Tampa unveils second "Spyder" Machine and Provides Ditch Grading Update

The City of Tampa is doubling down on flood protection with the recent purchase of a second ditch-grading machine known as a "Spyder." Built for steep banks, deep ditches, and challenging terrain, this specialized equipment will allow the City's in-house Stormwater Operations crews to grade more ditches faster -- helping improve drainage and reduce flooding throughout the city.

Officially known as the Menzi Muck M445x, this Swiss-made Spyder uses four hydraulic legs and all-wheel drive to reach areas where conventional equipment simply cannot operate. While standard excavators work well in easily accessible locations, many of Tampa's stormwater ditches extend into areas that require the unique abilities of this machine.

The addition of a second Spyder highlights the City's commitment to aggressively maintaining and improving its stormwater infrastructure.

Through mid-June, crews have graded more than 42,000 feet or about 8 miles of ditches. That is more than double the amount completed during the same period last year.

Properly graded ditches maximize the capacity of the stormwater system. There are nearly 200 miles of ditches in the city-limits.

With the support of Tampa City Council, the Mobility Department invested nearly $650,000 to purchase the new Spyder, which has been in service for several weeks. There are currently five city employees approved to operate these machines. 

The City's original Spyder is more than 10 years old and will continue supporting Stormwater Operations through its serviceable lifespan.

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Red Tide Status Update: August 7, 2026

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Red Tide was observed at background to low concentrations in 13 samples from Florida’s East Coast, and background concentrations in seven samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and NOAA NCCOS) to help track nearshore and offshore conditions. 

Additional details follow.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations offshore of Hillsborough County, and in Manatee, Charlotte, and Collier counties.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Wakulla County.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis observed at background to low concentrations in Nassau County and background to very low concentrations in Duval County.

No Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC's Fish Kill Hotline or other partners over the past week.

Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was not reported over the past week in Florida. For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf Coast Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.

Short-term (3.5 day) forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict northwestern movement of surface waters in most areas and variable transport of subsurface waters from Pinellas to northern Monroe counties.

The next status report will be issued on Friday, August 14. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.

This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines.

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.

Please follow our facebook page for status updates and other interesting facts about red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.

Tampa Bay Water Opens Applications for Water Conservation and Protection Grant Program

CLEARWATER, Fla. (Aug 3, 2026) – Tampa Bay Water is accepting applications for its Water Conservation and Protection Grant Program. The program offers up to $50,000 in funding for local projects that help conserve water, protect drinking water sources and promote environmental stewardship throughout the region. Grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 are available to community groups, nonprofits, schools and universities serving Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. 

"Big impacts often start with a simple idea," said Malique Rankin, public communications specialist. "Through this grant program, we're helping local organizations turn innovative ideas into projects that conserve water, protect our environment and strengthen our communities." 

Recent grant recipients have reached thousands of residents and students across the region through innovative projects that promote water conservation and environmental stewardship. Funded initiatives include interactive water education programs, citizen science opportunities, mobile exhibits, public art campaigns, kayak-based environmental learning experiences and community-led restoration efforts. These projects demonstrate how local organizations can make a meaningful impact in protecting the rivers, groundwater and ecosystems that support the Tampa Bay region's drinking water supply. 

Important Dates & Application Details:? 

• Application period open:?August?1,?2026 
• Deadline to apply:?November?13,?2026, by 5 p.m.? 
• Grant recipients notified:?December?2026 
• Grant period:?January through December?2027 (project implementation within that calendar year)? 

Why It Matters? 
Protecting drinking water resources requires a community-wide effort. Grant-funded projects help educate residents, restore natural habitats and encourage water-saving practices that benefit the region's rivers, wetlands, aquifer and other critical water resources. With more than 2.6 million people relying on Tampa Bay Water's regional system, local conservation and source water protection efforts play an important role in safeguarding the area's drinking water supply for future generations. 

How to Learn More & Apply? 
Interested applicants can download the application guide and submit proposals at:?tampabaywater.org/grant. Applicants are encouraged to review the program guide, prepare budget worksheets, and submit applications online or via email as directed. Organizations are welcome to reach out to the grant program team for assistance or planning support before applying.? 

FAU awarded US EPA grant for AI-driven technology to combat harmful algal blooms

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an increasingly common threat to lakes, rivers and coastal waters across the United States, endangering drinking water supplies, aquatic ecosystems, public health and local economies. Now, researchers at Florida Atlantic University are developing an innovative technology that could help stop these blooms before they spread.

FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science has received an $800,475 grant from the Gulf of America Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop an artificial intelligence-guided system that removes excess phosphorus – one of the primary drivers of HABs – from freshwater systems. The three-year project began July 1.

The project, titled “AI-Guided Use of 3D-Printed Adsorbents for Phosphate Removal,” is led by principal investigator Masoud Jahandar Lashaki, Ph.D., an associate professor in FAU’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering. Co-principal investigators are Yalan Liu, Ph.D., an assistant professor, and Mohammed Abdellatef, Ph.D., an assistant professor both from FAU’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering. Huichun (Judy) Zhang, Ph.D., of Case Western Reserve University, will serve as the project’s sub-awardee.

Excess phosphorus entering lakes and waterways from agricultural runoff, wastewater, failing septic systems and urban stormwater fuels explosive algal growth. These HABs can cloud waterways, deplete oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life, produce toxins dangerous to people, pets and wildlife, and cause significant economic losses for communities that depend on clean water for tourism, recreation and fishing.

Lake Okeechobee, one of Florida’s most important freshwater resources, has experienced recurring HABs fueled by elevated nutrient levels. Because the lake sits at the headwaters of the Gulf of America watershed, phosphorus flowing downstream affects numerous rivers, estuaries and coastal ecosystems, making nutrient reduction in the lake critical to improving water quality throughout the region.

Current methods for removing phosphorus often are costly, produce waste or present environmental challenges when used on a large scale. Some chemical treatments generate large amounts of sludge, while biological approaches require tightly controlled conditions that are difficult to maintain outside treatment facilities. For example, although lanthanum-based materials are highly effective at capturing phosphorus, they typically are applied as fine powders that settle into lake sediments, where they can slowly release lanthanum back into the environment. The FAU-led team aims to overcome these limitations by combining advanced manufacturing with AI.

Researchers will develop durable, retrievable 3D-printed structures made from sargassum, a naturally abundant seaweed, which are modified with lanthanum to capture phosphorus from both the water column and lake sediments. Unlike conventional powdered materials, the 3D-printed structures can be deployed, retrieved, regenerated and reused, significantly reducing waste and minimizing the potential for lanthanum to enter the environment.

“This award provides an exciting opportunity to transform how we manage one of the most persistent causes of harmful algal blooms,” said Lashaki. “By combining sustainable 3D-printed materials with the power of AI, we can develop a smarter, more effective and environmentally responsible solution for removing phosphorus from our waterways. This funding allows us to accelerate the development and field testing of this technology while creating a model that can ultimately benefit freshwater ecosystems far beyond Florida.”

AI and machine learning will play a central role throughout the project. Researchers will use AI to rapidly identify the most effective adsorbent formulations, determine the optimal locations for deploying the structures and predict where phosphorus removal will have the greatest impact on preventing HABs. By integrating environmental monitoring data with information on land use, weather patterns, fertilizer applications, livestock operations and septic systems, the technology will help guide more precise nutrient management strategies.

The project also will demonstrate the technology in Lake Okeechobee under real-world conditions. Researchers will monitor improvements in water quality, water clarity and reductions in HABs using field sampling, publicly available environmental data and unmanned aerial vehicles. The resulting dataset will be shared through the U.S. EPA’s Water Quality Exchange to help other communities adopt similar approaches.

Beyond improving water quality in Lake Okeechobee, the technology is designed to be scalable and transferable to lakes, reservoirs and watersheds throughout the U.S. and around the world facing similar nutrient pollution challenges. The project is expected to reduce phosphorus levels in Lake Okeechobee, improve water quality and clarity, decrease the frequency and severity of HABs, reduce downstream nutrient pollution throughout the Gulf of America watershed, and demonstrate a reusable technology that can be adapted for watersheds worldwide.

“This award exemplifies the innovative, interdisciplinary research taking place in our college to address some of society’s most pressing environmental challenges,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Professor Lashaki and his collaborators are developing a solution that combines advanced manufacturing, AI and environmental engineering to protect one of Florida’s most important natural resources. The impact of this work extends well beyond our state, offering a scalable approach that has the potential to improve water quality and protect ecosystems in communities around the globe.”

A majority of Florida waterways are polluted. But environmental enforcement is lacking