Estuarine Conditions as of August 7, 2007

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

 

No releases occurred at S-80 over the past week, and an average of 919 cfs flowed into Lake Okeechobee through S-308 from the C-44 canal during 6 of the 7 days.  Even though there was no discharge from S-80, salinities on the surface were down to 4.5 ppt in the South Fork (Palm City Bridge) and 3.4 ppt in the North Fork (Harbor Ridge Station).  Bottom salinities were 5.6 ppt and 9.3 ppt, respectively. At the Roosevelt Bridge, averaged salinities were down 5 ppt from last week to 8.1  ppt on the surface and 8.5 ppt on the bottom due to local basin runoff (preferred range 8-25 ppt). Corresponding values further downstream at the A1A Bridge were also down 5-6 ppt to 15.2 ppt and 19 ppt and were below the preferred range of 20-31 ppt. Therefore, at the Roosevelt Bridge and upstream the salinity conditions are fair and are fair-poor at the A1A Bridge (see attached).

 

 

Caloosahatchee Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

 

The estimated weekly average discharge at S-79 was down about 290 cfs from last week to 83 cfs, with no flow occurring during the previous 4 days. The monthly average discharge from S-79 was 237 cfs, which is below the MFL target of 300 cfs and the preferred minimum level of 450 cfs. Average flow for 24 of the previous 30 days from C-43 to Lake Okeechobee was about 796 cfs.

 

Chloride concentration at the Olga Plant did not change appreciably during the last week and is presently 86 mg/l. Average surface salinity was down about 2 ppt in the upper estuary, ranging from 4 ppt at S-79 to 4.8 ppt at the I-75 Bridge sensor. Bottom salinities ranged from 4.2 ppt at S-79 to 7.2, respectively. The salinity sensor at Ft. Myers collapsed and no surface or bottom readings are available. However, the 30 day average salinity remains above the 10 ppt MFL target. Surface salinity at Shell Point also was not available, but bottom salinity continued to decline slightly again this week, averaging 31.6 ppt.  Salinity remains too high in the upper estuary In the lower estuary and San Carlos Bay salinity conditions are good (see attached).

 

Access to the FWRI weekly summary of the Florida red tide organism was unavailable at the time of this estuarine conditions report.

 

To view reports and graphs on line go to:

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

 

 


 

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