Data about the St. Johns River show “the need for concern in many aspects of the health of the river,” a yearly report from a team of environmental scientists concludes.

The 2022 State of the River Report, a 300-plus page compendium of metrics about the river’s lower basin in Northeast Florida, highlighted problems including tributaries contaminated with fecal bacteria, long-term increases in salinity, loss of wetlands and declines in underwater grass beds that are important for fisheries.

The report, the 15th developed by researchers in Jacksonville and at colleges farther afield, also reported improvements to some environmental yardsticks, including improving conditions for eagles, wood storks and mullet.

Read the rest of this story at Jacksonville Today news partner The Florida Times-Union.