Announcing the Newly Updated LAKEWATCH Website!
By Florida LAKEWATCH Data Manager, Marina Schwartz, and Regional Coordinator, Natalie Anderson
Over the past several months, the Florida LAKEWATCH team has been hard at work reimagining how the program’s website can better serve our citizen-science community. The refreshed LAKEWATCH website is now live, offering improved organization, smoother functionality, and a clean, modern design. This update reflects LAKEWATCH’s ongoing commitment to making the experience intuitive, reliable, and enjoyable for volunteers, stakeholders, and researchers alike.
What’s New and Improved:
Streamlined Organization The new site features a clearer, more intuitive layout. Simplified menus and better-grouped content make it easier to find what you need, whether that’s a waterbody report, volunteer resources, program updates, or analytical tools. Major sections have been reorganized to reduce clutter and bring the most frequently used pages to the forefront, including the brand-new Data Hub.
A Better Experience For Volunteers Volunteers are the backbone of LAKEWATCH, and the redesigned Volunteer Hub reflects that priority. It now provides easier access to training materials, sampling guides, collection center locations, and essential resources. Whether you’re just beginning your journey as a volunteer or have been collecting data for years, the updated pages ensure you’ll find the tools you need quickly and efficiently.
A New LAKEWATCH Data Dashboard One of the most exciting additions is the interactive LAKEWATCH Data Dashboard, which makes Florida’s long-term water quality data more accessible than ever. With this tool, you can:
- Quickly search for waterbodies using filters and a responsive map
- View long-term data through clean, dynamic graphs
- Compare key parameters like chlorophyll, Secchi depth, color, and nutrients all on one screen
- Download data and visualizations for reports, presentations, or personal use
This tool brings decades of LAKEWATCH monitoring right to your fingertips, whether you’re checking on your own lake, preparing educational materials, or exploring statewide water quality patterns.
Highlighting Teaching, Research, and Laboratory Services LAKEWATCH is more than a monitoring program; It’s a hub for education and research. The updated website features dedicated pages for Research, Teaching and Laboratory Services. Visitors can learn more about student involvement, ongoing research projects, and laboratory services that support the program’s mission. This focus highlights LAKEWATCH’s role in fostering collaboration between citizen scientists, educators, and researchers. We hope this refreshed website and its expanded focus on research and education will inspire even more people to engage with LAKEWATCH, whether through volunteering, research, or outreach. Thank you for being part of this journey.
A Dock for Dan
By Florida LAKEWATCH Extension Manager, Liz Moreau
In 2024 we lost our dear friend and colleague, LAKEWATCH founder Dr. Dan Canfield. His vision and dedication shaped the program we know today. In 2025 faculty, staff, and students in the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program at UF came together to fund new docks for our educational ponds. The first was dedicated to Dan.
We want to extend our gratitude to Dr. Chuck Cichra, retired professor and former Director of the Fishing for Success program, and Tim Smith, head of Millhopper Campus Operations. Chuck and Tim organized the donations and dedication, and then went the extra mile by building the dock themselves!
What’s on LAKEWATCH Social Media?
Here’s What Volunteers Can Expect
Written by Florida LAKEWATCH Regional Coordinator, Natalie Anderson Florida LAKEWATCH is making waves online! Our social media channels Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky are packed with content designed to keep volunteers informed, inspired, and connected. From educational campaigns to safety tips and fun seasonal features, here’s a snapshot of what you’ll find:
- Educational Series: Dive into topics like muck formation, lake morphometry, and trophic states. Posts include photos, facts, and resources from LAKEWATCH circulars and handbooks.
- Wildlife Spotlights: Bi-weekly features on Florida’s aquatic birds and freshwater fish, complete with stunning images and fascinating details.
- Volunteer Highlights: Monthly spotlights celebrate the incredible people behind LAKEWATCH.
Safety and Awareness: Practical tips on boating, sun protection, and alligator awareness to keep you safe during fieldwork and recreation.
- Seasonal Fun: From Lake Appreciation Month trivia to spooky invertebrates in October, we keep things engaging year-round.
- Ask the Expert: Quarterly Q & A sessions with LAKEWATCH specialists to answer your questions.
- Latest Research: Be among the first to learn about newly published research by the LAKEWATCH team.
Our goal is to make our social channels a hub for learning, safety, and community. If you haven’t already, give us a like and follow. Your engagement helps us grow and share the mission of LAKEWATCH! Follow Us Here:
2025 Milestones
This year we implemented two new milestones for volunteers to look forward to! At 10 years of participation with LAKEWATCH you will receive a beautiful dry bag imprinted with our logo. At 30 years you will receive a special plaque celebrating your dedication - and we keep a duplicate to display in our 'LAKEWATCH Hall of Fame'.
This year we gave out:
- 10 plaques for 30 years
- 5 shirts for 20 years
- 7 paddles for 15 years
- MANY dry bags (we lost count!) for 10 years
Whether you've been with us for decades or are just getting started - we are so happy to have you and grateful for all that you do. You are ambassadors for your lake (or river or estuary), you contribute to important research and monitoring, the State of Florida relies on your data! THANK YOU!!
