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Rivers Coalition
January 2026 Newsletter |
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Thursday, January 22, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
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Stuart City Hall Chambers
121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL |
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| This meeting is in person and via Zoom, and is open to the public, with plenty of free parking available. Email contact@riverscoalition.org for Zoom link. |
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FROM THE LAGOON TO THE LAKE: A USACE UPDATE ON RESTORATION EFFORTS
Col. Brandon Bowman, USACE Commander Jacksonville District |
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Col. Brandon Bowman, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will join the Rivers Coalition to share the latest updates on Indian River Lagoon–South projects. His presentation will cover progress on the C-44 Reservoir/STA, Southern Diversion Canal, and
C-23/C-24 Reservoir/STA projects.
Col. Bowman will also give an update on the status of the Lake Okeechobee Recovery Operations After-Action Report, discuss the proposed Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Demonstration Program from the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), and review where major federal and state restoration projects stand under the CERP Implementation Framework. This includes progress on the EAA Reservoir/STA project and a look ahead at the potential development of a future LOSOM 2.0 operating schedule as projects are completed. |
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Business Matters:
· Call to Order and Chairman’s Comments: Mark Perry, President
· Business matters and membership roll call
Presentation:
FROM THE LAGOON TO THE LAKE: A USACE UPDATE ON RESTORATION EFFORTS
Col. Brandon Bowman, USACE Commander Jacksonville District
Government & Agency Progress Reports:
· Martin County: John Maehl
· City of Stuart: Ruth Holmes
· State and Federal Agencies:
· SFWMD: TBD
· USACE: Col. Brandon Bowman
· Lake Okeechobee Update: Dr. Paul Gray
· State and Federal Legislation: Gil Smart
Coalition Reports:
· Rivers Coalition Committee Updates:
· River Kidz: Casey Darling Kniffin
· Speakers Bureau: Ed Killer
· Local Issues & Estuary Water Quality: Mark Perry
· Seagrass Update: Todd Thurlow
· Riverkeeper Update: Jim Moir
· Member Comments and Announcements
· Adjourn |
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2026 Board of Directors and Officers
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Annual Rivers Coalition BOD Meeting
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The Rivers Coalition Board of Directors held its Annual Meeting on January 12, 2025. The list of current directors and officers is below:
· Mark Perry, President
· Eve Samples, Vice President
· Jim Moir, Secretary
· Darrell Brand, Treasurer
· Charles Grande, Director
· Todd Thurlow, Director
· Gil Smart, Director
· Merritt Matheson, Director
· Casey Darling Kniffin, Director
· Ed Killer, Director |
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| The Rivers Coalition would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Todd Weissing, who resigned from the Board in December. We are grateful for Todd’s time, dedication, and many contributions to the organization, including his involvement with the Speakers Bureau. His willingness to share knowledge and advocate for our waterways has been greatly appreciated, and we thank him for his service and commitment to the Rivers Coalition! |
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Family Fun at Waterways Day
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| River Kidz will be joining the fun at Waterways Day on Saturday, January 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Florida Oceanographic Society! Stop by to see River Kidz in action and enjoy a family-friendly day celebrating our waterways, with hands-on activities, learning opportunities, and plenty of fun for kids of all ages. |
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Love the Ocean? Get Involved!
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If your River Kid wants to become a Future Wavemaker and share their love for our ocean and coastal waters, they can submit a video or essay here: Wavemaker challenge. Submission deadline is January 28th.
If they are interested in joining a team, please email RiverKidz@RiversCoalition.org. |
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Rescue the River of Grass
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Sign Now to Join the Movement!
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The Everglades is one of the most critical ecosystems in the world, providing unique habitat for wildlife, protecting the water supply for millions of Floridians and safeguarding our coastal communities and economies. However, this precious resource remains imperiled due to a lack of water storage and treatment. More land is needed to store and clean water from Lake Okeechobee so it can flow into the Everglades and prevent harmful discharges to the northern estuaries.
To address this urgent issue, Friends of the Everglades has launched a campaign aimed at public acquisition of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) for environmental restoration.
With your support, we can take meaningful action to restore the Everglades and protect Florida’s environment for future generations. |
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Rivers Coalition Meeting Minutes
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November 20, 2025 Summary of Comments
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Mark Perry called the meeting to order at 11:02 am. There were 48 attendees in person, 11 attendees on ZOOM call.
Minutes taken by Miki Blumenthal, Administrative Assistant.
Business Matters:
Member roll call was taken. Mark Perry welcomed everyone and recognized Rivers Coalition board members and general members present. He also recognized government officials present, including Sarah Heard from Martin County and also City of Stuart representatives. Mark talked about the Rivers Coalition mission of “Stop the Discharges” and mentioned the 2028 BMAP deadline.
Presentation: Making Waves in Tallahassee - How Citizens Can Push for Better Water Policy
Eve Samples and Gil Smart, Friends of the Everglades Executive Director and Policy Director respectively, and Casey Darling Kniffin of River Kidz, discussed how citizens can advocate for our waterways.
An extended Q&A session followed the presentations. The above presentations in its entirety can be seen at www.riverscoalition.org.
