Tag Archives: estuaries

The Great Flood of 1924; The Year Stuart Literally Almost Washed Away, SLR/IRL

1940s Agricultural Dept. cropped aerial, showing Stuart, Florida’s ponds, wetlands and sometimes “lakes.”

1950 Anniversary Edition of the Stuart News, courtesy of Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

Nov. 9, 1950 Stuart News reprinting 1924 account by Edwin A. Menninger. Courtesy, historian Sandra H. Thurlow.

For some stories there are no pictures, only your imagination…Today I will share a story brought to my attention by my mother in line with my recent interest in ponds.

It was September of 1924, Stuart was still part of Palm Beach County, and few people lived here. It was the “boom era” and residents were excited about building the future. But then it started raining, and raining, and raining…

By Edwin A Menninger, reprinted in the 1950 Anniversary of the Stuart News with my location references.

JUST WHAT WAS STUART LIKE 25 YEARS AGO? THE YEAR STUART ALMOST WASHED AWAY…

…We had just had four days of torrential rain. At one time it rained 36 inches in 36 hours. Stuart was flooded. The railroad tracks washed away at Rio. They washed away also just south of Salerno, and two FEC passenger trains carrying about 500 people were marooned in Stuart till the tracks could be rebuilt. The Vanderbuilts just happened to be on the train!…I published a special FLOOD EXTRA and sold 400 copies…the heavy rains made an enormous lake in th heart of Stuart. (It was before 4th Street (East Ocean) was graded and paved) and a huge lake stretched from the court house to the school.(Today’s Stuart Middle School and Ad. Buildings)

A small ditch to drain off the worst was dug from the lake’s edge (where W.V. King’s house now stands) (Across from Willie Gary’s office on Osceola today) to the St Lucie River; in an hour this became a raging torrent. Water ran so fast it dug a ditch 75 feet wide to the river, undermined houses nearby, threatened extensive damage before Curt Schroeder and his crew got things under control again. The ground was s waterlogged that drainage problems were difficult. Water stood across 4th Street (East Ocean) in deep, big ponds for more than a month in front of where John Demich now lives (today’s 5th and Cortez) and at the tennis court. The old hospital building was surrounded by water for weeks and physicians came and went in boats…

A raging torrent that dug a 75 foot ditch from East Ocean Blvd to the St Lucie River! Doctors going to the hospital in boats? Holy cow. That must have been something. How did they put back the land that washed out? Below I have tried to figure out where that area might have been…

In closing, hope you have enjoyed this week’s pond series. The message remains the same, Lake Okeechobee or a little pond on East Ocean Blvd. “Over drainage has consequences….”

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Notes of location referred to in the 1924 article, by Sandra Thurlow, help to figure out location:

The red dot in this Google Earth image is the historic Pelican Hotel and today the office of famous attorney Willie Gary. The King house referred to in the article was “across from here.” I believe the 75 wide inlet that formed as the canal from the pond eroded away from E Ocean to the St Lucie River would have been somewhere around this location. What do you think? JTL

Mom, where is the King’s house?

The King house was Kay Norris’s parents’ house across from the Pelican Hotel (Willie Gary’s ) The corner of our church property where Mary’s Closet is today used to flood terribly. There was once a rectory there that had to be demolished because it flooded and was ruined. Uncle Dale could tell you all about that. The King house still stands on Osceola I believe. At one time it was Dr. Eckersley’s office.

2. Where was the Dumich house?

Dumich lived on 5th Street about where Cortez intersects it.

3. Mom, remined me about the flooding when I was a kid.

Think of the courthouse. As you probably remember Memorial Park was always flooding. When it was suggested for a site for the library years before, Mary Kanner, (Kanner Highway, Highway 76, is named after her Judge husband) said “I am not going to have the library built in that sometime lake.” The pond that was dug in front of where the Log Cabin was constructed, later became the Middle School Pond. Now, it too, has been made to disappear.

Dept of Ag 1940, Martin County, showing ponds and wetlands, courtesy of UF arrives and help of Todd Thurlow.

