Estuarine Conditions as of August 14, 2007

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

 

No releases occurred at S-80 over the past week. Salinities on the surface remained about the same this week at 4.7 ppt in the South Fork (Palm City Bridge) and 3.5 ppt in the North Fork (Harbor Ridge Station).  Bottom salinities were down slightly in these same locations to 5.2 ppt and 6.7 ppt, respectively. At the Roosevelt Bridge, averaged salinities were 9.5 ppt on the surface and about 10 on the bottom, remaining within the preferred range of 8-25 ppt. Corresponding values further downstream at the A1A Bridge were up slightly from last week to about 17 ppt and 22 ppt, which is near the bottom of the  preferred range (20-31 ppt). Therefore, salinity conditions are fair in the estuary (see attached).

 

 

Caloosahatchee Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

 

The average discharge at S-79 was up this week to 363 cfs and the monthly average discharge is 252 cfs. Chloride concentration at the Olga Plant remain stable, averaging about 83 mg/l. Average surface salinity in the upper estuary during the last week also was nearly unchanged, with both S-79 and the I-75 Bridge sensors reporting 4.6 ppt. Bottom salinities ranged from 4.8 ppt to 7.9 ppt, respectively. The salinity sensors at Ft. Myers are providing sporadic information. Surface salinities appear to be near 10 ppt for the week and the 30 day average remains above 10 ppt . Average surface and bottom salinity for the week at the Cape Coral Bridge was 18 and 20.1 ppt. The average bottom salinity at Shell Point was 31.9 ppt. Salinity conditions in the upper estuary are fair and they are good in the lower estuary (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. Discolored water due to a bloom of the cyanobacteria Trichodesmium has been reported offshore along the southwest Florida coast and remains possible alongshore in portions of Charlotte, Lee (including San Carlos Bay) and Collier counties.  

 

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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