Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
Quarterly Environmental Monitoring Summary
June 8, 2004
Through the last quarter, water flows were too low even for the late dry season. Water quality was in good shape, except for lower than normal salinities for the season and a turbidity/nitrogen discharge at Cattle Dock Point and within Gasparilla Sound. Habitat was in generally good shape, except for the Caloosahatchee in May, probably related to very dry conditions.
Issues of particular concern this quarter included low flows from the Caloosahatchee and Peace and resultant impacts on habitat and estuarine salinity. The unusual discharge at Cattle Dock Point in March stopped by April but should be watched and high levels of turbidity/nitrogen in Gasparilla Sound in May.
Water Flows:
| Peace River Basin | Low |
| Myakka River | Normal |
| Caloosahatchee | Low |
Water flows are within expected limits for April through June for the Myakka. Water flows were low for the Peace River, particularly at the Bartow station. The low water flows expressed themselves as high than normal salinity in Charlotte Harbor. The Caloosahatchee had very low freshwater flows, even with the emergency environmental releases that the South Florida Water Management District was arranged.
March - May Water Quality:
| Charlotte Harbor Proper/Lemon Bay | |
| Temperature | Slightly lower than normal |
| Salinity | Higher than normal |
| Color | Normal |
| Chlorophyll a | Normal |
| Total Nitrogen | Higher than normal in May and unusual March discharge at Cattle Dock Point |
| Phosphorous | Slightly Higher than Normal |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Better than Normal, Very Good |
| Near Bottom Dissolved Oxygen | Better than Normal, Very Good |
| Secchi Depth | Better than Normal, Very Good |
| Turbidity | Normal but unusual March discharge at Cattle Dock Point and high values in Gasparilla Sound in May. |
Charlotte Harbor Proper and Lemon Bay are the only waterbodies with up-to-date analysis of monthly monitoring. Charlotte Harbor Proper had slightly higher than normal salinity based on low Peace River flows. Dissolved oxygen and turbidity were slightly better than normal and in excellent shape. A strange occurrence happened at Cattle Dock Point in March with a spike of nitrogen and turbidity discharge.
The Caloosahatchee basin has on-going problems with excess nutrients, copper, lead, and low dissolved oxygen enrichment. Estero Bay basin has on-going problems with excess nutrients, copper, and low dissolved oxygen. Turbidity and Conductivity is worst in Shell and Prairie Creeks but Southwest Florida Water Management District has drafted a management strategy.
Habitat:
| Red Tide | Not present |
| Fish Kills | Average 4 per month (high) |
| Fish Lesions | None |
| Other kills | None |
| Sewage Spills | None |
| Shellfishing | Open in Western Pine Island Sound, Gasparilla Sound, and Lemon Bay. Closed in East Pine Island Sound (2/14/04) and Closed for the Season in the Myakka River. |
| 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 were in good shape. Red Tide was not present in samples taken. There were 5 fish kill events in May, four of which were in the tidal Caloosahatchee and San Carlos Bay. In April, there was a fish fill event in Hardee County on the Peace River. There were no fish lesions, turtle mortality, marine mammal mortality, or sewage spills found. 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.