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On the rebound? 2023 water quality results are in.
For back-to-back years, Tampa Bay's waters were clear enough to support seagrass growth. Thanks (in part) to less rainfall and stormwater pollution entering the bay, below average amounts of algae were observed in 2023. This comes as welcome news for bay managers who are still working to recover from significant seagrass losses in upper bay segments.
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program prepares a water quality report card each year. The report card compares light penetration and algae measurements to established targets. Results are summarized with a simple red, green and yellow color system. "Green" means the conditions are suitable for seagrass growth, while “red” means they are not.
Bay managers are cautiously optimistic that better water quality will lead to seagrass expansion. On-the-ground monitoring suggests that seagrasses may be increasing, while macroalgae is declining. Researchers won't be able to confirm these early signs until new estimates of seagrass acreage are available in early 2025.
To learn more about the water quality assessment, email Program Scientist Dr. Marcus Beck at mbeck@tbep.org.
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