NEWS RELEASE

The Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) today announced the names of a seven person committee that will serve to oversee research being done by ORCA in the canal systems discharging into the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and funded by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. The committee, which will include Indian River County Commissioner Peter O’Bryan, will provide guidance to ORCA on the design of the project and will ensure that the research yields unbiased insight into the Indian River Lagoon’s health. Once reviewed by the research review panel, results from the project will be made available to the public. The goal is to complete a project that will provide stakeholders and decision makers with scientific results that are clear, holistic, and unbiased of the impact of various pollution sources in the IRL.

The first-of-its-kind research project, the Comprehensive Canal Study (CCS), will be a two-year study, which will take an ecosystem-wide approach to understanding the impact of various pollutants on the water quality of the lagoon. The multi-year study will allow scientist to assess seasonal impact, weather and anthropogenic events on the conditions the CCS is set to evaluate.

The CCS will involve ORCA’s science and technology, including Kilroy™ water monitoring systems and FAST™ sediment testing along with several other components. ORCA’s CEO and senior scientist, Edie Widder, Ph.D., will be leading the research project. Additional scientists and engineers from ORCA will participate in the project, including ORCA’s research scientist Dr. Beth Falls who will oversee all scientific aspects of the project. Dr. Falls will coordinate the collection and processing of environmental samples (e.g. sediment, water, seagrass, bivalves), and laboratory analysis of samples obtained. Dr. Falls will also work with statistical consultants to evaluate and interpret the data generated from the laboratory analysis as well as the Kilroys.

George Jones, director of special projects will oversee all aspects of the project to insure coordination between scientists, the research review panel and release of information to the public.

Analysis of samples to take place in ORCA’s laboratory as well as collaboration with Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, The University of Georgia, Indian River State College and Walsh University – Canton, Ohio.

The Comprehensive Canal Study Research Review Panel Members
Donald Albrey Arrington, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District
561-747-5700 x107

Arrington holds a B.S. from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. He has worked as a research scientist at the South Florida Water Management District, as an assistant professor at the University of Alabama and as the science director at the Perry Institute for Marine Science. Currently, he is the executive director of the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District (LRD), whose mission is to preserve and protect the National Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River. In addition to environmental education and monitoring efforts, the LRD operates 11 wastewater treatment and reuse facilities that provides irrigation quality water to meet landscape irrigation needs at 13 local golf courses and throughout Abacoa. Arrington has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles dealing with a diverse array of environmental issues. Most recently, he co-founded Fish Rules, LLC and created Fish Rules App to help recreational anglers understand saltwater fishing regulations.

Deborah Drum
Manager, Ecosystem Restoration & Management
Martin County
(772) 288-5495

Drum leads the Ecosystem Restoration and Management Division for Martin County. She has 21 years of experience working on south Florida environmental issues, from the Kissimmee River valley to the Florida Keys. Her focus has been on furthering restoration efforts for the greater Everglades ecosystem, most recently for the Loxahatchee River and St. Lucie Estuary. Drum has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in Marine Science Affairs, and a Master’s degree from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Marine Science Affairs. Her professional interest and focus has been on bridging the worlds of policy and science to result in improved environmental conditions in communities. Drum believes that working directly with stakeholders is where real restoration can find true success.

Boyd E. Gunsalus
Lead Environmental Scientist
Okeechobee Service Center
South Florida Water Management District
1-800-250-4200 ext. 3029

Gunsalus is a lead environmental scientist with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Boyd has been with the SFWMD for 29 years. He is the co-author of the “Wetland Rapid Assessment Procedure” (WRAP) which is used to evaluate wetland functions in the field for regulatory processes. He was also responsible for conducting water quality assessments within the watersheds of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon. Gunsalus provided technical support to the North Palm Beach Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project and the Restoration Plan for the Loxahatchee River. Currently, he is working with the Dispersed Water Management Program utilizing interim lands (publicly owned lands slated for regional water management projects in the future) to retain storm water and developing the “water farming” concept for storing water from regional canals on fallow citrus lands.

Peter D. O’Bryan
Indian River County Commissioner, District 4
772-226-1434

Commissioner O’Bryan is a native born Floridian and originally moved to the Indian River County area in 1984. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science from the University of Miami, with a minor in economics. O’Bryan has been active in many local organizations, and has been either a member of and/or served on the board of directors of the following organizations: Main Street of Vero Beach, Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, Pelican Island Audubon Society, Environmental Learning Center and The Exchange Club of Vero Beach. In 2006, he ran for and won the District 4 County Commission seat. In 2010, O’Bryan ran for and was re-elected to a second term as District 4 Commissioner. He served as the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners in 2010 and currently is serving as Chairman of the Board for 2013/2014. O’Bryan was awarded the Indian River Chamber of Commerce Carolyn K. Eggert award for Economic Development in 2010.

