Cocktails & Conservation a success, Water Shortages and Supply info, and more news!
- IRNA
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
February 28, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
Cocktails and Conservation:A Night to Remember at Quail Valley River Club
This past Wednesday, the Indian River Neighborhood Association welcomed over 70 community members to the Quail Valley River Club for a special Cocktails and Conservation evening featuring Dr. Duane DeFreese, Executive Director of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program.
The event drew an enthusiastic crowd and Dr. DeFreese delivered a compelling presentation on the economic importance of the Lagoon and how collective action in protection and restoration can have transformative impacts on the health and water quality of this vital waterway.
The evening proved to be far more than a standard presentation. Guests lingered well past the scheduled end time, engaged in lively conversation and clearly energized by what they had heard. The enthusiasm in the room was a testament to both the importance of the topic and Dr. DeFreese's ability to connect with community members about issues that affect all of our lives.
We are deeply grateful to Dr. DeFreese for his time, his insight, and his continued partnership with local organizations like the IRNA in the mission to protect and restore the Indian River Lagoon. Thank you as well to the guests who attended. None of our work would be possible without you.
A copy of Dr. DeFreese's presentation and a recording of the event will be available soon.
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Where does Florida's water come fromand will there be enough?
It's a question that matters deeply to everyone in Indian River County and beyond, and we're bringing in one of the state's leading experts to help answer it. On Wednesday, March 25, IRNA hosts its March Lunch & Learn featuring Clay Coarsey, Director of the Division of Water Supply Planning and Assessment with the St. Johns River Water Management District. Clay will walk us through the current state of Florida's water supply and the strategies being used to protect and manage it for generations to come.
The event is at noon at the Vero Beach Country Club (800 30th St), with lunch options including Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Marsala, or a Vegetarian entrée for $30 per person.
As you'll see in the newsletter's next article, the Water Woes we read about in the news could be coming out way. Water shortages are all around us. Bring your questions to get a clearer picture of how water supply planning shapes the future of our community.
Plants bear brunt of worst cold spell felt here in decades (Vero News) - A rare, multi-night hard freeze in early February set record lows in Vero Beach, badly damaging landscaping and prompting horticulture experts and city park crews to urge residents to wait until warmer weather before pruning or replacing plants, since many may recover and premature cleanup, watering, or fertilizing can worsen harm.
Sebastian warns of $4.7M budget gap, new fees if state property tax cuts pass (Sebastian Daily) - Sebastian officials say proposed Florida property-tax cuts could create a $4.7 million (about 24%) general-fund shortfall, likely forcing new user fees (like trailer parking and field use), district special assessments, and possible service/workforce reductions while the city holds workshops to inform residents before ballot-law limits kick in.
Sebastian clinches deal to preserve historic waterfront after years of talks (Sebastian Daily) - Sebastian approved a plan to buy the Sembler family’s 1.3-acre waterfront parcel for nearly $1.7 million—using a $1.04 million Florida Communities Trust grant plus $694,000 city funds—to permanently preserve a working commercial-fishing hub and keep Treasure Coast Shellfish operating there, pending final state approval.
The Emerson Center E-Series Presents Michael J. Tougias on the Blizzard of ’78 Survival Story (Vero News) - The Emerson Center in Vero Beach will host a free (suggested $10 donation) March 17, 2026, 7 p.m. narrated slide presentation by Michael J. Tougias on his book Ten Hours Until Dawn, recounting a Blizzard of ’78 sea-survival rescue with maps, historic photos, and audio recordings, followed by a book signing.
Florida's fourth-generation cattle farm Adams Ranch in Fort Pierce (TCPalm) - Video. Florida's fourth-generation Adams Ranch promotes environmental stewardship.
Water Shortages Are Closing In
And You Should Be Paying Attention
The St. Johns River Water Management District made it official earlier this month: a Phase I Moderate Water Shortage has been declared for Duval County and portions of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, and Marion counties. Rainfall totals across those areas have fallen to 40 inches or below over the past year, and groundwater levels at monitoring sites in Marion and Duval counties have dropped to or below the 15th percentile, which is the threshold that triggers formal regulatory action.
Indian River County isn't in that declaration. But don't take that as great news.
According to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 74.55% of Indian River County is currently classified as Extreme Drought (D3). Our trailing 12-month rainfall total sits at 46.70 inches (nearly 7 inches below our historical average) making this January the 18th driest on record in 132 years of data. Soil moisture is critically depleted. Groundwater is trending downward. A burn ban went into effect on February 20th, and the National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings for the county just recently.
The Phase I declaration for our neighboring counties includes a provision that delegates authority to the District's executive director to expand the declaration if conditions continue to deteriorate. We are, by every measurable indicator, some of the next in line.
The long-range outlook offers little comfort. La Niña conditions persist, and seasonal forecasts point to a drier-than-usual spring and summer. The wet season that normally recharges our aquifers may arrive late and underdeliver. For residents on private wells, that means real risks including reduced water pressure, water quality changes, and in coastal areas, potential saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies. For farmers, it means stressed livestock and delayed planting. For the Indian River Lagoon, it means reduced freshwater flushing and increased vulnerability to algae blooms when the rains finally do arrive.
This is why our March Lunch Speaker is so important. On Wednesday, March 25th, IRNA's Lunch & Learn features Clay Coarsey, Director of the Division of Water Supply Planning and Assessment with the St. Johns River Water Management District. Clay will walk us through the current state of Florida's water supply and the strategies being developed to protect it for the long term. This is an unusually timely conversation, and it's one worth showing up for.
The again to sign up for the event at noon at the Vero Beach Country Club is here. We hope to see you there!
Brightline’s Stuart station project faces delays as Martin County seeks federal funding (WFLX) - Martin County’s planned Brightline station in Stuart is stalled while the county seeks a second round of federal funding for a roughly $87 million project amid local concerns over who should pay, Brightline’s finances, and competing priorities like replacing the aging St. Lucie River rail bridge, pushing the earliest opening to spring 2029.
As Caloosahatchee begs for water, Big Sugar says: We got dibs (VoteWater.org) - Worsening drought has pushed the Caloosahatchee River’s Lake Okeechobee inflows far below ecologically needed levels—raising salinity and threatening seagrass and oysters—while water managers continue sending large volumes to sugar irrigation under “water supply” priorities, prompting calls for more storage and restoration to stop sacrificing the estuary for Big Sugar.
The ‘dirty money’ behind ‘Blue Ribbon Projects’ paves the way for development of rural Florida (VoteWater.org) - Florida’s “Blue Ribbon Projects” bills (HB 299/SB 354) are portrayed as conservation-friendly rural development but are criticized as being greased by investor-linked political donations that would let massive 10,000+ acre projects override local zoning and sideline public input, accelerating the paving-over of wild Florida for profit.
Florida lawmakers advance bills potentially stripping local zoning powers across the state (Sebastian Daily) - Florida legislators are advancing HB 1143 and SB 1342 to shift key zoning and land-use decisions from local governments to the state—potentially enabling denser, taller, and more varied housing (including transit-oriented development mandates) in places like Sebastian and Vero Beach despite resident concerns about overbuilding, while supporters frame the changes as responses to Florida’s housing affordability crisis.
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