Notes of Edwin Menninger:

~Edwin A Menninger, The South Florida Developer, 1924

(Menninger purchased the weekly paper, South Florida Developer, in 1923, moving its publication headquarters to Stuart from Canal Point. In 1928 he bought the Stuart Daily News. This excerpt was reprinted in the 1950 Anniversary Edition of the Stuart News.) (This excerpt can also be found on page 453 of a History of Martin County.)

Thank you to my awesome brother Todd Thurlow who created this image after reading today’s blog post. He writes: “Hi Jacqui – If you want to see the 1924 lake, the FEMA flood maps show the low spot pretty well. Check thiis out:” ~Todd

The Old Drained Ponds of Downtown Stuart, Now Poison the St Lucie River, ~Time Capsule Flight, Todd Thurlow, SLR/IRL

Today’s blog post, created by my brother, Todd Thurlow, just totally blows my mind. His time-capsule flight through images of Google Earth, historic maps from 1850 and 1940, and an aerial from 1958, takes us on a journey through the extensive pond-land/wetland that used to be the area of Downtown Stuart and beyond. Today we all live here, most of us not even realizing what the land once was…this wetland now “magically” drains into the St Lucie River.

In Todd’s video you can see that Stuart Middle School actually is now sitting where an old pond used to be; there were ponds expanding and contracting with the rains in today’s Memorial Park; there were ponds in the areas of today’s County Courthouse; there were ponds scattered over today’s airport, Witham Field; there were extensive ponds along East Ocean Boulevard and Dolphin as featured in last Friday’s popular blog post. Yes, there little ponds just about everywhere!

Sometimes we think the wetlands are “out west” and they are, but years ago they were also here. I have to say am guilty of this too. When I came home after university in 1986 and just about everything was developed, once again, amnesia! Look, after you watch Todd’s video, and notice the drainage canals around Monterey Blvd., St Lucie Blvd, back by Kingswoods Condo, and on the edges of Witham Field and there are many more. Of course like the grates and drains in every parking lot, these canals drain into our ailing St Lucie River. Lake Okeechobee is the big toxic hammer but there is local destruction too…

Thank you Todd and please watch the video!

Jacqui

Link to East Ocean Blvd and Dolphin Drive 1885, 1949 and 1958 video: (https://youtu.be/RCA47UsrmAc)

BY TODD THURLOW

The video is a follow-up to my sister’s 5/19/2017 blog post “The Long Forgotten Wetlands of East Ocean Boulevard, SLR/IRL” (https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/201…)

She describes a 1958 aerial photograph that hangs in my law office. The photo is from my parent’s “Thurlow/Ruhnke” collection. I had used the photo for a Google Earth presentation for Stuart Heritage on May 8, 2012. http://www.stuartheritagemuseum.com/

This is a recording of maps and photographs used for part of that presentation: 1850s Government Land Office Plats, 1940 USDA aerials and the 1958 Thurlow/Ruhnke photo.

There is no sound or text overlays but here are a few features to note:

0:50 –What was called the “Stuart Middle School Pond”. We jumped in that pond on the last day of school to celebrate graduating from 8th grade. A few years ago the pond was filled in to make room for a new building.

1:00 – The end of Fourth Street (what is now called East Ocean Blvd). East Ocean Blvd. ended at the intersection of St. Lucie Blvd/ Oriole Ave. on the left (north) side and Dolphin Drive on the right (south) before it was extended to the “Bridges to the Sea”.

1:14 – The oblique aerial described in Jacqui’s blog. Note the building in the bottom right corner. That is the Broadway Service Center which still stands today. See https://goo.gl/iODQwU

1:47 –The Evan’s Crary Bridge (aka the Ten Cent Bridge) under construction in the background

2:24 – 1940 flyover of Dolphin Drive. Note the single building in the middle of nowhere. That residence is still standing on the corner of SE 6th Street and Flamingo Ave. According to the Martin County Property Appraiser, it was built in 1925, years before the photo was taken.

