WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR MARCH 26, 2023
Hold onto your shorts, because I’ve got good news.
The red time blooms plaguing Southwest Florida’s beaches for five months are drifting away to the north. Sorry Tampa Bay residents.
Oh hallelujah for us. Happy days. Where’s my floaty?
Just look at the map above. In nearly real time it shows where testing for the red tide organism is positive. If you don’t recognize it, that’s understandable, because it has been since last year that Southwest Florida wasn’t lit up like those red-yellow-green-“go” light stands at the start line of a drag-racing strip.
Look at all that non-color.
Since Hurricane Ian blew through in September and washed a whole bunch of nutrients like phosphorous and nitrogen from the land into the water, we here in Southwest Florida have been dealing with one red tide after another.
Do the clear results of water quality testing by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission mean red tide will not return? No.
But there is no reason to believe red tide blooms will return, either.
While hurricanes do not cause red tide, there is scientific evidence that those nutrients a storm washes into the ocean can make blooms last longer than if the food wasn’t available, but so little about red tide is 100-percent understood that I say let’s be thankful for this week. So enjoy it now.
However, at some point the excess nutrients flushed in the coastal waters will be used up, diluted, and washed away. At that point, the back-to-back-to-back red tide blooms we’ve been living with will be no more.
Let’s hope we’ve reached that point.
Red tide organisms are endemic in the world’s oceans, which means it’s part of seawater. So expect it to show up in, as officials say, “low-to-medium background concentrations offshore Lee County,” or wherever. That is not a concern.
I, for one, am going to the beach this weekend.
RED TIDE:
In the most recent sampling, the red tide organism was detected in 79 samples along Florida’s West Coast. Enough of the cells were found to cause a bloom in five samples, but none of them in Southwest Florida waters.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses satellittle imagery to track red tide. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducts and tracks water quality testing for elevated levels of the red tide organism, which is endemic at background levels in ocean water.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, the organism that cause red tide, K. brevis, was observed at background-to-low concentrations in Sarasota County, background concentrations in Charlotte County, background-to-low concentrations in Lee County, and background to low concentrations in and offshore of Collier County.
Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from Southwest Florida over the past week in Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties
Over the past week, respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Collier County.
What is red tide?
Red tide is one type of harmful algal bloom caused by high concentrations of the toxic dinoflagellate K. brevis, which is a type of microscopic algae found in the Gulf of Mexico. Red tide typically forms naturally offshore, commonly in late summer or early fall, and is carried into coastal waters by winds and currents. Once inshore, these opportunistic organisms can use nearshore nutrient sources to fuel their growth. Blooms typically last into winter or spring, but in some cases, can endure for more than one year.
Is red tide harmful?
K. brevis produces potent neurotoxins (brevetoxins) that can be harmful to the health of both wildlife and people. Wind and wave action can break open K. brevis cells and release toxins into the air. This is why you should monitor conditions and stay away from beaches where red tide is in bloom. People in coastal areas can experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irritation during a red tide bloom. Some individuals with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic lung disease might experience more severe symptoms. Red tide toxins can also affect the central nervous system of fish and other marine life, which can lead to fish kills.
What causes red tide?
A red tide bloom develops naturally, but recent studies have discovered mankind's infusion of other nutrients into the mix can make the red tide last longer or get stronger. But biology (the organisms), chemistry (natural or man-made nutrients for growth) and physics (concentrating and transport mechanisms) interact to produce the algal bloom. No one factor causes the development of a red tide bloom.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s most current blue-green algae data was unavailable, but my guess is the findings have not changed much since two weeks ago when DEP and the South Florida Water Management District drew nearly two dozen samples earlier this week and tested them for components of blue-green algae and found nothing higher than trace levels in South Florida.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has a satellite pointed at Lake Okeechobee and can detect harmful algae blooms found nothing of note this week, either.
That is expected to change.
