Florida municipalities are spearheading shoreline resiliency through nature-based solutions

Most of Florida's living shoreline restoration has happened on public lands by local governments. There are more than 33 such efforts known across the state. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States with about 8,500 miles of tidal shoreline.

While a waterfront view seems idyllic, the reality is, communities and their residents are dealing with the pressures of rising sea levels. Global warming has elevated Florida's water by about eight inches since 1950. And it’s expected to keep growing an inch every few years in some areas.

Public officials have been slowly adapting over the past decade or so by taking the lead on a nature-based way of stabilizing the coast called living shorelines. WUSF is kicking off NPR’s Climate Solutions Week with a look at some of these initiatives around the Tampa Bay region.

Private homeowners in Florida are working together to make their shared shorelines more resilient

A marine biologist is helping residents of St. Pete Beach and Tampa make their shorelines more resilient using nature-based methods.

Earlier this week, we learned how local municipalities have been taking the lead on making Florida's coast more resilient through living shorelines. That means they're replacing aging, hard infrastructure, like concrete seawalls, with softer, more natural elements, such as plants, rocks, and oyster reefs.

Continuing our coverage during NPR's Climate Solutions Week, WUSF is exploring an important factor in this effort: private homeowners.

Keys underwater memorial to wrecked slave ship draws pilgrims seeking to connect with their roots

A group of Black divers recently visited the site where the British slave ship Henrietta Marie sank 326 years ago.

Ruthie Browning dove into the calm, blue water off Key West, Florida, expecting to see "a big, old rock with stuff growing all over it." She was on a pilgrimage with other Black divers and community members, visiting sacred sites including one where a British slave ship — the Henrietta Marie — sank 326 years ago.

The vessel had delivered 200 enslaved people from West Africa to Jamaica and was heading back to Britain in 1700 — near the peak of the trans-Atlantic slave trade — when it was swallowed up in the churning waters of New Ground Reef where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico. A concrete marker at the site memorializes the people on that ship.

As Browning and her group prepared to dive in early May, the water was calm. The marker, 20 feet (6 meters) below, was visible from the glassy surface. "I thought I'd look at it, pay my respects and that'll be that," she said.

Drought drains Southwest Florida water reserve, officials say supply is secure

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release 2026 roadmap for Everglades restoration projects

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District will release the roadmap for the next phase of Everglades restoration - the Final 2026 Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) - during a virtual session of the Working Group of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (SFER). The IDS serves as the roadmap for the sequencing of planning, design, and construction for major Everglades restoration project, aligning federal and state priorities and providing a clear path forward for continued progress across South Florida. The 2026 IDS reflects sustained federal leadership and investment in Everglades restoration, including actions taken during the Trump Administration to advance project delivery, strengthen intergovernmental coordination, and emphasize timely implementation of restoration priorities.

USACE releases the Environmental Assessment for Anclote River Florida Project for Public Comment

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District (USACE), Regulation (32 CFR 651), the Environmental Assessment (EA) and proposed Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Anclote River, Florida Project (EAXX-202-00-K3P-1765294248) is being released for a 30-day public comment period.

The EA, is available for your review on the Jacksonville District’s Environmental planning website under Pinellas County: https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-Offices/Planning/Environmental-Branch/Environmental-Documents/.

The purpose of this project is to maintain safe and efficient vessel navigation throughout the Anclote River federal channel and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) Cut P-41. The Anclote River is located on the west coast of Florida and borders Pinellas and Pasco Counties, approximately 20 miles north of Tampa. The federal channel begins in Tarpon Springs, runs through the St. Joseph Sound, and empties into the Gulf.

Water pipeline to North Central Florida delayed, potentially indefinitely

With millions of gallons being pumped every day amid record-breaking droughts, North Central Florida has a water problem. Lawmakers are trying to find solutions, but locals and environmentalists say they’re insufficient.

The Water First North Florida project was lawmakers’ $1.1 billion solution to recharging aquifers in the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers by pumping reclaimed water from Jacksonville municipal treatment plants. On Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee,, posted a letter saying the project — in its current state — was being cancelled. It now has to go back to the drawing board.

Florida's increasing population strains water supply

 Florida’s increasing population could strain water supply, according to information shared at the May 14 meeting of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board.

“More than 3 billion gallons of water are used every day in Central and South Florida by 9.4 million residents and millions of visitors,” explained Stacey Payseno of the SFWMD. “In the next 20 years, the population is projected to increase to over 11 million. The corresponding  water demand will increase by over 350 million gallons per day.

“Traditional water sources are insufficient to meet the future demands,” she said. Florida needs alternative water supply (AWS), including treated brackish water, reclaimed water and capturing excess water for later use in Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) wells and reservoirs, she explained.

Drought drains Southwest Florida water reserves, but officials say supply is secure

The Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s 6-billion gallon reservoir currently holds about 3 billion gallons of water. Between its reservoirs and its underground storage systems, the water supply authority now has about eight months of water in reserve — far less than normal. | Photo by Emily Andersen, Suncoast Searchlight

Standing on the wall of a reservoir the size of about four golf courses, it’s easy to see the impact of Southwest Florida’s extreme water shortage.

Operated by the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, the reservoir is built to hold 6 billion gallons of water. It is now half empty, and the distance between the current waterline and the visible mark where the water normally sits is striking.

The lack of water has become dangerous for local ecosystems, but as far as drinkable water supply is concerned, officials say they’re not panicking yet. Even if the drought continues through this year’s rainy season, officials are confident they can refill the supply before the end of the summer.