2:30 –The 1940 view before our current airport. The previous Krueger Airport was off of East Ocean Blvd. Dolphin Drive continued all the way from East Ocean Blvd. to St. Lucie Blvd. by the river. If you have ever taken the “back exit” from the Stuart Air Show onto St. Lucie Blvd, that still existing right-of-way is what used to be the other end of Dolphin Drive.

~Todd Thurlow

“Time Capsule Flights,” created by my brother, Todd Thurlow, has been a shared favorite on my blog since 2014. In these remarkable videos, Todd uses his legal and historical knowledge to create a living collage juxtaposing historic and modern-day images to achieve dramatic insights into watershed and land use changes in Florida over the past hundred years. These videos are a must for anyone wishing to understand our state’s history or working to restore its waters and lands in the future. You can access all of Todd’s videos here: http://maps.thethurlows.com.

1940s Dept. of Ag. aerials Martin Co. Dark areas are ponds/wetlands.

Thurlow and Thurlow PA: http://www.thurlowpa.com

The Long Forgotten Wetlands of East Ocean Boulevard, SLR/IRL

4th Street/East Ocean Blvd 1957, Stuart, Florida, Arthur Ruhnke. Courtesy archives of historian, Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

“See that white strip just below the wetland? That is the extension of Flamingo Drive that skirts the pond behind the old car wash. They just dug a retention pond and conducted the water to it. All of that pineland is covered with condominiums today.” (Cedar Point, Vista Pines, and Kingswood)~ Sandra H. Thurlow

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Today we drive over the Indian River Lagoon and St Lucie River surrounded by “civilization,” and forget that once it was once a wetland and pine forest full of wildlife. In the course of a lifetime, these things are long forgotten.

The above 1957 photograph hangs in my brother’s law office. When I visit him, I find myself staring at it for long periods of time. It is one of those rare photos that really puts things into perspective. The road construction through the wetlands, (note it going through the pond, and pine forest) was all taking place around the same time that the “Bridges to the Sea,” from Stuart to Sewall’s Point, and Sewall’s Point to Hutchinson Island, were completed. It’s amazing to see what the landscape once looked like. The road in the photograph, Fourth Street, was renamed “East Ocean Boulevard” in 1960, and is a major thoroughfare to the beaches today.

Jenny, Todd and I 1973, alligator in background.

I remember early East Ocean Blvd, although it was already quite changed by the time I was born in 1964. My family lived at 109 Edgewood Drive in Stuart, a short distance away from these wetland ponds under development. I recall Scrub Jays in our back yard and feeding them peanuts. By 1974 the family moved across the river to Sewall’s Point “growing and improving” with the changing landscape.

By 1979, when I was fifteen years old, riding my bike over the bridge to Stuart to work at the Pelican Car Wash, the beautiful wetland pond had been relegated to a retention pond for run off. Over the next two decades, you didn’t see wetlands and ponds anymore, or wildlife, just condominiums, office buildings, and shopping plazas. The state four-laned East Ocean Boulevard and built higher bridges to the ocean too.

Believe it or not, the pond in the aerial is still located behind a gas station that used to be the car wash. It is not even a shadow of its former self. Two days ago, I drove by and noticed that there was an extensive algae bloom in the pond backed up to the parking lot and gas pumps; the water reflecting a sickly shade of green.

I sat there thinking about the long forgotten pond in the middle of East Ocean Boulevard in the photo I love in my brother’s office, wishing the developers had figured out a way to go around the pond. As the shortest distance between two points, over time, is not always a straight line.

East Ocean Blvd 1957, courtesy historian, Sandra Henderson Thurlow

Flamingo and retention pond at Flamingo and East Ocean 2017, once a wetland.

Google map of East Ocean Blvd. through what was once wetland and forest, 2017.

1940s Dept of Agriculture photographs of Martin County showing wetlands. Courtney Todd Thurlow and UF archives.

Overlay 1940 aerials over Google map today, Todd Thurlow.

