Lake Okeechobee Conditions Report February 12, 2008:

 

According to the USACE web site, Lake Okeechobee stage is 9.98’ NGVD, which is 0.07’ lower than a week ago and 0.14’ lower than a month ago.  The current stage is 1.50’ lower than it was a year ago and 4.68’ below its historical average for this time of year.  Inflows from the Kissimmee River (S65E) continue at approximately 250 cfs and outflows through the S354 (55 cfs) and S77 (96 cfs) also are reported. 

 

In January, 20 of the 27 water quality sampling sites had sufficient water for sampling.  Preliminary lakewide TP averaged 232 ppb and TSS averaged 104 mg/L.  These concentrations are higher than those measured in December (TP = 97 ppb, TSS = 21 mg/L).  Preliminary average TP at nearshore sites increased from 54 ppb in December to 117 ppb in January and TSS increased from 10.5 mg/L to 35.8 mg/L.

 

The monthly submerged-aquatic-vegetation (SAV) survey was completed last week.  The macroalga Chara remains the dominant SAV species and was found at 8 of the 29 sites sampled.  This distribution is lower than that reported in December, with slight reductions in the density of Chara. Water clarity decreased with secchi depths less than 50% of total depths at 10 of the 29 sites sampled. One species of vascular SAV, Vallisneria americana, continues to be present in very low density at a few sites around King’s Bar on the northern shoreline and a few sites along the western shoreline. 

 


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