Mark Perry
Executive Director
Florida Oceanographic Society
772-225-0505

Perry is the executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society. The Florida Oceanographic Society conducts research, monitoring and habitat restoration in South Florida, particularly in the southern portion of the Indian River Lagoon. Research programs include the Florida Oceanographic Oyster Restoration program (FLOOR). FLOOR began in 2005 with local citizens volunteering through Florida Oceanographic Society to grow oysters off their private docks. The group grew to over 100 volunteers actively cultivating oysters, and in November 2009, Dr. Vincent Encomio, Research Scientist at Florida Oceanographic, and a team of volunteers began the Oyster Shell Recycling Program.

H. M. Ridgely
Real Estate Manager
Evans Properties, In.
772- 234-2410

H.M. Ridgely has been the real estate manager for Evans Properties of Vero Beach, FL for the last eight years. Evans Properties is a family owned business primarily in citrus, with interests in commercial real estate and other investments. Ridgely’s career background focused on tax planning, and investments management including private equity and venture capital, real estate development and investment. He worked for the IRS and in public accounting as well as a regional real estate developer before he managed a family owned investment office in Palm Beach for 15 years prior to joining Evans Properties. Ridgely also spent two years on the Water Resources Advisory Committee at SFWMD. He has a degree in accounting from Stetson University in Deland, FL.

Karen Smith, PWS
Director, Environmental Resources Department
St. Lucie County
772-462-2528

Smith has over 25 years of experience in water quality monitoring and data analysis, estuarine science and environmental restoration. Notably, she has worked on freshwater and estuarine water quality and restoration projects throughout the United States including a freshwater inflow study for Matagorda Bay, Texas; water quality studies for the Lower Colorado River; ultra-trace mercury monitoring for the Everglades; phosphorus and sediment removal study for Lake Okeechobee; and a multitude of water quality and restoration projects for the Chesapeake Bay, Cuyahoga River, Potomac River, Loxahatchee River, St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon. Over the years, she has completed restoration projects for wetlands, estuarine tidal flats, sea grass beds, dunes, streams and rivers. She’s also participated on numerous advisory boards including the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, Pal Mar Water Control Board and Loxahatchee River Advisory Council.

Smith’s area of expertise is developing applied solutions to complex environmental problems based on sound scientific research. She has an undergraduate degree in science with a specialty in water resources from the University of Maryland, an MBA with a focus on environmental policy from Florida Atlantic University and is a Certified Professional Wetland Scientist. Smith has held leadership positions with the Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas Program, Lower Colorado River Authority and the South Florida Water Management District and is currently the director of Environmental Resources for St. Lucie County.

 

ABOUT ORCA
In 2005, Edie Widder, Ph.D. founded the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) in Fort Pierce, Florida, with a focus on developing innovative technologies to protect and restore our aquatic ecosystems and the species they sustain.

Housed in the historic Coast Guard station in Fort Pierce, Florida, ORCA’s main campus is home to ORCA’s corporate offices, the ORCA FAST and Sentinel offices and laboratory. ORCA’s engineering facilities are located in Satellite Beach, Florida.

Since its inception, Dr. Widder and the ORCA team of engineers, research scientists and marine biologists have achieved exciting progress in using the latest technologies to develop low-cost solutions for analysis of our polluted waterways.

Among the programs currently underway at ORCA, The ORCA Kilroy™, the ORCA Fast Assessment of Sediment Toxicity (FAST™) and the ORCA Sentinel programs provide information on water characteristics and toxicity that when combined can be used to determine sources of non-point source pollution in coastal and estuary waters.

In addition to coastal and estuary conservation, ORCA’s Deep Sea Conservation programs utilize current technology to provide real time and video footage of deep ocean life and conditions. The ORCA Eye In The Sea is a real time camera system streaming continuous video to shore for months at a time while the ORCA Medusa is a deployable camera system capable of recording up to 72 hours of continuous video at depths up to 2000 meters.

By combining innovative technology and applied science, ORCA is leading the way in protection and conservation of our valuable coast, estuaries and oceans — saving these precious habitats for the generations of tomorrow.