PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A concerning new report has found our water here in the Tampa Bay Area is getting warmer and losing its salinity.
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program released a new report showing how much our water temperature and salinity have changed over the last 50 years.
According to the report, Tampa Bay's water temperature has increased by 1.7 degrees Celsius since 1975, and salinity has decreased.
"As humans, we hear that, and it doesn't sound like a lot, but that is a lot for the organisms that live in the water," said Marcus Beck with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
He said the water is also becoming fresher.
"That's basically because we've seen more and more rainfall happening as a result of increased frequency of storms related to climate change," said Beck.
Beck said these changes could kill seagrass, the main food source for manatees.
"I love them! They scare you because they come up and blow, but they are the best you could have. They don't get any better than that," said Joe Rowe, a resident of St. Petersburg.
When it comes to manatees, Rowe is passionate.
"I'm a commercial fisherman. I'm avid about protecting it. Period. End of story, you know," said Rowe.
Local experts said you can help with the issue when it comes to your landscaping.
Beck recommends people limit their fertilizer usage and take advantage of Florida-friendly landscaping.
His organization is continuing to track the changes in the gulf.
"It's only going to get worse, and we need to act sooner rather than later, be proactive, and protect the resources we have," said Beck.
ABC Action News spoke with several small business owners across Polk County, and the topic on everyone's mind heading into the 2024 election was inflation.