Florida bass
Scientific name: Micropterus slamoides
Written by Regional Coordinator, Dan Willis
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Florida have recently been determined to be its own species. The Largemouth bass in Florida is now called the Florida bass (Micropterus salmoides). Largemouth bass will now be Micropterus nigricans. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will consider them the same species for regulation purposes because they are visually indistinguishable. The Florida bass is the largest member of the sunfish family (Centrachidae). It is identified by its light green to brown colored sides and dark green color along the top part of its body. A dark green to black stripe extends along the lateral line to the tail and the belly is white. Its upper jaw extends beyond the rear edge of the eye when the mouth is closed. The spiny dorsal fin appears to be separated from the soft dorsal fin. The fish spawns primarily in the spring (March - April), however spawning can also extend from January through May. The males build the nest by fanning out a circle sometimes twice the length of the fish. Florida’s state record is 17.27 pounds and was caught by Billy O’Berry in an unidentified lake in Polk County in 1986. There have been a few other bass above 20 pounds caught in the state (1923 & 1984) but they were not certified.
The Florida bass is possibly one of the most recognized freshwater sport fish in the world. It brings in millions of dollars to Florida’s economy. It can be caught with live bait such as shiners and/or artificial lures (plugs, spinner baits, plastic worms, etc.). When fishing for the Florida bass you should be aware of the bag and size limits of the fish. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also has a program called TrophyCatch. This program rewards anglers that catch and release a Florida bass weighing 8 pounds or more. The angler will be eligible for prizes but must submit photos and or videos of their catch to TrophyCatch.com. The entire body of the fish and its weight on a scale must be documented before it is released.
- Diet: Juvenile Florida bass will feed on zooplankton and once they reach approximately 1 inch in length transfer to small fish. Adult fish feed primarily on fish. They will also eat insects, crustaceans, amphibians, and some cases small birds and mammals.
- Distribution in the US: Florida bass can be found in a variety of lakes from oligotrophic to hypereutrophic systems. They survive and flourish in many of these different types of trophic states and habitats because of their ability to adapt their feeding strategies and feed on multiply types of prey. They are endemic to Florida however the Florida bass has been documented in other southeast states (Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina). States such as California and Texas have introduced the Florida bass with intention to grow larger bass in their waterbodies.
- More information: FWC Florida/Largemouth Bass, Florida Museum, more on the name change
Belted Kingfisher
Scientific Name: Megaceryle alcyon
Written by Florida LAKEWATCH Regional Coordinator, Natalie Anderson
The Belted Kingfisher is my personal favorite bird, one I’ve grown to love over the years. I first encountered these fishers in Cape May, New Jersey, along the Delaware Bay, where their rattling calls and swift dives mesmerized me. After moving to Florida, I began spotting them perched on telephone lines along State Road 24 on my way to Cedar Key. Small, vibrant, and fierce, these birds never fail to impress with their bold personalities and fishing expertise. Belted Kingfishers are unmistakable as they patrol rivers, lakes, and coastal shorelines with their bold crests and sharp calls. Unlike many bird species, the female Belted Kingfisher is more colorful than the male. While males sport a single blue band across their white chest, females have an additional chestnut band, giving them a more vibrant appearance. This reversal of typical sexual dimorphism adds to their unique charm. Belted Kingfishers hunt by diving headfirst into water to catch fish, crayfish, and aquatic insects. Their heavy, straight bills are perfectly adapted for snatching slippery prey. They often hover briefly before plunging into the water. Want to see their fishing technique? Check out this short video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pSMLJ5NUfSg.
Both male and female kingfishers work together to dig their nest. Using their bills and feet, they tunnel into riverbanks near water. It’s a serious construction project, with burrows reaching anywhere from 3 to 8 feet long. The end of the chamber is then lined with fish bones and scales, before a clutch of 5-8 eggs is laid.
If you’d like to observe Belted Kingfishers up close, visit places like Paynes Prairie Preserve, Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, or Everglades National Park. Their energetic flight, rattling calls, and dramatic dives make them a favorite among birdwatchers, nature photographers, and me personally.
- Fun fact: The oldest known kingfisher fossils in North America date back over 30 million years to the Oligocene epoch and were discovered in Wyoming. However, the earliest definitive fossil from a more modern-looking genus appeared about 2 million years ago and was found in Florida.
- Diet: Fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, and small amphibians.
- Threats: Habitat loss, pollution, shoreline development.
- Status: Not endangered
- More Information: Audubon, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Reminders
Who you gonna call?
Broken Bottles
The LAKEWATCH Lab has been receiving nutrient bottles that are in rough shape. These are the smaller bottles that you fill and freeze each time you sample. We reuse these bottles for as long as possible to save money for the program and keep as many lakes in the program as we can. Please follow the tips below to help us keep using these nutrient bottles:
- Please do not write on the bottles. Make sure to write on the labels only.
- Don't overfill them. The water expands as it freezes and will crack the bottles.
- Be careful when handling frozen bottles as they can crack easily.
Please complete your data sheet!
You work hard for your data so don't forget the little things. Data sheets without sampling and filtering times and dates must be entered with "qualifiers", which means they won't be as useful to DEP and researchers. In fact, they may not be able to be entered into DEP's Watershed Information Network at all.
The LAKEWATCH newsletter is edited by Dr. Liz Moreau. You can reach out with questions, comments, or feedback at duermite@ufl.edu