Waterways:
Jorge Acevedo
Utilities & Right-of-Way Division Chief
(305) 460-5006
Mangrove Trimming Resources:
Mangroves are protected under Florida State Law.
The regulating agency for mangroves in Miami-Dade County is Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management - DERM, Coastal Section.
Trimming of most mangroves within Coral Gables will require the services of a Miami-Dade County Certified and Registered Professional Mangrove Trimmer.
For information on mangrove trimming permits and finding professional mangrove trimmers please contact,
Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management - DERM, Coastal Section
(305) 372-6575
Office location:
Overtown Transit Village
701 NW 1st Court, 6th Floor
Miami, Florida 33136
The links below are provided for reference only. All questions regarding mangrove trimming and professional mangrove trimmers should be directed to Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management - DERM, Coastal Section.
What is Nutrient Pollution?
Nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, are naturally occurring – but can be too much of a good thing when found in high concentrations in our waterways. These nutrients are very high in sewage, septic tanks, storm-water runoff, and fertilizers.
Nutrient pollution can contribute to algae blooms. Algae blooms turn the water green and smell terrible, smothering seagrass and killing fish -- they can even be harmful to humans.
Potential Sources of Nutrient Pollution
Fertilizers
Fertilizer is often over-used in residential landscaping. Biscayne Bay and our canals are extremely sensitive to excess nutrients, so we have to be sure to keep these nutrients out of the water to avoid algae blooms.
Septic Tanks
When not properly cared for, septic tanks can leak or flood – creating a land-based source of pollution that drains into our waterways. This pollution can also contaminate the aquifer, our drinking water stored underground. Always maintain your septic tank and have it regularly inspected.
Storm-Water Runoff
Storm-water Runoff is any type of water that doesn’t soak into the ground, but instead “runs off” down a drain or grate and into a waterway. Sometimes this water flows over polluted areas such as parking lots, roads, industrial sites, or yards, bringing contamination into waterways.
Tips to Reduce Nutrient Runoff Pollution
| Storm Water/Nutrient Runoff Brochure English | Storm Water/Nutrient Runoff Brochure Spanish |
Florida International University Tide Gauge Sediment Elevation Study
Scope of Work
Coastal wetlands provide essential direct livelihood services to millions of people, as well as critical regulating services such as maintenance of water quality, protection from storms and erosion, and carbon sequestration. Measuring the vertical movement of the coastal wetland surface and its constituent processes, and relative local sea-level rise (SLR) is necessary to determine whether a wetland can keep pace with SLR.
3 monitoring stations have been installed throughout the City waterways as a part of this project, with two of the stations including both tidal and sediment elevation (RSET-MH) monitoring: (1) Inland Coral Gables waterway, (2) coastal Coral Gables waterway, and (3) Matheson Hammock Park/Preserve.
Tidal & Water Level Monitoring
Each of the 4 sampling stations include a pressure gauge (Level Troll with conductivity and pressure sensors) that is installed and referenced to NAVD88 and to RSET benchmarks. Water level data are recorded at 15 minute intervals. Locations for tidal stations include Blue Road and Islands of Cocoplum along the Coral Gables waterway where water surface height near coast and inland, to detect potential differences due to rain and canal discharge between inland and outflow waterway locations, are monitored. Mangrove forest water levels are monitored at each RSET site in Matheson Hammock Park and in Islands of Cocoplum mangrove forest areas (blue stars). As part of tidal station maintenance, pressure transducers are field checked with on-site water level measurements, dessicants checked and replaced as needed, and data downloaded monthly. All 4 stations are set up with a telemetry system to obtain real-time data
Sediment Elevation
Two sediment elevation monitoring sites have been established in mangrove forest areas. From the benchmark pipe, a RSET arm with 9 vertical pins is used to measure the height of the soil relative to the referenced benchmark (36 measurements total). SET measurements are conducted every 6 months. Feldspar marker horizons are established to assess vertical change in soil elevation due to deposition of sediments and organic materials.
CREST buoy with autosampler at the Blue Road sampling site
Below you will find a link to the live stream data. The buoy is called "CREST_1".