USDA History of Wetland Development in Florida: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/fl/newsroom/features/?cid=stelprdb1252222

Bridges to the Sea, Luckhardt Vignette TCPalm Series: http://archive.tcpalm.com/news/historical-vignettes–martin-county-bridges-and-bridge-tenders-ep-306449407-342336761.html

Award Winning “Field and Stream” Journalist, Hal Herring Tours the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon

Award winning conservation, hunting and fishing journalist, Hal Herring over S-308, the connection from Lake Okeechobee to canal C-44 and the St Lucie River/IRL, JTL 5-13-17

Award page Hal Herring, from his web site

At the recent Bullsugar “Fund the Fight” event, Captain Mike Connor introduced me to Montana based, award-winning fishing and hunting journalist, Hal Herring. I looked Hal straight in the eye, shook his strong hand and said, “It’s so nice to meet you Mr Herrington.” He smiled, eyes sparkling, and replied, “Herring mam. Like the fish.”

About Hal Herring: (https://www.halherring.com/about)

Hal Herring’s website: (https://www.halherring.com)

Fly Life Magazine writes: “Herring, one of the leading outdoor writers of our time, co-manages the Conservationist Blog for Field & Stream, is the author of several books and is a regular contributor to numerous other well-known outdoor news outlets including High Country News, Montana’s Bully Pulpit Blog and the Nature Conservancy magazine.”

To say the least, I felt honored to be chosen as a tour guide for Hal Herring as my husband and Mike Connor arranged an aerial journey for the visiting journalist. After researching Hal, checking out his website, and reading his article on the Clean Water Act, I knew I was dealing with a gifted journalist. What a great person to have learn about the problems of our St Lucie River!

Contemporary Florida canal map ACOE/SFWMD

Canals C-23, C-24, C-25 and most southerly C-44 connected to Lake Okeechobee.

We prepared the Baron for Saturday. My husband Ed invited friend and fellow fisherman Dr Dan Velinsky. The flight stared with a rough take off. I steadied myself. “Please don’t let me puke Lord…” As Ed gained altitude, things settled down and we were on our way…

After taking off from Witham Field in Stuart, we followed the dreadful C-44 canal west to Lake Okeechobee; diverting north at the C-44 Reservoir under construction in Indiantown; traveled over the FPL cooling pond and S-308, the opening to C-44 and the St Lucie River at Port Mayaca. Next we followed Lake Okeechobee’s east side south to Pahokee, and then Belle Glade in the Sugarland of the EAA; here we followed the North New River Canal and Highway 27 south to the lands spoken about so much lately, A-1 and A-2 and surrounding area of the Tailman property where Senate Presidient Joe Negron’s recently negociated deeper reservoir will be constructed if all goes well; then we flew over the Storm Water Treatment Areas, Water Conservation Areas, and headed home east over the houses of Broward County inside the Everglades. Last over West Palm Beach, Jupiter, north along the Indian River Lagoon and then back to the St Lucie Inlet. Everywhere the landscape was altered. No wonder the water is such a mess…

See red triangle left of right circle. This area of A-1 and A-2 and the reservoir is to be located on top of and closeby

Old orange grove being made into the C-44 Reservoir/STA, Indiantown

FPL cooling pond on edge of Lake O, Indiantown

A-1 and A-2 area, southern EAA with WCA on left

Edge of Conservation areas next to A-1 and A-2 areas

Along the SE coast looking south, FPL’s St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant

I explained the history, Dan told fish stories, Ed ducked in and out of clouds. All the while, Hal Herring took notes on a yellow legal pad with calmness and confidence. Nothing surprised him; he was a quick study in spite of all the variables. He was so well read, not speaking often but when he did, like a prophet of sorts. He spoke about this strange time of history, the time we are living in, when humans have overrun the natural landscape. He spoke about mankind being obsessed with transcending the limits of the natural world…and the control of nature…but for Hal there was no anger or disbelief, just wisdom. In his biography, he says it best:

“My passions as a writer and storyteller lie where they always have – in exploring humankind’s evolving relationship to the natural world, and all the failures, successes and deep tensions inherent in that relationship…”

In the Everglades region, Hal may just have hit the jackpot!

