Estuarine Conditions as of August 11, 2008

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

There were no releases through S-80 from C-44 over the past week.  An average discharge of 121 cfs through S-48 from C-23 and 220 cfs through S-49 from C-24 occurred 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)

 5.78 (5.08)

7.68 (6.01)

 

HR1 (N. Fork)

    5.62 (4.60)

 11.08 (9.66)

 

Roosevelt Bridge

9.03 (7.80)

 12.57 (10.32)

8.0 – 25.0

A1A Bridge

 18.88 (16.63)

 24.87 (22.76)

20.0 – 31.0

 

 

Compared with salinities of the previous week, average salinity in the estuary increased about 0.7 to 2.8 ppt.  Three of four monitoring stations are reporting salinities within the preferred range.  Salinity conditions in the estuary are considered to be fair to good based on the salinity preference of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica, and location in the estuary (see attached).  

  

Caloosahatchee Estuary

                                                         

Current Conditions:

An average weekly discharge of 1003 cfs occurred at S-79.  The concentration of chlorides at the Olga Plant was 56 ppm yesterday, down from 64 ppm in the beginning of this reporting period.  The current weekly average salinities (in bold) at the six monitoring sites in the Caloosahatchee Estuary are given below in parts per thousand (ppt), along with the previous week’s (in parenthesis). 

 

Based on the USGS flow meter located just below S-77 water is flowing back into the Lake at a rate of about 93 cfs.  S-78 has remained closed with no discharge since June 30th.

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Franklin Locks (S-79)

   0.25 (0.29)

0.25 (0.29)

Rt. 31 Bridge

   0.27 (0.30)

    NR (NR)

I-75 Bridge

   0.34 (0.40)

 0.30 (0.39)

Ft. Myers Yacht Basin

   1.07 (0.85)

 1.49 (0.86)

Cape Coral Bridge

   NR (7.78)

    NR (9.54)

Shell Point

 21.15 (22.88)

 22.54 (24.41)

 

In the estuary, freshwater extends from S-79 downstream, at least to Ft. MyersSalinity conditions in the upper estuary east of Ft. Myers are good (30 day average at Ft. Myers = 2 ppt). Salinity at Cape Coral Bridge (based on other recorders) is close to last week’s averages and is below the preferred ranges for both oyster, Crassostrea virginica and seagrass, Halodule wrightii.  Conditions in the lower estuary between Cape Coral and Shell Point are fair-poor considering the combined salinity preference of oysters and seagrasses.  Salinity conditions in San Carlos Bay are good (see attached).  

 

No Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was detected this week in water samples collected alongshore between Pinellas and Monroe counties. Offshore samples, collected west of Sanibel Island, were also free of any K. brevis.

 

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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