Guest Commentary

flows for about six weeks

O v e r a l l , t h e C a l o o s a h a t c h e e e s t u a r y received a volume of water from S-79 that was 2 75 times greater after Irma than after Ian in an equivalent time period after the storm This additional nutrient loading is thought to be a significant contribution to the disastrous red tide event that we experienced in 2018.

In addition to high n u t r i e n t l o a d i n g f r o m Lake Okeechobee, we also received high volumes of runoff from the r a i n a n d s t o r m s u r g e that scoured our comm u n i t i e s d u r i n g I a n C o m p a r a t i v e l y , t h e runoff and surge were less severe during Irma

Despite slightly differing patterns between Ian and Irma, the question on many people’s minds is, “Will this year be a repeat of 2018?” So far it is shaping up to be similar, but only time will tell, and difficult water management decisions will need to be made to help prevent it from getting worse.

As of March 8, the

Current

lake was too high, and the Caloosahatchee was taking more than its fair share of water for this time of year in order to lower the lake and prevent damaging releases before the wet season begins On the east coast, the flow structure that releases water to the St Lucie River was closed as of last week because of sightings of blue-green algae on the lake e v e n t h o u g h t h e U S A r m y C o r p s o f Engineers schedule calls for a seven-day average of 500 cfs.

Meanwhile, releases to the south are hampered by stormwater treatment areas and water conservation areas that are too full, and agricultural lands that cannot take excess water It seems like the Caloosahatchee is once again being sacrificed while the rest of the system maintains relatively good conditions

The Caloosahatchee ecosystem needs a break from high volume flows and nutrient loading to try to alleviate their effects on intensifying red tide. It certainly will not be the one and only solution to ameliorate red tide from our coast, but it is time that the Caloosahatchee estuary is treated equitably and receives the same considerations for harmful algal blooms that the east coast receives

Leah Reidenbach is a research and policy a s s o c i a t e f o r t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Conservation Foundation Founded in 1967, the SCCF's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit www sccf org

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