Florida Coastal Law Review’s “Sugar, Politics, and the Destruction of Florida’s Natural Resources,” by Jaclyn Blair

We all know that young people are the largest key to a “better water future” for our great state of Florida. Recently I opened my mailbox to find the “Florida Coastal Law Review’s Special Symposium Issue: A look into the 2017 Florida Constitution Revision Commission/Fall Issue, Volume 18.” It is very excited to see what topics the students are covering. I read the whole thing! All of the articles are powerful expressions. My favorite? “Sugar, Politics, and the Destruction of Florida’s Natural Resources,” by Jaclyn Blair.

Coastal Law Review: http://www.fcsl.edu/student-life-florida-coastal-law-review.html

After such a difficult few weeks watching the state legislature pass the ball back and forth and finally catch SB10 and HB761, and then the false cry that Florida Forever could not be funded, the Law Review publication really lifted my spirits. I was so excited that I decided to call the law school, garnering more information and received permission to share.

The best way I know how, and with my limited time today, I am just going to photograph the article and post it. Even if you read the first few pages, you will be impressed. I have a better format, but cannot post PDF format on my blog. Email me if you’d like a PDF or call the law school at 904-680-7700. The Editor-in Chief, Dylan W. Retting, is a great help.

In closing as I’m off to Panama City, more than anything…more than any bill or any politicking…. seeing young people pick up the torch for our waters and our environment is an inspiration. An inspiration for a true and longer-lasting, “better water future.”

Thank you to the students of Jacksonville’s Florida Coastal Law Review! I am impressed!

*Got a link to article, added at 7pm: http://www.pdf.investintech.com/preview/fe13b74e-2f89-11e7-922a-002590d31986/index.html

Sincerely,

Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch

Who Owns the Land Inside and Outside of the Circles? Mapping Out the Future Of Water, SLR/IRL

Senate Pres. Elect Joe Negron’s proposal/landownership in EAA, TCRPC 2016

Yesterday we talked about the importance of maps and how they allow us to have a vision for the future. For today’s lesson we are going to visually compare Senator Joe Negron’s land proposal map with a map of land ownership. This ownership map was recently created by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) and I shared these maps with Senator Negron prior to the choice of land ownership possibilities.

Learning about lands south of Lake Okeechobee can be dizzying. The first thing you have to do, not to lose your sense of direction, is to familiarize yourself with the canals. Your landmarks.

From left to right, the largest canals visible running north/south under Lake Okeechobee are the Miami, New River, Hillsborough, and West Palm Beach. You will also notice the Bolles Canal, (L-21), that runs east/west intersecting. When flying over this area with my husband these canals are the only landmarks that guide me in knowing where I am. Otherwise, it is just miles and miles of sugarcane.

map, canals, South of Lake Okeechobee — Canal map SFWMD

I love the TCRPC map below with the list of land owners in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). It really makes it easy to “see.” Notice the color coded BLUE: Public (the state or federal government); YELLOW: Private Ownership; and RED: Major Private Ownership.

When I asked the council the difference between private ownership and major private ownership, they said bigger corporations quality as “major private ownership.” One can see by all the red that most of the land under Lake Okeechobee is in major private ownership!

In regard to landownership inside the circles, Isadora Rangel of TC Palm stated in her August 10th article as follows:

“Sugar giant Florida Crystals owns 60 percent of each of those two parcels, Negron said. U.S. Sugar Corp. owns 30 percent of one, and sugar grower King Ranch owns 30 percent of the other. The state and others own the rest of the land. A U.S. Sugar spokesman declined to comment on whether the company will sell. Florida Crystals said it was reviewing Negron’s plan, according to media reports. Negron said he’s “optimistic” the companies will sell and said if the state allocates the money, then negotiations will be easier…”

Well, as we learn about this area (so we can speak in an educated manner to those involved who win on November 8th) let’s look at ALL of the owners on the map.

