
With all the fanfare of President Obama’s visit and the confrontation that seems likely at the April 2nd SFWMD, Water Resources Advisory Board meeting between “Stop the Land Grab” (http://goo.gl/2YVLXT) and the River Warriors, it is important to keep our “eye on the ball.” THE RIVER.
Since January 16th of 2015, the ACOE and SFWMD have been overseeing the releases from Lake Okeechobee into the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon. (The ACOE technically oversees this; however, collaboration includes the science of both agencies.)
January is very early to start releases, but the lake “is high” for this time of year. Due to releases and evaporation, it is slowly going down and now at 14.04 feet. The goal 13.5 (?) or so, but they won’t say that because one must “be sensitive to water supply” for agriculture and other users…(http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml)
Today, I will share photos by my husband, Ed Lippisch, that were taken yesterday around 5pm during the onset of an incoming tide. Ed was piloted by friend Scott Kuhns. Thank you Scott and Ed! 🙂
As mentioned in an earlier blog, the ACOE is PULSE RELEASING and lowering releases into the SLR through S-80 right now in an attempt to help Martin County evaluate bacteria testing that cannot be done during heavy discharges. It is interesting to note that pulse releases mimic nature so that the estuary is not continually pounded, and can recover a bit. Just like during a rain event, the water flow is intense, salinity drops, and then salinity increases when the water lets up. You can see the schedule below.

One of the most interesting photos is of Sailfish Point’s marina where the runoff into the SLR/IRL is very apparent. There is always runoff from land into the rivers, yet we must remember the rain takes everything on the land with it: fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, loose sediment….Martin County’s strong fertilizer ordinance rules don’t begin until June 1st, so it is likely that this runoff is full of pollution that like releases from Lake Okeechobee or area canals is not good for seagrasses.
For me the aerials of the seagrasses are most depressing. The once healthy beds look horrible. One can see they have algae all over them . Maybe I’m hyperbolizing, but the seagrasses do not look good to me. Having grown up here and swam in these area waters as a kid when they were lush and full of life—-the present condition is not acceptable.
Anyway, let’s keep our eye on river and we move through all these politics, and here is a look from above at YOUR RIVER!



















ACOE excerpt —Info that goes with the above pulse release schedule; it is from 3-26-14. Another will call will occur today and updates will be considered.
UNCLASSIFIED ACOE
Caveats: NONE
“Based on the current lake levels, tributary hydrologic conditions, and multi-seasonal forecast, 2008 Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (2008 LORS) Part D guidance is up to 3000 cfs at Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) and up to 1170 cfs at St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80). We have considered stakeholders input and recommendation from the South Florida Water Management District.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will be continuing discharges at S-79 at the same level as last week. However, the target discharges are reduced at S-80. The target flows over a 7-day period will be an average of 2500 cfs at S-79 and 500 cfs at S-80 cfs. These discharges will be made in a pulse-like manner (see attached).
These releases will start Friday, 27 March 2015 at 0700 hrs and end on Friday, 03 April 2015 at 0700 hrs.”
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ACOE Jacksonville: ((http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml))
SFWMD: (http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/sfwmdmain/home%20page)
It was inevitable that while River advocates imploded over similar but competing versions of stopping the discharges and sending clean water south that the actual evil empire would decide to chime in.
Sufficient time still exists for Sen Altman to move his bill through in Tally. Evan Miller was correct to call for pressure to appraise the land so all pieces would be in place for this last minute drive.
Egos aside, pick the right protest… The struggle is in Tally, not on Gun Road. Do not let the bait snag you. Distraction destroy action.
I just came back from our bridge on 192 —Melbourne causeway—It was solid menhaden minnows. I have been reading about bacteria counts–the lagoon is not a swimming pool. It is an estuary(nurseury) that everything from pilot whales to pelicans depends on. These menhaden are filtering out “bacteria” and eating them.If you were to send the water south what will happen when red tide comes like it did 10years ago and there is no positive pressure to keep it out of the lagoon?
Brent I think you are so beyond me, that I do not understand everything. Please keep posting your ideas and comments. It was wonderful to meet you at Stuart Beach during the beach protest. Very thoughtful of you to drive so far to meet everyone. You spurred a lot of interest. And one day when I have some free time I will run your calcium ideas past some people I kind of know at the Water Management District. Your area is part of the St Johns WMD. Do you have any body you know there? They work for you—the public. Perhaps it would be fun to contact them and share your fisherman and grassroots knowledge of water in the lagoon and how it reacts to calcium…..please stay in touch. I cannot refute your water going south idea. God made it go south that’s all I know. Jacqui
Some of our polliticians are former clammers. I was listening to one guy talk at one of our lagoon house meetings and his shirt said deputy mayor. He was talking how when the clams started to disappear they worked for years putting sead clams out. You should have seen him get excited when I showed him my album.I think being a politician is like having one group of people pull on one arm and another group pulling on another. I am sure there are people who think the lagoon should be like a swimming pool—DEAD. I wish they would move to the desert in Arizona.–La Chime.