Author: Jim Lamar

Northwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director Lyle Seigler joined with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young, and Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert to applaud the recent decision by FWC to adopt a revised oyster management plan which will reestablish the oyster industry in Apalachicola Bay.

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership and also to hard work from dedicated scientists and project managers at FWC and DEP, we have seen an increase in oyster populations in Apalachicola Bay in recent years,” Siegler said. “It is certainly welcome news for the coastal communities in northwest Florida to learn oyster harvesting will return to the Bay.”

Details of the oyster management plan were shared earlier this week in the following news release issued by the Governor’s office:

Governor Ron DeSantis Applauds FWC’s Approval to Reopen Apalachicola Bay’s oyster industry

TALLAHASSEE — Governor Ron DeSantis applauded the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) unanimous approval to reestablish the oyster industry in Apalachicola Bay. The announcement is a result of FWC’s adoption of a revised oyster management plan for Apalachicola Bay which will establish annual seasons based on oyster abundance—balancing the continued long-term recovery of the species and local economy.

“Apalachicola’s oyster industry has been the cornerstone of Florida’s seafood economy for generations,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “No place knows oysters better than Apalachicola, which has historically produced more than 90% of Florida’s oysters. I look forward to continuing to invest in restoration activities that support the long-term restoration of Apalachicola Bay and the communities that rely on it.”

Today’s announcement follows continued investments by the DeSantis Administration to expedite the restoration of the Apalachicola Bay Ecosystem. Over the last two decades, bay-wide declines in the oyster reef resulted in a reduction of oyster populations that led to a closure in the area in 2020. Since 2019, over $38 Million has been invested in projects to expedite the restoration of a sustainable oyster industry.

“The reopening of Apalachicola Bay is the result of the unwavering dedication, hard work, and unifying spirit of Governor DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, FWC Commissioners and staff, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Franklin County, the Partnership for a Resilient Apalachicola Bay, the State University System, State Agencies, oyster harvesters and other stakeholders, and the local community,” said Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young. “This collaborative achievement stands as a testament to our shared commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainable resource management, and the long-term vitality of the region.”

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ bold leadership and the support of the Florida Legislature, the Department of Environmental Protection and its partners have made great strides towards restoring oyster habitat and improving water quality in Apalachicola Bay,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert. “Through careful management and continued investments in restoration activities, Florida is ensuring that Apalachicola’s iconic oysters can once again thrive, now and for generations to come.”

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership and also to hard work from dedicated scientists and project managers at FWC and DEP, we have seen an increase in oyster populations in Apalachicola Bay in recent years,” said Northwest Florida Water Management District Executive Director Lyle Seigler. “It is certainly welcome news for the coastal communities in northwest Florida to learn oyster harvesting will return to the Bay.”

Apalachicola Bay’s oyster industry has defined Franklin County and the Central Panhandle for generations, both culturally and economically. Oyster Harvests in Apalachicola Bay once dominated Florida’s commercial oyster fishery and represented a significant component of national commercial oyster production. Apalachicola oysters were an iconic, name-brand fishery on par with Maine lobster and Maryland blue crab. At the height of the industry, approximately 90% of the state’s commercial landings and 10% of commercially harvested wild oysters sold in the U.S. came from Apalachicola Bay.

The approved changes for Apalachicola Bay include:

• Establishing a process to set annual harvest levels for specific reefs in the Bay that meet a minimum threshold of oyster abundance.
• Establishing a harvest season with the initial season taking place January 1, 2026 – February 28, 2026, and then continuing with future seasons being October – February moving forward.
• Requiring a Commercial Apalachicola Bay (AB) Endorsement to commercially harvest oysters from the bay. All qualified applicants will have an opportunity to participate in the first season from January 1 – February 28, 2026, and the number of participants in the first season will set the cap for subsequent seasons.
• Establishing an Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity (ABRO) Permit for recreational harvesters who will be selected through a lottery process.
• Establishing reporting requirements for both recreational and commercial harvesters.