Strong winds from Category 3 Hurricane Irma in 2017 churned up nutrient pollution from the depths of Lake Okeechobee, which helped feed a blue-green algae outbreak that covered 95 percent of the lake’s surface during the summer of 2018.
The much stronger Category 4 Hurricane Ian last September churned up Lake Okeechobee even more, so fears are that this summer will bring a blue-green algae outbreak even worse than the devastating one in 2018.
What is blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are a group of organisms that can live in freshwater, saltwater or brackish water. Large concentrations, called blooms, can change the water color to blue, green, brown, orange or red. Some cyanobacterial blooms can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of freshwater lakes and ponds. As algae in a cyanobacterial bloom die, the water may smell bad
Is blue-green algae harmful?
Different types of blue-green algal bloom species can look different and have different impacts. However, regardless of species, many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins that can make you or your pets sick if swallowed or possibly cause skin and eye irritation. The Florida department of Environmental Protection advises staying out of water where algae is visibly present as specks or mats or where water is discolored. Pets or livestock should not come into contact with algal bloom-impacted water or with algal bloom material or fish on the shoreline. If they do, wash the animals immediately.
What causes blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae blooms occur when the algae that are normally present grow in numbers more than normal. Within a few days, a bloom can cause clear water to become cloudy. Winds tend to push some floating blooms to the shore where they become more noticeable. Cyanobacterial blooms can form in warm, slow-moving waters that are rich in nutrients. Blooms can occur at any time, but most often occur in late summer or early fall.
If any major type of water quality alert is issued, you can find the details here in WGCU’s Water Quality Report.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
Sign up for WGCU's monthly environmental newsletter, the Green Flash, today.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
PREVIOUSLY ...
WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR MARCH 12, 2023
AMERICA – It’s if all at once the national media heard about Southwest Florida’s problem with incessant red tide blooms and decided to finally pay attention.
In case you're brand new to the area, you know that it was late last September when Hurricane Ian made landfall here and washed tons of nutrient pollution into the Gulf of Mexico. That provided fuel to fledgling red tide blooms, making some get bigger and last longer, than they otherwise might have.
Red tides are just plain nasty. They suck all the oxygen out of the seawater and kill fish on a wholesale level, then the tides wash them way up high on the sand where Mr. Sun takes over and bakes the carcasses until everything looks and smell just awful.
The red tide organism itself is rather rancid, too. It emits an acrid odor, somewhere between sucking on a penny in your mouth (kids do not do that at home), sniffing dried blood, and breathing in hairspray.
Beachfront business owners who survived the punishing storm finally reopened their doors just in time to get walloped by the reality of non-stop red tides, and they remain understandably miffed just trying to hold on.
All but the hardiest beachgoer is forced from the sand, by the sight and smell of dead and rotting fish, and by breathing in that acrid air that seems to dry up the back of your face and push whatever that moisture is called, out through the nostrils and tear ducts.
It's awful when it happens once every few years like quote-unquote "normal."
But all of that has been going on for five months. The red tides have not completely gone away. They've moved. Strengthen and lessened. Dissipated and began anew.
But gone away, for long enough, for the national news outlets to look and not see anything strange going on at the shorelines from Tampa Bay south to the Florida Keys? Hardly possible.
This month the national press, one by one, have decided endless red tide outbreaks are interesting enough to cover. Sometimes they even send a reporter here to research and write original stories. Other times, they are regurgitating what those of us already here have written. It happens.
Judging from the first few sentences of their stories, folks in New York City, San Francisco, and throughout the U.S.A. today, must really think dead fish and stuffy noses are something special because they all lead off their stories with those same two scene-setters:
“Florida-bound spring breakers expecting pristine beaches and clear blue seas may be in for a rude awakening along the southwest coast, where a toxic red tide has hit. The toxic algae bloom – which occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico but worsens in the presence of nutrients like nitrogen – has left a trail of devastation, including beaches littered with dead fish and residents with burning eyes and air-starved lungs. There’s no exact end in sight.”
