Bost moored off the coast of Florida
Preserving Our Coastal Waters
Preserving Our Coastal Waters
previous arrow
next arrow

Healthy Ponds: Improved Flood Control and Cleaner Water

Empowering Suncoast communities to reduce erosion in their stormwater detention ponds to maximize flood control and improve water quality that curbs harmful algal blooms like Red Tide through best management practices.

Why It Matters

Bank erosion in stormwater ponds reduces holding capacity for flood control and stormwater runoff accounts for 65% of the excess nutrients in our waterways that feed Red Tide and other Harmful Algal Blooms. START (Solutions To Avoid Red Tide) is a 501 (C) (3) grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing damaging nutrient loads to protect Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Founded in 1996 after a devastating Red Tide event, START’s promotes community-driven solutions rooted in public education and measurable impacts.
 

Our Healthy Ponds Initiative

The Healthy Pond Collaborative was launched to help neighborhoods enhance the performance of their stormwater detention ponds, a critical filtering tool for stormwater runoff before it reaches our bays and the Gulf. Most local stormwater ponds operate at only 40% to 60% efficiency in removing excess nutrients. The Healthy Pond Collaborative provides hands-on guidance and financial support for communities to enhance pond performance through landscaping, irrigation and fertilizing best maintenance practices.

Healthy Ponds

Thanks to generous funding from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, START offers attractive Healthy Pond grants that help community associations and local stakeholders to implement pond enhancements.

Make Healthy Ponds
START Volunteers

What does START do to help reduce excess nutrients already in our waterways? START continues to help fund the Sarasota Bay Watch’s Clam Seeding Program that has seeded over 2 million water-filtering clams in Sarasota Bay and our Shuck ‘N Save Restaurants continue to provide shell from their diners to the oyster restoration project in the Manatee River.

Get the Details
Dead Fish from Red Tide

Join START and concerned citizens in our ongoing advocacy program to encourage federal, state and local policy makers to take action to keep unwanted nutrients that feed Red Tide out of our waterways.

How You Can Help

Headline News

RE-WILDING THE QUAD PARCELS

RE-WILDING THE QUAD PARCELS

October 5th, 2026

We have written in the past about the exciting re-wilding project at the Quad Parcels at the Celery Fields in Sarasota. START and the Healthy Pond Collaborative partnered with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program to[read more...]
LEADERSHIP AT THE LANDINGS

LEADERSHIP AT THE LANDINGS

October 5th, 2026

When we have the opportunity, START and the Healthy Pond Collaborative like to acknowledge local communities who lead the way in adopting best pond management practices. According to Jeff Smith, Co-Chair of LMA Lakes Committee[read more...]
VISION FOR OCEAN HEALTH

VISION FOR OCEAN HEALTH

October 5th, 2026

The Friends of Ocean Action, an informal group of global leaders convened by the World Economic Forum, launched its landmark "A Vision for 2030: Global Stability and Ocean Health" on September 21, 2026, on the[read more...]
Crab Cakes with Herbed Meyer Lemon Aioli

Crab Cakes with Herbed Meyer Lemon Aioli

October 5th, 2026

20 minutes  Serves 4 Ingredients2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil4 Ultimate Lump Crab Cakes1 ½ c mayonnaise1 tbsp lemon zest2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed1 tbsp Dijon mustard1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped2 tsp fresh dill,[read more...]
No thumbnail available

RED TIDE STATUS REPORT SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

October 5th, 2026

The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at very low concentrations in two samples from Northwest Florida and background concentrations in five samples from Southwest Florida. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and[read more...]
CLICK TO READ MORE HEADLINE NEWS
Scroll to Top