Clam Bayou Profiled in Florida Sportsman

The tidal creek restoration of Clam Bayou is profiled in the latest issue of Florida Sportsman magazine.

Although many residents may have been aware of restoration efforts, they may not have fully realized the science behind revitalizing a polluted body of water like Clam Bayou.

Described as an "environmental nightmare" when the project began, today the bayou has been restored to health. 

Brandt Henningsen, a scientist at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, explained the work that went into the effort. Helping Clam Bayou was considered key because it flows into Boca Ciega Bay and on to Tampa Bay.

The full effects of restoration will take time, too, as natural plants grow and thrive, attracting wildlife to the restored habitat. The natural plants will help to shade the network of creeks and ponds, lowering the temperature to make it more habitable for fish and other creatures.

Henningsen told the Tampa Bay Times: “The first rule of ecology states that everything is connected to everything else.”  

The district had to:

• Remove non-native plants that had overrun the area and threatened the creek's habitat, which was home to shorebirds and other wildlife.
• Restore tidal creeks that had been used as ditches, channeling storm water and garbage into the bayou.
• Create a trio of storm water treatment ponds with trash skimmers and tidal lagoons to naturally filter sediment and pollutants carried by storm water runoff.
• Return the main drainage ditch into the bayou into its previous curving water flow.
• Create shallow ponds from mosquito ditches to create a network of ponds that allow for "natural cleansing."