Caloosahatchee Condition Report 1/3/2012

 
This week’s Caloosahatchee Condition Report. 

 
A series of pulse releases averaging 450 cfs the helped stem the rising salinity in the estuary and maintained salinity levels between 11-14 psu. However,  the past two weeks the salinity violated the 30 day MFL moving average, measuring 11.4 psu this week and 10.6 psu last week.   In the past two weeks surface salinities at Beautiful Island/I75 were as high as 9.3 psu.
 
While recent releases have helped to maintain salinity just above the harm threshold, salinities remain too high for reestablishment or support of emerging tapegrass. We request adaptive management strategies be used to design pulse releases to lower salinities below the harm threshold of 10 psu at Fort Myers to provide conditions sustainable for tapegrass recovery in the estuary.
 
Red tide intensified in  and around Pine Island Sound and San Carlos Bay the past week.  SCCF Lab scientists counted 1-4 million cells/L at the causeway islands, 15 million/L at the Sanibel Boat Ramp and 1 -4.7 million cells/L at the Tarpon Bay dock.

The Lee County Health Department has  issued an advisory against harvesting and eating shellfish from local waters due to poisoning from red tide toxins.
 
Past reports and background information on Caloosahatchee conditions are available online at: http://www.sccf.org/content/201/Caloosahatchee-Condition-Reports.aspx
 
Thank you for your  consideration.
On behalf of the West Coast Stakeholders
 
 

Rae Ann Wessel
Natural Resource Policy Director
Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation
Tel:   239.731.7559
Email: rawessel@sccf.org
Web:    www.sccf.org
RECON water quality real-time sensors: http://recon.sccf.org       

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