“Dead fish are washing ashore and beach-goers are facing respiratory problems as harmful algae accumulate along the southwest shores of Florida in a phenomenon nicknamed “red tide.” … When K. brevis grows excessively, it can cause skin irritation, eye irritation and respiratory issues—such as coughing, sneezing and asthma attacks—in humans and pets that swim in affected water or breathe in its airborne toxins. The toxins can also make their way into shellfish, and if people eat those shellfish, they may develop neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, which causes stomach problems and other symptoms. When red tide is present, Florida officials recommend staying out of the water—and keeping pets away, too."
"Dead fish are washing up on the southwest Florida coast thanks to a toxic algae known as red tide that can pose a risk to humans. The algae, which is known formally as the single-cell Karenia brevis, has concentrated near Tampa and neighboring communities. Scientists have found the algae at rates ranging from 10,000 cells per liter to more than 1 million cells per liter – levels that result in fish kills and breathing difficulties in exposed humans, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.'
"Residents are complaining about burning eyes and breathing problems. Dead fish have washed up on beaches. A beachside festival has been canceled, even though it wasn't scheduled for another month. Florida's southwest coast experienced a flare-up of the toxic red tide algae this week, setting off concerns that it could continue to stick around for a while. The current bloom started in October."
And so on, and on, and on, did the national media turn their attention to Southwest Florida's red tide problem in March. The national media rarely beat regional journalists in own our backyards - or on their own beaches.
So thanks anyway News Corp, Smithsonian, Hearst, and Gannett. We could have used your help to spread the word five months ago.
RED TIDE
The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 157 samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast during recent days.
Enough of the organism to cause a visible red tide were detected in 89 samples:. Thirty-two of those were offshore of Sarasota County, six off Charlotte County, nine off Lee County, and eight off Collier County.
In Southwest Florida over the past week using satellite imagery and other methods, red tide was observed at background-to-high concentrations offshore of Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties. Very low-to-high concentrations were found offshore of Collier County.
Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received along the Southwest Florida coasts of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties.
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in all the same areas.
What is red tide?
Red tide is one type of harmful algal bloom caused by high concentrations of the toxic dinoflagellate K. brevis, which is a type of microscopic algae found in the Gulf of Mexico. Red tide typically forms naturally offshore, commonly in late summer or early fall, and is carried into coastal waters by winds and currents. Once inshore, these opportunistic organisms can use nearshore nutrient sources to fuel their growth. Blooms typically last into winter or spring, but in some cases, can endure for more than one year.
Is red tide harmful?
K. brevis produces potent neurotoxins (brevetoxins) that can be harmful to the health of both wildlife and people. Wind and wave action can break open K. brevis cells and release toxins into the air. This is why you should monitor conditions and stay away from beaches where red tide is in bloom. People in coastal areas can experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irritation during a red tide bloom. Some individuals with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic lung disease might experience more severe symptoms. Red tide toxins can also affect the central nervous system of fish and other marine life, which can lead to fish kills.
What causes red tide?
A red tide bloom develops naturally, but recent studies have discovered mankind's infusion of other nutrients into the mix can make the red tide last longer or get stronger. But biology (the organisms), chemistry (natural or man-made nutrients for growth) and physics (concentrating and transport mechanisms) interact to produce the algal bloom. No one factor causes the development of a red tide bloom.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District drew nearly two dozen samples earlier this week and tested them for components of blue-green algae and found nothing higher than trace levels in South Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has a satellite pointed at Lake Okeechobee and can detect harmful algae blooms found nothing of note this week, either.
That is expected to change.
Strong winds from Category 3 Hurricane Irma in 2017 churned up nutrient pollution from the depths of Lake Okeechobee, which helped feed a blue-green algae outbreak that covered 95 percent of the lake’s surface during the summer of 2018.
