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Die-off in Indian River Lagoon killing dolphins, manatees
Posted by Tampa Bay Times: Craig Pittman on June 16th, 2013
Tampa Bay Times: The Indian River Lagoon on Florida's east coast has long been known as the most diverse ecosystem in North America. Its 156 miles of water boasts more than 600 species of fish and more than 300 kinds of birds.
The lagoon is not just an ecological treasure. To the towns along its edge -- Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Vero Beach and Stuart, among others -- it accounts for hundreds of millions in revenue from angling, boating, bird-watching, tourism and other waterfront activities.
But these days...
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Florida’s vanishing springs
Posted by Tampa Bay Times: Craig Pittman on November 25th, 2012
Tampa Bay Times: North of Gainesville, a church camp once attracted thousands of visitors because it was built around the gushing waters of Hornsby Springs. Then the spring stopped flowing and the camp had to spend more than $1 million to build a water park to replace it. The old spring site is now so stagnant that it's frequently declared unfit for humans to swim in. In Silver Springs, where the water was once so clear it was as if the fish swam through air, there are now goopy mats of algae so thick that alligators...