Estuarine Conditions as of Oct. 6, 2008

 

St. Lucie Estuary

 

Current Conditions:

During the last week, an average discharge of 926 cfs occurred at S-80 from C-44 and 706 cfs at S308, 73 cfs discharge at S-97 from C-23, and 244 cfs discharge from S-49 from C-24(discharge values from S-97 and S49 are provisional).  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)

1.07 (1.14)

  1.86 (2.08)

 

HR1 (N. Fork)

   5.65 (4.73)

10.10 (9.57)

 

Roosevelt Bridge

   7.14 (7.02)

  9.10 (10.30)

8.0 – 25.0

A1A Bridge

 15.16 (16.49)

21.99  (NR)

20.0 – 31.0

  

Compared with the previous week, average salinity remained about the same throughout the estuary.  Salinities are close to the lower limit of the preferred range at Roosevelt Bridge, and are within the preferred range at A1A Bridge.  Salinity conditions in the estuary are still 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:

During the last week, an average discharge of 3467 cfs occurred at S-79, 1152 cfs at S-78, and 267 cfs at S-77.  The concentration of chlorides at the Olga Plant was 59 ppm yesterday, up from 53 ppm at 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). 

 

 

Weekly Average Salinity (ppt)

Sampling Site

Surface

Bottom

Franklin Locks (S-79)

   0.23 (0.22)

0.24 (0.22)

Rt. 31 Bridge

   0.23 (0.22)

   0.24 (0.22)

I-75 Bridge

   0.25 (0.25)

0.26 (0.26)

Ft. Myers Yacht Basin

   0.25 (0.24)

0.25 (0.24)

Cape Coral Bridge

   1.00 (1.76)

   1.93 (2.57)

Shell Point

 12.95 (13.30)

16.92 (17.42)

 

In the estuary, freshwater conditions extend from S-79 downstream to Cape Coral Bridge.  Salinity conditions in the upper estuary east of Ft. Myers are good (30 day average at Ft. Myers = 0.31 ppt).  

 

Compared with the previous week, average salinity remained about the same throughout the estuary.  Salinities at Cape Coral Bridge and Shell Point are below the preferred ranges for both oyster, Crassostrea virginica, and seagrass, Halodule wrightii.  Therefore, conditions in the lower estuary between Cape Coral and Shell Point are considered poor see attached .

 

FWRI (Fish and Wildlife Research Institute) reports that very low concentrations of Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, were detected this week in water samples collected at Tarpon Beach and Lighthouse Beach on Sanibel Island (Lee County). No impacts have been reported. In Sarasota County, background concentrations of K. brevis were detected near New Pass. All other water samples collected alongshore between Pinellas and Collier counties contained no K. brevis. A research cruise currently being conducted has found no K. brevis offshore between Manatee and Lee counties.  Monitoring data collected by the River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network (RECON) of Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) indicated that Chlorophyll concentrations over the last week were about 4.5-5.5 ug/L at Ft. Myers and 1.5 to 4 ug/L at Shell Point.  The DO concentration at the two locations ranged from about 4 to 6 mg/L.

 

 

 

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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