1.United Stats Sugar Corporation

2. Okeelanta Corp.

3. New Hope Sugar Co.

4. King Ranch Inc.

5. Wedgeworth Farms Inc.

6. SBG Sugar Farms

7. Stofan Co. Inc.

8. Closter Farms Inc.

9. Sugar Cane Growers

10. New Farm Inc.

We know something about one or two but what about the rest?

In the coming days, we will learn about history of these land owners and the history of what was once the “river of grass.” It will benefit us to review the story of the this area, because it our story too, the story of the slow demise of the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon.

file-page1 — Negron EAA land purchase proposal 2016

President Elect Senator Joe Negron: https://www.flsenate.gov/senators/s32

TCPalm, Isador Rangel on Negron’s proposal, 8-10-16:

http://archive.tcpalm.com/news/indian-river-lagoon/politics/joe-negron-announces-plan-to-reduce-lake-okeechobee-discharges-3994eb9f-787b-3082-e053-0100007f3d08-389532591.html

TCRPC, EAA ownership map source:http://www.tcrpc.org

Mapping Out The Future of Water, SLR/IRL

If we are trying to go somewhere; if we are trying to achieve a goal; if we are tying to win a war; maps are critical for success. They give direction. They give confidence. They provide vision…

The map above is the proposed land purchase of Senator Joe Negron, and before we dive into this map we need to consider the map of the Florida Senate, how its representation will change November 8th, and why this is important to us along the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon.

Last year the Senate maps were redistricted due to a law suit, but its effect will play even more out “now.”

According to TC Palm reporter, Isabella Rangel, the redistricting resulted in two things:

new boundaries for state Senate districts that required all 40 seats be on the ballot in 2016; and the renumbering of those districts that determined the fate of many senators.
People elected in odd-numbered districts will have a four-year term. Those in even-numbered districts will have a two-year term, followed by a four-year term if they haven’t reached their term limit.

What a shift! Every seat is up for reelection and the districts and timing has changed…And who is going to be keeping hold of the reigns on this wild stallion should he win his district?

President Elect Senator Joe Negron of course…

For us, advocates for the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, we must think beyond ourselves. When maps change, power shifts. We should be watching this statewide election very closely. Look at the maps now and think of who you know in any of the districts ….because it will take more than Joe Negron to win this war. It will take all of us.

IMG_5473 2.jpg — Former Senate districts, 2016

Portion of new Florida Senate map. Martin County has changed to District 25 rather than 32 and 21.

Link New Florida Senate Districts, for 2017: https://www.flsenate.gov/usercontent/session/redistricting/map_and_stats_11x17v5_2012-CA-2842.pdf

Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-negron-water-plans-paula-dockery-082516-20160825-story.html

TCPalm:http://archive.tcpalm.com/news/indian-river-lagoon/politics/joe-negron-announces-plan-to-reduce-lake-okeechobee-discharges-3994eb9f-787b-3082-e053-0100007f3d08-389532591.html

Avoiding the Perfect Toxic Algae Storm in the St Lucie River/IRL

LC80150412016264LGN00 - Crop 2.jpg — Lake Okeechobee Landsat 8 satellite image shows as clear lake, 9/22/16.

http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Landsat%2030m%20Resolution/index.html#LE70150412016256EDC01%2520-%2520Crop.

Click to see recent satellite images of Lake Okeechobee and algae-full images from this summer: http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/ (Compiled by Todd Thurlow)

I am lucky to know a lot of people who are smarter than me. And one of them is my brother. Ever since we were kids Todd read meteorological books or the Guinness Book of World Records. He likes data. Today, over forty years later, he is helping me apply his knowledge of data to the St Luce River/Indian River Lagoon.

If you are a regular blog reader, you know that this past summer Todd helped publicly identify what became a 240 square mile algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee that was being released into the C-44 causing our river to become toxic. Today, I will share his ideas on avoiding the perfect toxic algae storm.

