WATERKEEPERS FLORIDA MEMBERS

Tampa Bay Waterkeeper is dedicated to ensuring fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water for all. Their mission is to protect everyone’s right to clean water by working collaboratively with citizens, local organizations and governments to safeguard our coastal and inland waters using the law, science and community action in and around the Tampa Bay.

Suwannee Riverkeeper and its umbrella WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River basin and estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities. That includes the entire Suwannee River Basin, 9,950 square miles: 5,720 in Georgia and 4,230 in Florida, from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico.

The mission of Suncoast Waterkeeper is to protect and restore the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, fieldwork, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. The Suncoast is an area in Southwest Florida that includes the coastal areas of Manatee, Sarasota, and Northern Charlotte Counties.

The Kissimmee Waterkeeper region begins in downtown Orlando and extends southward to the shores of Lake Okeechobee, an area of 4,100 square miles. It is a complex, diverse landscape with hundreds of lakes dominating the northern and western sections and with expansive wetlands and prairies in its core. Kissimmee Waterkeeper was established with the dual priorities of climate and water, given that increasingly extreme local and global temperatures, rainfall patterns, soil & water chemistry and sea levels will fundamentally determine future water outcomes. Kissimmee Waterkeeper is working to bring the annual U.N. climate conference to Florida and other U.S. communities through virtual technologies. Kissimmee Waterkeeper is also engaged in legislative advocacy to promote carbon sequestration in our watersheds. By capturing carbon as organic matter in soils, wetlands and forests we can also reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus pollution that degrades Florida waters.

The St. Marys River is a blackwater river which runs 126 miles from its origins in the Okefenokee Swamp to its mouth between Cumberland Island in Georgia and Amelia Island Florida. The St. Marys River watershed has over 3,000 miles of streams and tributaries, and over 40% of the watershed is comprised of wetlands. Founded in 2016, the St. Marys Riverkeeper represents over 400 members who are committed to the preservation of our watershed.

Apalachicola Riverkeeper is dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Apalachicola River and Bay. With support of 1400+ members, Apalachicola Riverkeeper advocates on behalf of the Apalachicola River and Bay. The 106-mile Apalachicola River meanders from Chattahoochee, Florida to the Gulf of Mexico in the Panhandle. It is Florida’s largest river in volume. Its ecosystem includes 112,000 acres of forested floodplain and 280 square miles of estuarine habitat. The Apalachicola River is a significant source of freshwater flow and natural, life-sustaining nutrients into the Eastern Gulf.

Calusa Waterkeeper, headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida, is dedicated to the protection of the waters within our 1,000 square mile jurisdiction including the Caloosahatchee River & Estuary, Lake Okeechobee, Nicodemus Slough, Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay, through education, advocacy, and litigation where necessary.

Collier County Waterkeeper is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters. Southwest Florida is home to some of the most pristine beaches, and most delicious fresh seafood in the world. CCWK works to maintain these idyllic scenes, delicate ecosystems and crystal clear waters through frequent testing, lobbying, and promoting sustainability.

Emerald Coastkeeper is based on Pensacola and monitors four watersheds in the Florida panhandle. Their mission is to investigate, educate, and protect our ring tot swimmable fishable, drinkable water.

The Indian River Lagoon is the most diverse estuary in North America. Home to protected and endangered fish, mammals, reptiles and plants, this saltwater estuary stretches 156 miles from Palm Beach County to north of Cape Canaveral. Bridging temperate and tropical zones it is home for over 4,000 plant and animal species. The Indian Riverkeeper patrols the watershed, documents pollution, educates the public, agencies and elected officials and fights for protection.

Lake Worth Waterkeeper is dedicated to the Lake Worth Lagoon and its watershed, considered the northern extent of the Everglades it has endured significant change throughout history. Once a land locked freshwater lake connected by aquifer, the lagoon was changed into a coastal estuary a hundred years ago when inlets and canals were built changing its connection. This brings a unique management opportunity because we are effectively engineering a habitat from scratch.

The mission of the Matanzas Riverkeeper is to protect the health of the Matanzas River and its watershed through advocacy, education, and community engagement. The Matanzas River is especially unique running through downtown St. Augustine with two historic forts on its banks and a thriving estuarine ecosystem where the water is clean enough to harvest oysters from. Their work includes everything from advocating for stronger water quality protections to teaching children and adults alike how to be good stewards of our environment.

We protect South Florida’s waters by advocating for resilient solutions grounded in science, rooted in nature, and driven by community. We envision a resilient South Florida that is a global leader in clean water solutions, where thriving communities and nature coexist.

Peace and Myakka Waterkeeper’s mission is simple: Preserve and protect water quality and ecological integrity in the watersheds and estuaries of the Peace and Myakka Rivers of Florida. Sounds easy, but in those watersheds are tens of thousands of acres in agriculture, with little or no regulation of nutrient pollution, and the phosphate industry, which has strip-mined over 700 square miles of Florida native habitat and agricultural land.

St. Johns Riverkeeper is an environmental advocacy non-profit organization that serves to defend the St. Johns River and advocate for its protection. As a "watchdog" for our River's nearly 9,000 square-mile Watershed, we'll go wherever our River needs an independent voice. We tackle many issues for the St. Johns River, and accomplish our mission by educating and empowering citizens to help us protect it. We Investigate pollution problems, such as toxic algae blooms we might see, we advocate for policy change to seek sensible, holistic policy and solutions for clean water, we educate the public by providing information to raise awareness about these issues, and we activate others to get involved.