The much stronger Category 4 Hurricane Ian last September churned up Lake Okeechobee even more, so fears are that this summer will bring a blue-green algae outbreak even worse than the devastating one in 2018.
What is blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are a group of organisms that can live in freshwater, saltwater or brackish water. Large concentrations, called blooms, can change the water color to blue, green, brown, orange or red. Some cyanobacterial blooms can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of freshwater lakes and ponds. As algae in a cyanobacterial bloom die, the water may smell bad
Is blue-green algae harmful?
Different types of blue-green algal bloom species can look different and have different impacts. However, regardless of species, many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins that can make you or your pets sick if swallowed or possibly cause skin and eye irritation. The Florida department of Environmental Protection advises staying out of water where algae is visibly present as specks or mats or where water is discolored. Pets or livestock should not come into contact with algal bloom-impacted water or with algal bloom material or fish on the shoreline. If they do, wash the animals immediately.
What causes blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae blooms occur when the algae that are normally present grow in numbers more than normal. Within a few days, a bloom can cause clear water to become cloudy. Winds tend to push some floating blooms to the shore where they become more noticeable. Cyanobacterial blooms can form in warm, slow-moving waters that are rich in nutrients. Blooms can occur at any time, but most often occur in late summer or early fall.
If any major type of water quality alert is issued, you can find the details here in WGCU’s Water Quality Report.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
Sign up for WGCU's monthly environmental newsletter, the Green Flash, today.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
PREVIOUSLY ....
WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR FEB. 26, 2023
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA – “They” either got much better at figuring out where people are having breathing problems related to red tide, or red tide is offshore of all beaches throughout the region and people everywhere are having breathing problems.
Most likely: both.
“They” are the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who report on the number of calls to a pair of hotlines for people feeling funky from red tide’s airborne annoyances.
That scratchy throat, those watery eyes, and that tell-tale, half-cough are giveaways that red tide is around.
Hold up your pants while you read in how many places beachgoers are reporting breathing difficulties.
“Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Manatee County (Anna Maria Island Rod & Reel Pier, Anna Maria Beach, Coquina Beach, Longboat Key Beach, Manatee Beach), Sarasota County (Caspersen Beach, Englewood Beach, Humphries Park, Lido Key Beach, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Manasota Key Beach, Nokomis Beach, Siesta Key Beach, South Brohard Park, Turtle Beach, Venice Beach, Venice Fishing Pier, Venice North Jetty Beach), Charlotte County (Don Pedro Island Ferry Landing, Gasparilla Pass, Oyster Creek Park Kayak Launch, Palm Island Resort Beach, Stump Pass), Lee County (Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, Gasparilla Island State Park South Lighthouse, Lynn Hall Beach, Tarpon Bay Road Beach), and Collier County (Cape Romano Island, Gullivan Key, Lopez River, Lowdermilk Park, Naples, Naples Beach, Naples Pier, Panther Key, Round Key, Turtle Key, Vanderbilt Beach, and Vedado Way Beach Access in Naples).
I believe that is every public beach between the southern mouth of Tampa Bay and Naples.
Karenia brevis was found in 123 water quality samples offshore of Southwest Florida this weekend, more than any so far in the region in 2023.
A bloom strong enough to turn the water a visible red was detected in 75 of the samples, including seven off Manatee County, 27 offshore of Sarasota County, seven off Charlotte County, 22 offshore Lee County, nine off of Collier County, and one offshore of Monroe County.
Dead fish suspected to be smothered by red tide washed up on all of the same shorelines.
Red tide is so widespread that the Florida Department of Health in Collier County issued its own warning just days ago.
(We have) “issued a health alert for the presence of a red tide bloom in the following areas: Barefoot Beach State Preserve, Vanderbilt Beach, Seagate, Naples Pier, Keewaydin Island, and Doctors Pass. The previous alert issued for Barefoot Beach and Marco Island Beach remains in effect. The public should exercise caution in and around these areas.
Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
• Look for informational signage posted at most beaches.
• Stay away from the water, and do not swim in waters with dead fish.
• Those with chronic respiratory problems should be especially cautious and stay away from this location as red tide can affect your breathing
• Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish, or distressed or dead fish from this location. If caught live and healthy, finfish are safe to eat as long as they are filleted and the guts are discarded. Rinse fillets with tap or bottled water.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and fresh water if you have had recent contact with red tide.
• Keep pets and livestock away and out of the water, sea foam and dead sea life. If your pet swims in waters with red tide, wash it as soon as possible.
• Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner, making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer's specifications.
• If outdoors near an affected location, residents may choose to wear masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.
What is red tide?
Red tide is one type of harmful algal bloom caused by high concentrations of the toxic dinoflagellate K. brevis, which is a type of microscopic algae found in the Gulf of Mexico. Red tide typically forms naturally offshore, commonly in late summer or early fall, and is carried into coastal waters by winds and currents. Once inshore, these opportunistic organisms can use nearshore nutrient sources to fuel their growth. Blooms typically last into winter or spring, but in some cases, can endure for more than one year.
Is red tide harmful?
K. brevis produces potent neurotoxins (brevetoxins) that can be harmful to the health of both wildlife and people. Wind and wave action can break open K. brevis cells and release toxins into the air. This is why you should monitor conditions and stay away from beaches where red tide is in bloom. People in coastal areas can experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irritation during a red tide bloom. Some individuals with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic lung disease might experience more severe symptoms. Red tide toxins can also affect the central nervous system of fish and other marine life, which can lead to fish kills.
What causes red tide?
A red tide bloom develops naturally, but recent studies have discovered mankind's infusion of other nutrients into the mix can make the red tide last longer or get stronger. But biology (the organisms), chemistry (natural or man-made nutrients for growth) and physics (concentrating and transport mechanisms) interact to produce the algal bloom. No one factor causes the development of a red tide bloom.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District drew nearly two dozen samples earlier this week and tested them for components of blue-green algae and found nothing higher than trace levels in South Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has a satellite pointed at Lake Okeechobee and can detect harmful algae blooms found nothing of note this week, either.
That is expected to change.
Strong winds from Category 3 Hurricane Irma in 2017 churned up nutrient pollution from the depths of Lake Okeechobee, which helped feed a blue-green algae outbreak that covered 95 percent of the lake’s surface during the summer of 2018.
The much stronger Category 4 Hurricane Ian last September churned up Lake Okeechobee even more, so fears are that this summer will bring a blue-green algae outbreak even worse than the devastating one in 2018.
What is blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are a group of organisms that can live in freshwater, saltwater or brackish water. Large concentrations, called blooms, can change the water color to blue, green, brown, orange or red. Some cyanobacterial blooms can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of freshwater lakes and ponds. As algae in a cyanobacterial bloom die, the water may smell bad
Is blue-green algae harmful?
Different types of blue-green algal bloom species can look different and have different impacts. However, regardless of species, many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins that can make you or your pets sick if swallowed or possibly cause skin and eye irritation. The Florida department of Environmental Protection advises staying out of water where algae is visibly present as specks or mats or where water is discolored. Pets or livestock should not come into contact with algal bloom-impacted water or with algal bloom material or fish on the shoreline. If they do, wash the animals immediately.
What causes blue-green algae?
Blue-green algae blooms occur when the algae that are normally present grow in numbers more than normal. Within a few days, a bloom can cause clear water to become cloudy. Winds tend to push some floating blooms to the shore where they become more noticeable. Cyanobacterial blooms can form in warm, slow-moving waters that are rich in nutrients. Blooms can occur at any time, but most often occur in late summer or early fall.
If any major type of water quality alert is issued, you can find the details here in WGCU’s Water Quality Report.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
Sign up for WGCU's monthly environmental newsletter, the Green Flash, today.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