Here is a photo of Todd and I when we were young in the 70s, when the river was in better shape and we were having fun fishing on Ronnie Nelson’s dock on Hutchinson Island.

Here is a photo of Todd and me today. As you can see we have changed a lot and the river has changed too…

So recently, this Friday when the Army Corp increased releases to the St Lucie Estuary I wrote Todd. (Press release: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/952594/lake-okeechobee-flows-to-increase/)
I think the exchange is insightful so I am going to share:

Jacqui: “Todd, how does the lake look? ”

Todd: “Clear. I have been posting every 8 days.

After studying these satellite aerials for a while, I can tell that the blooms are definitely related to sunlight and wind..Our scientists friends would sarcastically say, “no kidding?!”

High pressure system -> a lot of sunlight + no wind = bloom. Clouds + wind = less algae.

The fresh water, phosphorus and nitrogen are always in the lake, but not necessarily the river. Luckily, cloudless days are also the perfect time to spot the algae by satellite.

Maybe the ACOE should add to their discharge schedule that they will hold back the releases when it is forecast to be calm and sunny for several days to prevent the risk of and bloom in the estuaries? Then they can pulse the releases again when the clouds and wind pick up and the algae blows away in the lake – kind of like mother nature.

Jacqui: “Always better if we go with Mother Nature so we don’t end up with such ecological disasters…”
Todd: ” I think Gary Goforth, Mark Perry and others would tell us that the disaster timeline sets up like this:

– A low pressure weather system moves into Florida and dumps a bunch of rain, local runoff begins and the lake starts to rise
– They keep S-308 at Mayaca an other lakeside gates closed and open S-80 because the priority is always to transport the “local” runnoff first and not add to flooding problems by sending lake water through the coastal canals
– The local basins start to drain out and a high pressure weather system moves in. It gets sunny, hot, and the wind dies down to zero.
– With a lot of sun and no wind, the lake starts to bloom. With local runoff subsiding, the tides help flush all to local runoff out to sea but not completely.
– Just when conditions in the lake are “the perfect storm”, the estuaries would otherwise be recovering from the local runoff, the lake is in full bloom and rising, S-308 is now opened to drop the lake at the worst time. All the algae that just exploded in the lake is transported down C-44 through S-80 and into to estuaries. Salinity in the estuaries stays low instead of naturally recovering. With the sunny conditions and unnatural discharges, the estuaries explode with algae blooms.

If they would just delay opening S-308 for just a few days, maybe a week, allowing clouds and wind to return, could the perfect storm be avoided?”

You can access more of Todd’s shared data here under FIRM FAVORITES: http://www.thurlowpa.com
__________________________________

Thank you Todd! Hope the ACOE thinks on this. We don’t want to get in the Guinness Book of World Records 2016 for the estuary with the most toxic algae blooms!

Understanding C-PAC, JTL vs the Political Machine-A Retrospective, SLR/IRL

Part #3, PACS

C-PAC

Today along the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, I continue my series “JTL vs the Political Machine,” a retrospective for my county commission district 1 campaign loss. I find that hindsight is always 20/20, reviewing everything is helpful, and certainly understanding how things work will make me a better candidate in the future. As a teacher it is an oportunity for me to share the electoral process so others can learn too.

Yesterday we reviewed Write in Candidates, and the Firefighters Union. Today we begin with one of multiple PACs, or Political Action Committees. On the simplest level, a PAC is an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation. PACs must report monies raised to election offices, and the tiers of giving are often multilayered and not easy to trace.

I am going to start with the PAC closest to home, C-PAC. C-PAC is the political action committee for the Stuart Chamber. https://www.stuartmartinchamber.org
I have a lot of acquaintances in the Stuart Chamber, but due to long-standing relationships and other factors the chamber supported my opponent Doug Smith. Thus we study his post card today.

