WRC Library Donations!

CHEC and The Watershed Resource Center would like to thank the Punta Gorda office of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission for their generous donation of periodicals, books and binders.  Stephanie Rousso was organizing an office cleaning effort and remembered her friends at CHEC!  The books and journals included in the donation are a valuable addition to the WRC library and will be available to citizens interested in local environmental issues.  You can visit the WRC library any time during regular business hours.

Quick Facts: Bay Scallops

• Scientific name, Argopecten irradians
• In southeast Florida, bay scallops are rare or nonexistent. Found mostly in coastal waters of West Florida, bay scallops are bivalve mollusks occurring in localized populations from St. Andrew Sound in Bay County to Pine Island Sound in Lee County.
• Bay scallops dwell in seagrass meadows beneath 4 to 8 feet of water.  Larval scallops live in the water column, instead ofon the bottom, for 10 to 14 days. This pelagic phase, during which offspring may be dispersed far from the source population, connects local populations and is critical to sustaining the greater population.

Information provided by the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves in the Spring 2008 Charlotte Harbor Soundings newsletter

Water Conservation Tip #11 Delay household chores

Run automatic dishwashers only when fully loaded. Set clothes washers to the appropriate water level for the size of load you are washing.

Brought to you by the Southwest Florida Water Management Districts Water Conservation Program