Kissimmee Watershed Environmental Conditions – 08/07/07

 

·        The upper Kissimmee Basin received 2.31 inches of rainfall over the last 7 days to bring the 30-day total to 8.51 inches (127% of average) and the lower basin received 2.33 inches to bring the total for the month to 8.40 inches (136% of average) (Daily Rainfall Report for 08/06/07).

·        Stages in the upper basin lakes continue to rise with several of the lakes reaching regulation schedule (Lake Tohopekaliga, East Lake Tohopekalga, and Hart and Mary Jane).  Lake Kissimmee has risen to within 0.48 ft below the regulation schedule for this time of year (summer pool).

·        Releases are being made from Lake Tohopekaliga (1000 cfs), East Lake Tohopekalga (175 cfs), and Hart and Mary Jane (80 cfs).

·        Snail kites continue to nest on Lake Tohopekaliga.  No update from three weeks ago.

·        Flow has been reestablished to the Kissimmee River for 20 days (S-65 re-opened on 07/18/07).  Discharge at S-65 continues at approximately 500 cfs.  Discharge through the restored reach of the river is approximately 1000 cfs with the additional 500 cfs coming from tributary inflows and basin runoff.

·        After dropping to very low levels last week, the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the river channel has increased in the last week but remains below thresholds of concern.  At one location, values have risen but are still below 1 mg/L, where a fish kill may occur.  At the other, concentrations have risen above 1 mg/L but are still below 2 mg/L, where fish may begin to become stressed.  Water levels should allow fish access to the floodplain.

·        On Friday August 3, 2007, an algal bloom was reported covering most of Persimmon Mound Run (a remnant river channel in Pool A of the Kissimmee River).  Algal blooms were not observed in the C-38, which had flowing water, or in Rattlesnake Hammock Rum, another remnant river channel in Pool A.

 

 


 

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