Estuarine Conditions as of September 4, 2007

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

No releases occurred at S-80 over the past week.  Weekly average salinities at the four monitoring sites in the St. Lucie are given below in parts per thousand (ppt).

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

 

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Envelope

Palm City Bridge (S. Fork)

5.2

5.9

 

HR1 (N. Fork)

7.8

11.4

 

Roosevelt Bridge

11.8

12.3

8.0 – 25.0

A1A Bridge

19.5

26.0

20.0 – 31.0

 

Average weekly salinity in the estuary increased slightly since the last report.  Local freshwater inflow continues to maintain surface salinity at both the Roosevelt Bridge and A1A Bridge within or near the preferred ranges.  Therefore, salinity conditions in the estuary are good (see attached).

 

Seagrasses near the St. Lucie Inlet were monitored on August 23.  At site 2, noth of the inlet, Syringodium shoot counts and canopy heights were similar to those observed last month.  Many areas of the site are now densely covered by Halophila johnsonii and/or Halodule wrightii.  Bottom salinity was 28 ppt and visibility was fair to good (Secchi 0.8 m).

 

At Site 3, south of the inlet. seagrass conditions were similar to those observed last month:  A dense, healthy fringe of Halodule wrightii is present along the shoreline. Halophila johnsonii and to a lesser extent Halophila decipiens and Halodule wrightii are present in small patches within the former Syringodium bed.   Halodule wrightii and Halophila johnsonii are present along the offshore shoal. The Syringodium bed at this site was buried during the 2004 hurricanes and has not recovered.  However, several small patches of Syringodium are currently present at the site.

 

 

Caloosahatchee Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

During the past week, discharge at S-79 averaged 266 cfs for the week.  Chloride concentration at the Olga Plant is presently 73 mg/l.   Average salinity at the monitoring sites in the upper Caloosahatchee Estuary decreased over the past week.  Data for specific sites are given below in parts per thousand (ppt).

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Franklin Locks (S-79)

6.9

7.0

Rt. 31 Bridge

NA

8.4

I-75 Bridge

7.1

10.6

Ft. Myers Yacht Basin

11.7 *

NA

Cape Coral Bridge

19.3

19.6

Shell Point

30.5

32.3

*  based on three-day average.

 

While the weekly average salinity at Ft. Myers remains above 10 ppt.  The daily average salinity fell below 10 ppt on Sept 3, 2007 for the first time since Oct. 30, 2006.  In the lower estuary and San Carlos Bay salinity condition are good (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. 

 

 

To find this information on the web:

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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