The changes approved for statewide oyster harvesting:

• Updating requirements related to culling and sorting of oysters statewide.

Commercial and recreational applications for the initial 2026 harvest season will open at 10 a.m. EDT on Nov. 10 and can be submitted through Dec.16 at 11:59 p.m. Commercial applicants can apply for the AB Endorsement through the Commercial Licensing System and recreational fishermen can apply for the ABRO Permit through GoOutdoorsFlorida.

The Northwest Florida Watersheds Partnership Program will provide funding for planning, data collection, design, and implementation of projects to enhance water quality, aquatic habitat, and water supply in priority sub-basins within the Northwest Florida Water Management District. 

This new program builds upon prior work to develop Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plans for each of the District’s seven major watersheds. Under the Watersheds Partnership Program, one priority sub-basin will be selected within each of the seven major watersheds where focused planning, coordination, and funding will facilitate the implementation of projects to address critical water resource issues. Work plans developed for each priority sub-basin will include a description of the basin, water resource issues and causes, projects that can address and remedy critical issues, and associated funding needs. 

The Program will be implemented in coordination with local and county governments, regional entities, and other interested and affected parties to maximize effectiveness. These potential partners include the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, and the three Panhandle Estuary Programs: the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program, Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program, and the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program.   

During October 2025, the District hosted public workshops for each of the seven watersheds to share information about the program and obtain input regarding the prioritization of sub-basins for work plan development. In addition to the public meetings, the District is accepting input via online surveys. 

To provide input regarding the selection of priority sub-basins within each watershed including water resource areas of concern, please click on the survey links below. Public input will be accepted through October 27, 2025. Draft work plans for each of the seven priority sub-basins are anticipated to be completed in January 2026. 

St. Andrews Bay Watershed 

Workshop PowerPoint: St. Andrews Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: St. Andrews Maps
Survey: St. Andrews Bay Public Survey  

Ochlockonee River and Bay Watershed 

Workshop PowerPoint: Ochlockonee River and Bay Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: Ochlockonee Maps
Survey: Ochlockonee River and Bay Public Survey 

St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed 

Workshop PowerPoint: St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: St. Marks and Apalachee Bay Maps
Survey: St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Public Survey  

Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed 

Workshop PowerPoint: Choctawhatchee River and Bay Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: Choctawhatchee Maps
Public Survey: Choctawhatchee River and Bay Public Survey

Perdido and Pensacola Bays Watersheds 

Workshop PowerPoint: Pensacola and Perdido Bay Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: Pensacola and Perdido Bay Maps
Perdido River and Bay Watershed Survey: Perdido River and Bay Public Survey
Pensacola River and Bay Watershed Survey: Pensacola Bay Public Survey 

Apalachicola River and Bay Watershed 

Workshop PowerPoint: Apalachicola River and Bay Presentation
Maps of Candidate Watersheds for Survey: Apalachicola River and Bay Maps
Survey: Apalachicola Public Survey  

Please provide completed surveys by Monday, October 27. 

For additional information, please contact Darryl Boudreau at Darryl.Boudreau@nwfwater.com or by phone at (850) 207-4477, or Jerrick Saquibal at Jerrick.Saquibal@nwfwater.com, or by phone at (850) 539-5999 

PANAMA CITY – Contractors for the Northwest Florida Water Management District continued work this week in Bay County clearing debris and materials from Bayou George Creek and Bear Creek.

Much of the debris first appeared in the two creeks following the landfall of Hurricane Michael in 2018. Subsequent hurricanes, tornadoes, and other heavy storms added more debris to these waterways, causing flooding issues and impacting the natural flow of water in this area.

Slightly more than $2.7 million was appropriated by the Florida legislature, distributed through the Department of Environmental Protection, and approved in the most recent budget signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fund the removal of storm-related debris from more than eight miles of Bear Creek and more than four miles of Bayou George Creek.

