Caloosahatchee Watershed Issues and Cyanobacteria Blooms Cyanobacteria Effects Caloosahatchee Cyanos Environmental Controls Temperature Flushing Nutrient.

Caloosahatchee Watershed Issues and Cyanobacteria Blooms

Cyanobacteria EffectsCaloosahatchee CyanosEnvironmental Controls• Temperature• Flushing• Nutrient effectWatershed • Flow timing• NutrientsCyanobacteria• Upstream• DownstreamMitigation, Use as Indicator

Rick Bartleson, Mark Thompson SCCF Marine LabAcknowledgements: Lee Co. Environmental Laboratory, SFWMD

Effects of Cyanobacteria•Increased turbidity•Decreased light to SAV and other phytoplankton•Oxygen depletion•Toxic to other species•Reduced trophic transfer to desirable species

Microscope photos I’ve takenSeveral River photos I’ve taken

2011

2011

Caloosahatchee Cyanobacteria• Frequent cyanobacteria blooms

east of S79• Also blooms of dinoflagellates-

Kansodinium ambiguum 2009, 2013, Ceratium, Akashiwo sanguinea

• Markley and Parsons 2013

Kansodinium ambiguum

Caloosahatchee CyanobacteriaMultiple speciesSimultaneous bloom along river 2011Blooms spread down-estuary- 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013

Solveson, Olga 2006

Cassani, 2008

AnabaenaAphanizomenonMicrocystisCylindrospermopsisOthers Planktothrix sp.,Pseudanabaena sp., Merismopedia sp., Aphanocapsa sp.

2011

Estuarine Cyanobacteria

Lyngbya majusculamalyngolide2006, 2007, 2013

Also SynechococcusUniversity of Sevilla

Estuarine and Gulf CyanobacteriaGulf

Trichodesmium erythraeum

San Carlos Bay 8/10/2005Beautiful Island 2006Cape Coral Bridge 2009Shell Point 2013

Sanibel Beaches, San Carlos Bay,2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012

Dust- and mineral-iron utilization bythe marine dinitrogen-fixer TrichodesmiumRubin et al. 2011.

1-Nov-1

0

21-Dec-

10

9-Feb-11

31-Mar-

11

20-May

-11

9-Jul-1

10

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000 2011

Environmental Controls

1-Nov-1

2

21-Dec-

12

9-Feb-13

31-Mar-

13

20-May

-13

9-Jul-1

30

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Flow

S79

(cfs

)

2013

11/5

Low

Con

c.

5/12

13

µg/L Conditions favoring cyanobacteria:

• Stratified or stagnant water• Low flushing rate• temperatures >25°C March-Nov• CDOM• BCOD

Environmental Controls- Nutrients

• N:P <22 favors cyanobacteria• OP concentrations above limiting

levels• High nutrient loading rates• N, P saturated growth-Fe limited

Lake Okeechobee, Havens et al. 2003

TN:TP ratio 15.6 @ S79 (2002-2004)

S79 Orthophosphorus

Nutrient loading

OP Wet season 2012

Lee County Data

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

TP k

g d-1

S79

SFWMD Data

Nutrient Loading

Paerl, H.W., et al. 2008. Co-occurrence of dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms in southwest Florida coastal waters: A case for dual nutrient (N and P) input controls. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 371: 143-153.dual N and P input reductions are usually required for effective long-term control and management of blooms (Paerl)

Ortho P Boca Grande PassNH3 Pine Island Sound

Ort

ho P

(µgL

-1)

Half saturation Level

Estuary dissolved nutrient levels promote algal growth

Nutrient Loading

Nutrient Loading- CaloosahatcheeAnthropogenic• Septic systems• Sewage Treatment• Stormwater Runoff• Agricultural

Lake Okeechobee

Agriculture

Urban/Disturbed

Upland Forest

Wetland/Water

1.7 million cattle in FL in 2003 and 2012@150g N excretion/d=930metric tons N/yr

Nutrient Loading -Sources-Atmospheric P

20 fold increase in atmospheric P deposition rates from sugar cane burning (Grimshaw and Dolske 2002). Atmospheric P load to Charlotte Harbor (at 50 mg m-2 yr-1) is 40 metric tons yr-1.

P deposition (mg m-2 yr-1) 1979 (Brezonik et al., 1983).

84 mg m-2 yr-1 average in circled area

Nutrient Loading

UpstreamOf S79

Higher ratio indicatessewage

Nutrient loading- SWFL Drainage

Surface water runoff has been drastically increased by drainage ditches and canals.

Increased watershed results in more surface water, wider salinity range and higher nutrient and color loadings

Nutrient loading-Increased Runoff

Former watershed

Added watershed

Reduced Sheetflow and Groundwater Discharge

Estero Bay Watershed Section

1999Mid Hawthorn

48’ drop

Kissimmee Basin Storage

20’ drop6’ drop 6’ drop

Reducing Runoff and Nutrient Loading

• Allow aquifer recharge• Route rain to fallow farmlands and

pastures

• Nutrient removal using SAV (restoration) and algae

• TMDLs for phosphorus and CDOM• Fertilizer minimization• Livestock fencing, manure

management• Replacement of septic systems with

tertiary treatment

Solutions

Questions/Acknowledgments

SCCF Annual Fund Drive Contributors