River Lagoon Fiscal Year 2023 Internal Audit Report – Laura Manlove, Director, or Jaime Bardee, Supervisor, RSM US

Communication Strategy Update – Vinnie Taranto

Compliance with Public Records Laws – Christine Valliere

Explanation of Monthly Project Performance Table – Brandon Smith, Environmental Specialist, NRMD

Florida Sunshine Law Review – Christine Valliere, Assistant County Attorney

Government in the Sunshine/Florida’s Public Meetings Law/Conflicts of Interest Review – Heather Balser, Assistant County Attorney

Half Cent Sales Tax Audit Report – Jill Reyes, RSM

Lagoon Education/Outreach Options Requested by County Commission – Virginia Barker, Director NRMD

Latest Revenue Projection Update – Virginia Barker, Director NRMD

Leaky Lateral Grant Program – Virginia Barker, Director NRMD

Muck Flux Mapping and Dredging Prioritization in Support of the 2019 Plan Update – Walker Dawson, Engineer III, NRMD

Resolutions Supporting Consideration of Circulation Improvements during Infrastructure Planning Studies for State Roads 528 and 520 – Robert Musser, Port Canaveral Port Authority

Restoration Insights from National Estuary Management Plans – Dr. Duane De Freese, IRLNEP and Walker Dawson, NRMD

Save Our Indian River Lagoon Fiscal Year 2022 Internal Audit Report - Laura Manlove, Director, or Jaime Bardee, Supervisor

Save Our Indian River Lagoon Trust Fund Audit – Jill Reyes, Director, RSM US LLP

Septic and Package Plant Loading and Prioritization Analyses in Support of the 2019 Plan Update – Anthony Gubler, NRMD

SOIRL Community Survey Results – Holly Abeels, UF IFAS, Sea Grant Extension Agent

The Importance of the Indian River Lagoon to Brevard County – Frank Abbate, County Manager

Tourist Development Council Lagoon Tourism Grant Program – Stacy Delano, TDC

Research

Circulation Enhancement – Dr. Gary Zarillo, FIT 

Engaging Emerging Technology – Duane De Freese, PhD, IRL National Estuary Program 

Evaluating Ecosystem Degradation and Stakeholder Livelihood in a Marine Protected Area: A Case Study in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida - Hannah V. Herrero, Ph.D. (presenting), Stephanie A. Insalaco, M.S., & Capt. William B. Wolfson 

FL Geology and Nutrient Transport in Groundwater – Guy “Harley” Means, Director, Florida Geological Survey 

Geochemical Nutrient Cycling in the IRL: Historical Perspectives, Ocean Inflow and the Future – Dr. Austin Fox, Florida Institute of Technology 

Impacts of Glyphosate on Seagrass Growth and Nutrient Cycling – Dr. Austin Fox, Assistant Professor, Florida Institute of Technology 

Resilient Brevard – Tara McCue, East Coast Regional Planning Council 

Restore Lagoon Inflow Project – Dr. Jeff Eble & Dr. Austin Fox, FIT 

State Roads 528 and 520 Causeway versus Bridge Span Update – Numerical Modeling Addendum Report by Dr. Gary Zarillo, FIT 

Stress to Marine Vertebrates from Exposure to Herbicides – Dr. Nancy Denslow, Acting Chair, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine 

Tracking Changes, Improving Outcomes and Measuring Success: A Story of Oxygen in the Lagoon – Dr. Austin Fox, Florida Institute of Technology 

What is a Climate Ready Estuary – Randall W. Parkinson, Ph.D., P.G., RWParkinson Consulting, Inc. 

