According to the USACE web site,
December water-quality monitoring
results are now available. All 25 monitoring stations had sufficient
water for sampling. Total P averaged 152
ppb lakewide (compared to 225 ppb in November) and
139 ppb at nearshore
stations (compared to 177 ppb in November). Total suspended solids (TSS)
averaged 21 ppm lakewide (compared to 67 ppm in
November) and 16 ppm at nearshore stations (compared
to 27 ppm in November). Total P and TSS graphs are attached.
Last week, transect sites along the
western shoreline were sampled for submerged-aquatic-vegetation (SAV) to
complete the monthly survey. A total of 37 sites were sampled this month
(5 in the south, 25 in the north, 7 in the west) and
plants were found at 23 of those sites (0 in the south, 20 in the north, 3 in
the west). Last month 24 sites were visited and only 8 had plants.
The increase in the number of sites with plants this month was due in part to
being able to access more of the innermost sites in the north where plants are
starting to colonize in areas that were dry before TS Fay. The innermost sites
in the south and west are still too terrestrial to sample.
Monthly phytoplankton monitoring was performed at eight of
the nine sites last Wednesday (January 14th) and no blooms were
observed. Mean secchi depth was 0.46 m (compared
to 0.44 m in December) with greatest depths near the mouth of the
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