Government & Agency Reports:
Martin County: Amy Eason, Martin County’s Environmental Resource Engineer, gave a Martin County update, including an artificial reef project and approval of a stream restoration project budget.
City of Stuart: Ruth Holmes, City of Stuart Environmental Attorney, updated the group on various city projects, including meetings with locally elected officials, local government land acquisition programs, and a look at proposed Florida bills.
SFWMD: Drew Bartlett, SFWMD Executive Director, introduced Tom Hurley, SFWMD Governing Board Member. Tom gave a brief autobiography and his contact information.
USACE: Maj. Cory Bell gave updates on various USACE projects and discussed 2 upcoming public meetings.
Lake O Update: Paul Gray (via Zoom) gave an update on Lake Okeechobee levels.
State and Federal Legislation: Gil Smart talked about the EPA rescinding protections for many wetlands across the U.S.
Coalition Reports:
River Kidz: Casey Kniffin discussed the River Kidz’s recent talk at the Martin County Native Plant Society and plans to do some outside exploring in December.
Speakers Bureau: Todd Weissing was not present but is speaking to the Rio Civic Club on December 3rd. Requests for a speaker can be made online at the Rivers Coalition website.
Water Quality Report: Mark Perry updated the group on water quality, seagrass research, and the upcoming Marine Mammal Fest.
Seagrass Update: Todd Thurlow gave seagrass updates and showed new graphs available on his website: eyeonlakeo.com.
Riverkeeper Update: Jim Moir discussed bottom trawling and effects on coral reefs. He also talked about the Marine Mammal Exhibit at FOS and the sighting of 2 right whales locally.
Member Comments and Announcements:
Greg Braun with Guardians of Martin County stated that they have almost met the $3 million target for land acquisition.
Mark Perry reminded the group that the 2026 EVCO conference will be January 28-30 in Naples.
Laura Giobbi, speaking as a private citizen and not as a City Commissioner, thanked everyone for reaching out to Tallahassee and stressed the importance of staying involved.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:36 p.m. |
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· January 22, 2026 - Thursday
· February 26, 2026 - Thursday
· March 26, 2026 - Thursday
· April 23, 2026 - Thursday
· May 28, 2026 - Thursday
· June 25, 2026 - Thursday
· July 23, 2026 - Thursday
· August 2026 - no meeting
· September 24, 2026 - Thursday
· October 22, 2026 - Thursday
· November 19, 2026 - Thursday
· December 2026 - no meeting |
All Meetings are at 11:00 a.m.
Stuart City Hall Chambers
121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL |
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· Mark Perry, President
· Eve Samples, Vice President
· Jim Moir, Secretary
· Darrell Brand, Treasurer
· Charles Grande, Director
· Todd Thurlow, Director
· Gil Smart, Director
· Merritt Matheson, Director
· Casey Kniffin, Director
· Ed Killer, Director |
PO Box 2627
Stuart, FL 34995
772-225-6849 |
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Rivers Coalition Organizational Members
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| Atlantic Point Yacht Club & Marina of Stuart, Audubon Florida, Audubon of Martin County, Ballantrae Anglers Club, Ballantrae Yacht Club, Citizens for Clean Water, Conservation Alliance of St. Lucie Co. Inc, Dolphin Ecology Project, Environmental Studies Center, Everglades Foundation, Florida Oceanographic Society, Florida Sportsman, Florida Wildlife Federation, Fort Pierce Yacht Club, Four Rivers Property Association, Four Winds Condo Association, Friends of The Everglades, Friends of Harbor Branch - FAU, Guardians of Martin County, Harborage Yacht Condominiums, Harbour Ridge Yacht Club, Humanists of the Treasure Coast, Hutchinson Island Preservation Initiative, Indian Riverkeeper, Indian River Plantation POA, Joe's Point HOA, Keep Martin Beautiful, Lake Okeechobee Restoration Initiative, Lake Worth Waterkeeper, Leadership Martin, League of Women Voters of Martin Co., League of Women’s Voters of SLC Co., Lighthouse Point Association Inc., Locks Landing HOA, Marine Cleanup Initiative Inc., Marine Industries Assoc. of Treasure Coast, Marine Resources Council, Martin County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, Martin County Conservation Alliance, Martin County Democratic Environmental Caucus, Martin County Farm Bureau, Miramar POA, North River Shores Prop. Assoc., Ocean Research and Conservation Association, Palm Cove Yacht Club, President’s Council of Hutchinson Island, Realtor Association of Martin County, Rio Civic Club, River Kidz, River Warriors, Sailfish Point POA, Sailfish Point Yacht Club, Sandhill Cove Retirement Living, Save the Manatee Club, Seagate Harbor Homeowners Assoc., Sierra Club-:Loxahatchee Group, Snug Harbor Yacht Club, St. Lucie Audubon Society, St. Lucie River Yacht Club, St. Lucie Sailing Club, St. Lucie Settlement Inc., Stuart Corinthian Yacht Club, Stuart Heritage, Stuart Rod & Reel Club, Surfrider Foundation, The Yacht Club of Stuart Yacht and Country Club, Treasure Coast Rowing Club, Treasure Coast Unitarian Universalist Church, US Sailing Center of Martin County, Venture Three Community, VoteWater, Windjammer Condo Association. |
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