Winds and Topographic Controls on the Connectivity in the Northern Indian River Lagoon – Dr. Mingshun Jiang, Associate Research Professor, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University 

Septic & Sewer

Benefits of Smoke Testing Projects, Edward Fontanin, P.E., Director, Brevard County Utility Services 

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Initiatives to Reduce Sanitary Sewer Overflows – Aaron Watkins, FDEP; Benjamin Melnick, FDEP; Borja Crane-Amores, FDEP 

Hurricane Impacts to Sewer Systems and Response Options – Mark Reagan, BC Utility Services 

Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency – Cone Road Septic to Sewer Update – Cynthia Thurman, MIRA 

Nitrogen Reducing Septic Systems – Bill Buckman, ASAP Septic and Morris Smith, Jr., PE, PSM, Morris Smith Engineering 

Plumber Request for Qualifications Update – Matt Badolato, Environmental Specialist 

Private Package Plant Loading Update – Matt Badolato, NRMD 

Private Package Plant Opportunities – Matt Badolato, NRMD 

Pro-rated possibility for Septic Upgrades and Sewer Connections – Matt Badolato, NRMD 

Septic Alternatives Panel - Robert Bolton, P.E., City of Vero Beach; Dr. Xueqing Gao, FL Dept. of Health; Roxanne Groover, FL Onsite Wastewater Associates 

Septic Chain of Lakes Nitrogen Removal Video 

Septic Ordinance Analysis and Project Prioritization Implications – Virginia Barker, Director, and Anthony Gubler, Environmental Specialist, NRMD 

Septic Upgrade Media Evaluation Memorandum of Understanding with Florida Department of Health – Anthony Gubler, Environmental Specialist, NRMD 

Septic Upgrade Program Retroactive Payment Requests – Matt Badolato, Associate Environmental Specialist 

Sewer Line Inspections Panel – Chris Little, Utilities Director, City of Palm Bay; Adam Marrara, Florida Home Inspection Bureau; and Stephen Rowe, Anchor Plumbing 

Wastewater Asset Management Overview – Todd Swingle, P.E., Exec. Director, Toho Water Authority 

Wastewater Utility Panel Discussion – Jim Helmer, BC Utility Services Department; Joshua Suprenant, City of Cape Canaveral; Ralph Reigelsperger, City of Melbourne; Scott Barber, City of Cocoa Beach; Todd Swingle 

Brevard County's Clean Waterways Act Compliance Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Septic Remediation; Felicity Appel, P.E., Kimley Horn 

Developing an Adaptive Septic Remediation Plan; Dr. Claudia Listopad, President, Principal Scientist, Applied Ecology, Inc. 

Rockledge Flow Equalization Basin Project; Brenda Keenan, Wastewater Practice Lead, Tetra Tech 

Stormwater

Benefits of Solar Powered Lake Circulators – Terry Williamson, Environmental Section Supervisor, Brevard County Natural Resources, Stormwater 

Bio-Activated Media Performance and Maintenance Requirements – Chris Bogdan, National Business Development Manager, Ferguson Waterworks, Urban Green Infrastructure Division 

Brevard County Stormwater Utility’s Full-Scale Pilot Test Filtration and/or Biosorption Activated Media Projects – Jeff Rapolti, PE, Brevard County 

City of Melbourne Baffle Box Program – Danielle Straub, P.E. Engineering Project Manager 

Crane Creek Rediversion (M-1) Canal Funding Celebration – Drew Bartlett, Deputy Secretary, FDEP and Anne Shortelle, Executive Director, SJRWMD 

Crane Creek/M-1 Canal Flow Restoration – Bill Tredik, SJRWMD 

Green Infrastructure: What, Why and Where – Chris Bogdan, National Business Development Manager, Ferguson Waterworks, Urban Green Infrastructure Division 

Harvesting Nutrients from Stormwater Ponds – Jennifer Thompson, Environmental Specialist, Brevard County Stormwater Utility 

Low Impact Development Retrofit Guide for Commercial and Light Industrial Facilities – Bach McClure, Brevard County Stormwater Administrator 

Nitrification/Denitrification 101 – Marty Wanielista, PhD, UCF Stormwater Academy 

Nutrient Removal with Solar Filtration – Randy Burden, EcoSense, and Leesa Souto, PhD, MRC 

Sustainability and Resilience Opportunities – Chris Zambito, & Joanna Switzer, Atkins North America, Inc. 

The Role of Floating Treatment Wetlands in Reducing Nutrient Pollution - Steve Beeman, President, Beemats Floating Wetlands 

Using Bioactive Media to Solve Real World Problems in Stormwater and Wastewater Applications – Antony Rios, E.I., Environmental Conservation Solutions, LLC