Apalachicola bay is located on the northwest coast of the state of Florida in the U.S. It is an important component of Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin and considered to be one of the least populated and thus least polluted, pristine, and resourceful systems left in the United States. Together with Apalachicola river system, Apalachicola Bay has been recognized by the prestigious state, national and international agencies (e.g., aquatic preserve by the state of Florida in 1969, a national estuarine research reserve by NOAA in 1979, and a biosphere reserve by UNESCO) (Edmiston 2008). Apalachicola Bay receives water from a drainage network of Chattahoochee (Alabama-Georgia), Flint (Georgia), and Apalachicola (Florida) Rivers.
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Apalachicola River, a primary source of fresh water in the bay, is the largest alluvial river in the state of Florida. It supplies about 35% or fresh water and nutrients the eastern Gulf of Mexico; supporting commercial fisheries valued more than $5.8 billion and livelihood of estuarine and coastal habitats (McNulty et al. 1973). Although its tributaries are affected by numerous dams, Apalachicola River earns its position in the list of one of the last remaining undammed large rivers in the United States. The river receives more than 80% of its water from rainfall and runoff in the upper ACF basin. However, rainfall in Florida and contribution of Chipola River, a major tributary, can alter the flows in the lower Apalachicola River during low flow conditions. Unfortunately, a recent report of America’s most endangered rivers (2016) listed Apalachicola River as the no.1 endangered river in the US based on the future of the river and surrounding ecosystem due to excessive and unmanaged water use owing to a two-decade long tri-state (Georgia, Alabama, and Florida) water conflict. There are serious concerns about the impacts of reduced freshwater input on the biologically rich and economically important habitats of the Apalachicola watershed (Petes et
Apalachicola River, a primary source of fresh water in the bay, is the largest alluvial river in the state of Florida. It supplies about 35% or fresh water and nutrients the eastern Gulf of Mexico; supporting commercial fisheries valued more than $5.8 billion and livelihood of estuarine and coastal habitats (McNulty et al. 1973). Although its tributaries are affected by numerous dams, Apalachicola River earns its position in the list of one of the last remaining undammed large rivers in the United States. The river receives more than 80% of its water from rainfall and runoff in the upper ACF basin. However, rainfall in Florida and contribution of Chipola River, a major tributary, can alter the flows in the lower Apalachicola River during low flow conditions. Unfortunately, a recent report of America’s most endangered rivers (2016) listed Apalachicola River as the no.1 endangered river in the US based on the future of the river and surrounding ecosystem due to excessive and unmanaged water use owing to a two-decade long tri-state (Georgia, Alabama, and Florida) water conflict. There are serious concerns about the impacts of reduced freshwater input on the biologically rich and economically important habitats of the Apalachicola watershed (Petes et