While pressures continue and new threats loom, Tampa Bay remains one of the nation's most vibrant environmental success stories. An estuary in distress just two decades ago - its verdant seagrass meadows ravaged by pollution, its shoreline overtaxed by development - the bay has waged a remarkable comeback.

Estuarine scientists gathered in St. Petersburg last October to review the state of the bay at the 4th Tampa Bay Area Scientific Information Symposium (BASIS 4). Highlights from the forum are detailed inside. Formal conference proceedings from BASIS 4 will be available from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program in mid-2004.

Check out BASIS 4 online:
For more information, visit U.S.G.S. for a searchable database of many presentations and posters.

How is the bay measuring up?

Is Tampa Bay half-way toward meeting restoration goals, or have we already accomplished the easy part and the remaining objectives will be that much more difficult to meet? The answer, like the stereotypical glass that's half empty or half full, depends on your perspective.

Clearly, bay managers have made significant strides in meeting the goals outlined in the 1996 Tampa Bay Master Plan. Still, as restoration continues, the goals have changed and new issues have emerged.

"We're making progress, but reaching our goals will require continued strong science, cooperation and dedication," said Holly Greening, senior scientist for Tampa Bay Estuary Program.

Several critical goals, including nitrogen reduction, have actually been exceeded. More than 100 projects - half by local governments, half by industry - have reduced nitrogen loadings by 134 tons, 60% more than the 84-ton goal. Other goals that have been exceeded include the preservation of low-salinity habitat and mangrove/marsh habitats.

Restoration of seagrass beds has been more challenging - and probably will continue to be a top issue for bay managers. Reducing nitrogen loadings from point sources in the early 1980s helped the bay's seagrasses rebound, but stormwater is now the major source of pollutants.

Managers continue to grapple with stormwater, which is more difficult to control in terms of both nutrient levels and timing. Because it comes from multiple sources, it can't be captured and cleaned before entering the bay. The impact of stormwater also is highly dependent on the number of storms in the watershed. Drought conditions in the early 1980s helped seagrasses grow in areas that had been barren, but above-average rainfall in the late '80s probably caused the documented loss in seagrass beds.

Another top priority is invasive species, a new concern since the action plans for Tampa Bay were developed in the mid-1990s. Today, species ranging from Brazilian pepper trees to green mussels are impacting habitats across the region, potentially pushing out native species.

Goals in other areas have been expanded as initial objectives were achieved. For instance, a vessel traffic and information system (VTIS) has been established, but permanent funding is still a concern. A dredged materials management plan has been written, but the first big test will come during the anticipated expansion of the Tampa Bay shipping channels.