Lake Okeechobee Conditions Report October 13, 2008:

According to the USACE web site, Lake Okeechobee stage is 14.99’ NGVD, which is 0.03’ higher than a week ago, 0.15’ lower than a month ago, and 4.89’ higher than it was a year ago.  The current stage is 0.05’ below the historical average for this date, and 1.03’ above the simulated historical average for the current regulation schedule (LORS2008).  Total reported inflows are 2727 cfs, with the greatest contributions from S71 and S72 (1692 cfs), the Kissimmee River (652 cfs), and S191 (208 cfs).  No daily flow data are available for the S77 and S308 structures, but real-time data indicate that small outflows continue through these structures. 

 

The monthly submerged-aquatic-vegetation (SAV) survey was completed last week and 16 of the 35 sites sampled had plants.  This was the same as last month.  Water clarity is also similar last month with an average secchi depth:total depth ratio of 0.36 (compared to 0.34 last month).  Tannic conditions remain in the north around King’s Bar and in Fisheating BayWater depths at many of the lakeward sites are greater than 2 meters, and SAV beds in these areas may begin to show signs of stress in the coming months if these conditions persist.  The coverage of Chara is declining at the south end of the lake and has disappeared from Pelican Bay.  

September water-quality monitoring results are now available.  All 25 monitoring stations had sufficient water for sampling for the first time since January 2007.  Total P averaged 128 ppb lakewide (compared to 98 ppb in August) and 118 ppb at nearshore stations (compared to 114 ppb in August).  Total suspended solids (TSS) averaged 20 ppm lakewide (compared to 14 ppm in August) and 11 ppm at nearshore stations (compared to 5 ppm in August).

September phytoplankton monitoring results are also now available.  Chlorophyll a concentrations averaged 19 ppb across the 9 monitoring sites and ranged between 4 ppb (Pahokee) and 31 ppb (Observation Island).  Microcystin levels were at or below the 0.2 ppb detection limit at all sites except for Harney Pond (0.3 ppb).

 

Decaying terrestrial and emergent vegetation may be depleting dissolved oxygen in areas of the littoral zone with poor water circulation.  For example, low dissolved oxygen concentrations (<2 ppm) were noted at three sites on the west side of King’s Bar last week.  Algal blooms anticipated to appear in the littoral zone in response to nutrient release from decaying vegetation have yet to be reported.    

  

 

 


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