“We remain grateful to DEP, the legislature – especially Sen. Trumbull and Rep. Griffitts – and to Gov. DeSantis for the assistance to finally complete clean-up efforts along Bayou George and Bear Creek,” said George Roberts, Chairman of the Governing Board for the Northwest Florida Water Management District. “We are not working alone on this project. Bay County leaders are assisting by assigning crews to haul off and dispose debris once it has been removed from these creeks. The County is also helping our contractors identify staging areas where equipment can be launched and debris can be consolidated prior to disposal.”

All debris removal will be conducted in an environmentally sensitive manner and will remain in compliance with permits issued by the Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The removal of boats, vessels, or other watercraft is not allowed.

“For Bay County residents, cleaning up after Hurricane Michael and all the storms that followed has been a long and sometimes difficult process,” said State Sen. Jay Trumbull, who represents Bay County. “That’s why I’ve been committed to ensuring the water management district has the resources it needs to get this work done. I’m grateful for their efforts to remove fallen trees and debris, which will ease flooding concerns and bring relief to the families who live here.”

Debris removal began first on Bayou George Creek, where contractors will clear more than four miles of waterway as part of the project. Contractors will use a variety of methods to extract the debris and place it on dry land. Bay County work crews will then transport and dispose of the debris at appropriate disposal locations.

“Returning these waterways to their natural state so the water can move like it’s supposed to move will do so much to lessen the risk of flooding in this area,” said State Rep. Griff Griffitts, who represents Bay County. “I appreciate the work of the water management district but also Bay County officials who have stepped up and coordinated the disposal of this debris. That is a huge cost savings for this overall project and it does make a difference.”

Only debris located in public waters and rights of way will be removed as part of this project.

“Clearing Bayou George and Bear creeks will give families in the area peace of mind while helping protect their properties from future flooding,” Bay County Commission Chairman Doug Moore said. “We thank our state partners and the Northwest Florida Water Management District for making this project a reality, and we are happy to be a part of the effort.”

The project is expected to be completed no later than March 14, 2026.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District announces the availability of funding to help communities across northwest Florida plan for and implement distributed wastewater projects benefitting waterbodies that are currently not attaining water quality standards.

Projects recommended for award are subject to approval by the District’s Governing Board and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

More details on the funding opportunity as well as an application form and funding conditions can be found by clicking here.

The deadline for submitting applications is Sept. 22, 2025.

HAVANA – Sprinkled among the expansive green fields in Jackson County are towering irrigation systems, crop rows stretching to the horizon, and lazily grazing cattle. These are the lands of local producers, farmers and landowners of the largest agricultural area in northwest Florida. Not only do these lands provide food for communities but they are integral to the welfare of the neighboring Jackson Blue Spring, and, ultimately, the Chipola River.

With the aim of protecting these water resources, the Northwest Florida Water Management District, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, launched the Agricultural Cost-Share Program to work with local producers to find ways to reduce the strain on water supplies and lessen nitrate concentrations in groundwater caused by agricultural practices. The program, now in its 13th year, has experienced so much success that its eligibility area has recently been expanded from solely the Jackson Blue Spring Basin Management Plan (BMAP) area to also include the greater Chipola River Springs GWCA.

The focus of the District’s grant program is to provide cost-share funding for eligible equipment purchases and agricultural practices that reduce water use or nitrogen application. Producers can choose from a list of eligible equipment and practices, ranging from nutrient and irrigation management to conservation tillage and livestock management. Some producers may focus on retrofitting their existing irrigation systems with newer, more efficient technology, while others might focus on systems that reduce the amount of fertilizer applied to crops.

A newer part of this program deals with sod-based crop rotation. Originally developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), sod-based crop rotation alternates grass production with legume and row crop production and has shown to improve soil composition and increase crop yields. If cattle are also present and grazing in the same fields, there is the added benefit of cycling nutrients at the surface of the soil profile rather than losing them through leeching below the root zones. Data collected by the UF/IFAS has shown the sod-based rotation farming system has the potential to reduce irrigation water usage and nitrogen usage by 50 percent while increasing crop yields from 15-40 percent.

