Estuarine Conditions as of August 26, 2008

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

During the last week, an average discharge of 915 cfs occurred at S-80 from C-44. Yesterday’s discharge was 1,451 cfs. An average discharge of about 3,000 cfs occurred last week through S-49 from C-24. 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) and the preferred range (envelope) at the two downstream sensors. 

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

 

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Envelope

Palm City Bridge (S. Fork)

 1.43 (8.07)

1.44 (9.56)

 

HR1 (N. Fork)

    0.92 (7.71)

   1.20 (12.81)

 

Roosevelt Bridge

  1.89 (11.13)

   1.96 (13.80)

8.0 – 25.0

A1A Bridge

  3.82 (19.69)

   4.48 (24.63)

20.0 – 31.0

  

Compared with salinities of the previous week, average salinity in the estuary decreased about 8.12 to 20.15 ppt.  All four monitoring stations are reporting salinities below the preferred range.  Salinity conditions in the estuary are considered to be poor 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 14,457 cfs occurred at S-79.  Yesterday’s discharge was 13,556 cfs. The concentration of chlorides at the Olga Plant was 22 ppm yesterday, down from 50 ppm at the beginning of this reporting period.  

 

Based on the USGS flow meter located just below S-77 there was an average weekly discharge of 433 cfs.  Prior to Tropical Storm Fay, S-78 remained closed with no discharge since June 30th.  S-78 opened on Aug. 18th with an average discharge during the last week of about 5,920 cfs.  Yesterday’s discharge was 4,987 cfs

 

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). 

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Franklin Locks (S-79)

   0.16 (0.25)

0.15 (0.25)

Rt. 31 Bridge

   0.16 (0.26)

    NR (NR)

I-75 Bridge

   0.19 (0.33)

 0.18 (0.30)

Ft. Myers Yacht Basin

   0.28 (0.87)

 0.28 (1.08)

Cape Coral Bridge

    NR (NR)

    NR (NR)

Shell Point

   5.29 (22.17)

   7.35 (23.57)

 

In the estuary, freshwater conditions extend from S-79 downstream to Shell Point.  Salinity conditions in the upper estuary east of Ft. Myers are good (30 day average at Ft. Myers = 0.84 ppt).  However, this morning’s reading from the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) dissolved oxygen sensor was < 3 mg/l near Ft. Myers.

 

Salinity at Cape Coral Bridge (based on other recorders) is below the preferred ranges for both oyster, Crassostrea virginica, and seagrass, Halodule wrightii. Salinity at Shell Pt is oscillating with the tide between about 20 ppt to 0 ppt and this morning’s reading for D.O. was < 4 mg/l (SCCF sensor).  Therefore, conditions in the lower estuary between Cape Coral and Shell Point are considered poor (see attached).

 

No Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was detected this week in water samples collected alongshore between Pinellas and Collier counties or in offshore samples collected west of Sanibel Island (Lee County).

 

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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