Estuarine Conditions as of June 3, 2008

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

There were no releases through S-80 from C-44, S-48 from C-23, and  S-49 from C-24 over the past week.  The current weekly average salinities (in bold) at the four monitoring sites in the St. Lucie are given below in parts per thousand (ppt), along with the previous week’s (in parenthesis).  

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

 

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Envelope

Palm City Bridge (S. Fork)

 16.64 (18.89)

18.88 (20.14)

 

HR1 (N. Fork)

  21.40 (21.67)

 21.98 (22.90)

 

Roosevelt Bridge

NR (NR)

NR (NR)

8.0 – 25.0

A1A Bridge

 29.56 (29.49)

30.67 (30.42)

20.0 – 31.0

 

 

Average salinity decreased slightly at HR1 and by 2 ppt at Palm City Bridge due to local runoff.  The average salinity increased slightly at A1A Bridge and is still unavailable at Roosevelt Bridge.  Based on salinity data collected at the other stations, it can be reasonably assumed that weekly average salinity at Roosevelt Bridge would be similar to what was two weeks ago (about 22-23 ppt).  The salinities at A1A Bridge are just within the upper limit of the preferred range.  Salinity conditions in the estuary are considered fair, based on the salinity preference of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica, at Roosevelt Bridge.  The current surface salinity at Roosevelt Bridge is unavailable but should still be below the maximum weekly average of 28.0 ppt achieved in May 2001 during the 2000 – 2001 drought (see attached).

  

Caloosahatchee Estuary

                                                         

Current Conditions:

No discharge occurred through S-79 during the past week.  An average weekly discharge of 237 cfs occurred at S-77and 53 cfs at S-78.  The concentration of chlorides at the Olga Plant was 249 ppm yesterday, up from 248 ppm in the beginning of this reporting period. Current weekly averages (in bold) may be compared to last week’s data (in parenthesis). 

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Franklin Locks (S-79)

 19.49 ( 16.71)

20.85 (17.47)

Rt. 31 Bridge

19.47 (18.12)

 21.58 (19.06)

I-75 Bridge

  20.28 (19.44)

 22.67 (20.51)

Ft. Myers Yacht Basin

  26.48 (24.53)

 27.23 (24.77)

Cape Coral Bridge

  31.74 (31.89)

31.95 (32.51)

Shell Point

  35.88 (35.86)

 36.60 (36.51)

 

Average salinities increased 2 – 3 ppt in the upper estuary and remained about the same in the lower estuary.  Average salinity at the Ft. Myers surface sensor was 26.48 ppt, above the 1-day MFL criterion of 20 ppt.  The current surface salinity of 19.5 ppt at S-79 is 0.5 ppt below the maximum weekly average of 20.0 ppt achieved in May 2001 during the 2000 – 2001 drought.  Salinity at Shell Point and the Cape Coral Bridge is above the optimal range for the oyster, Crassostrea virginica.  Conditions in the upper estuary east of Ft. Myers are poor due to high salinity.  Conditions in the lower estuary downstream of Cape Coral are becoming poor considering the combine salinity preference of oysters and seagrasses (see attached).  

 

FWRI reports that no Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was detected this week in water samples collected alongshore between Pinellas and Collier counties. 

 

https://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page?_pageid=1314,2554645,1314_19738269:1314_19738234&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

  

click on “Current Week”

click on “Technical Summary”

scroll to the bottom and click on “Coastal Ecosystems”

 

 


 

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