To achieve maximum efficacy, producers who opt into the sod-based crop rotation grant program will begin a four-year crop rotation plan. Initially, a perennial grass is grown for the first two years, with or without cattle grazing. Then, in the third year, a peanut or other legume crop is planted on top of the grass that has been killed via herbicide treatment. Finally, a crop with higher nitrogen requirements, such as corn or cotton, is planted in the fourth year.

For a producer to receive funding from the Agricultural Cost-Share Program, there are several requirements that must be met for program eligibility. These include having the project site be owned or leased by the producer, it must be located within the Jackson Blue Spring BMAP or the Chipola River Springs GWCA, and it must be in regulatory compliance. Additionally, the producer and project site must be enrolled in the applicable FDACS BMP program, all irrigation projects must have a prior qualifying Mobile Irrigation Lab evaluation, and all equipment purchased under District cost-share within the past five years must be inspected by District staff prior to entering into a new cost-share agreement. Lastly, the project must not be funded from any other cost-share programs.

Once all requirements have been met, producers may apply for cost-share assistance using their Notice of Intent (NOI) once per calendar year for each equipment and practices and/or cover crops, with a September 30 deadline for applications. Under the program, the District will fund 75 percent of qualifying equipment and practices costs with the producers providing the remaining 25 percent. Cover crop reimbursement rates are approximately $55 per acre for single species and $65 per acre for multiple species, limited to 300 acres per NOI. Maximum reimbursement for equipment and practices and cover crops combined is $100,000 per grant funding source.

For those interested in participating in the Agricultural Cost-Share program, or anyone looking for more information, please visit https://nwfwater.com/Water-Resources/Agriculture/.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District has opened the cycle for anticipated grant funding for springs restoration and alternative water supply projects for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.

The District conducts this funding program annually in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to assist local government and utilities (and, in the case of springs projects, agricultural producers).

Projects recommended for award will be subject to approval of state and District FY 2025-2026 budgets and approval by the District’s Governing Board and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Projects eligible for springs restoration funding are capital projects which protect the quality and quantity of water that flows to and from springs as well as land-acquisition projects which protect springs.

Projects eligible for alternative water supply funding are those which help communities plan for and implement water conservation, water reuse, and other alternative water supply and water resource development projects.

For more information on the District’s grant funding opportunities for springs restoration and alternative water supply projects, including applications, funding guidelines, and guidance, please visit https://nwfwater.com/water-resources/funding-programs/.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District issued this Emergency Order for Hurricane Helene.

The Northwest Florida Water Management District has rescheduled its final budget hearing for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget because of possible impacts from Hurricane Helene. The original hearing was scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26.

The hearing will now take place via telephone conference call at 6:05 p.m. (Eastern) on Monday, Sept. 30.

To participate in the call, dial toll-free 1-888-585-9008. Once prompted, enter the following code to access the call: 778 688 267 # (pound sign).

TALLAHASSEE — Governor Ron DeSantis announced the reappointment of Kellie Ralston and Anna Upton to the Governing Board of the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

Kellie Ralston
Ralston is the Vice President of Conservation and Public Policy for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. Previously, she served as the Southeast Fisheries Policy Director and Florida Fisheries Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association. Active in her community, she is currently appointed to the Environmental Regulation Commission, is Chair of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, and is a member of the American Fisheries Advisory Committee. Ralston earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Florida State University.

Anna Upton
Upton is the Chief Executive Officer of The Everglades Trust and the Managing Member of Anna H. Upton, P.L. Active in her community, she is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida. She is the recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award and is a four-time recipient of the Super Lawyers Rising Star Award. Upton earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wake Forest University and her juris doctor from Stetson University.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.