Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Quarterly Environmental Monitoring Summary
October 1 through December 31, 2004
The wet season was late, with a dry early summer. However, the violent hurricane season which followed increased water flows,
Water Flows:
| Peace River Basin | Much higher than normal (double) |
| Myakka River | Average (higher than normal, then lower than normal) |
| Caloosahatchee | Average (late wet season with moderate flows) |
| Estero Tributaries | Low with an early dry season |
With Hurricanes Charley, Jeanne, and Frances affecting the Peace River basin, water flows were higher than average. Myakka started higher than normal but then dropped off for an average quarter.
October – December Water Quality:
| Charlotte Harbor Proper/Lemon Bay | |
| Temperature | Warmer than normal, returning to near normal in December |
| Salinity | Lower than normal, returning to near normal in December |
| Color | Normal |
| Chlorophyll a | Slightly higher than normal |
| Total Nitrogen | Slightly higher than normal |
| Phosphorous | Higher than normal |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Slightly worse than normal, returning to near normal in December |
| Near Bottom Dissolved Oxygen | Normal |
| Secchi Depth | Slightly worse than normal, returning to near normal in December. Poor values in the Peace River in December |
| Turbidity | Normal, except for high readings in the Peace River in December |
Up until the hurricane season, phosphorous levels were normal compared to a 1993-2000 base line.) Phosphorous is the major parameter that did not recover by December. The Peace River had poor readings for Secchi depth and turbidity in December after recovery.
Habitat:
| Red Tide | Not present to very low (background levels) |
| Fish Kills | 1 each month (normal) |
| Fish Lesions | None |
| Other kills | Manatee mortality in December |
| Sewage Spills | None |
| Shellfishing | All areas closed. |
| Seagrasses | Stable totals of seagrass in Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay. 2003 map from South Florida Water Management District is close to being distributed. |
Habitat indicators for the study area have returned to near normal levels. Seagrasses within the northern portion of the study area have been found to be stable. Analysis is still being conducted for the southern portion of the study area.