The Stuart Chamber supported Mr Smith by sending out a post card for him. The average political postcard mailing for design, printing, and mailing runs around $15,000, so it is very helpful if a PAC sends out a postcard for you if you are a candidate because then you don’t have to raise the money yourself!

Below is the postcard C-PAC sent out for Doug Smith. Look closely on the back side bottom, it reads: “Paid Electioneering Communication paid for by C-PAC, 1650 S. Kanner, Highway, FL 34994” if Mr. Smith’s campaign had paid for this, it would say that…

For the busy and hardworking public, it is hard to take the time to find out where PACs get their money and thus who is really supporting a candidate so let’s look a bit deeper and see what we find out. It’s fun. Like being a detective!

First of all as C-PACs address is in Martin County, you have to go to the Martin County Supervisor of Election’s website and click on the COMMITTEE INFO, COMMITTEES, C-PAC, and then “Non Election Specific Reporting:”

http://www.martinvotes.com/CFElectionFilings.aspx?elect_id=&comm_id=27

Once clicking around one can see that in 2015 and 2016, C-PAC accepted PAC money from the following :

I know most of the donors in 2015, but who is Florida Jobs Pac in 2016 who gave $25,000 to C- PAC on 7/14/16? According to the StPetersburgBlog: Florida Jobs PAC is a political arm of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. That makes sense–but let’s look at the donations. As Florida Jobs Pac’s address is Tallahassee we must go to the Florida Division of Election’s website and type in Florida Jobs under “Committees:”
http://dos.elections.myflorida.com/campaign-finance/contributions/

This is what comes up. There are many donors but some stand out like Duda and Sons Inc., Florida Crystals, FPL with so many, and United States Sugar Corporation.

Hmmmm?

So although the postcard says C-PAC. There is more to it than that. Good to know! We’ll study some more of the Tallahasse PACs in the coming days. They are very interesting too.

Jacqui

Learn more here: Dept of State: http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/candidates-committees/

Befriending Lucifer, St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon

With Lucifer in the garage, Todd, Jenny, Jacqui and Dad. Stuart, Fl ca. 1972. Photo Sandra Thurlow.

One of my most vivid memories of growing up in Stuart, was befriending Lucifer. Lucifer was a Great Dane that lived in the neighborhood. In the 1970s, many dogs roamed free, some of the time anyway….

Lucifer was an amazing creature and he scared the daylights out of us kids. But we would taunt him too. Sometimes, when there was nothing to do, which was most of the time, we would walk outside when our parents were not looking and call “Lucifer….Lucifer….” and this huge, galloping, horse-like dog, with giant teeth and saliva dripping from his lips, would come running out of the bushes—and what would we do? We would smile and start running ourselves!

We would run, and run, and run with Lucifer at our backs, us shrieking, eyeing one another in anticipation of a fall to the earth. And then, if we were lucky, we’d make it to the jungle gym. And there, we would climb to the highest level and look down on Lucifer, as he barked and jumped and tried to climb the jungle gym himself.

It was great fun for us, but not so much for Lucifer…

Somewhere along this journey in St Lucie Estates, a stone’s throw from the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, I realized I was being mean. That Lucifer had not given himself that name, nor had he asked to look so scary. He was just trying to play. I eventually got down off the jungle gym and befriended him. This took time. He was my height and barked and ran around a lot. He jumped on me and knocked me down. But over time, we trusted each other, and then it became my job to keep him from being tortured by the other kids. I took great pleasure taming this wild creature that we kids had called to kill us….this gave me power in the neighborhood kid hierarchy.

Is there a metaphor here for our river? I don’t know, but I looking through the old family photo album my mother gave me and upon reading the headlines this morning, I felt inclined to share this story today.

May we remember that names are given, and that we are really just grown-up kids, and that the power is in taming Lucifer.

Do Lake Okeechobee’s Algae Blooms Grow on “Rocky Reef” Above Clewiston?

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRP6eEDKW_Y&feature=youtu.be)
(Movie showing a close-up of the Rocky Reef overlaid with today’s image and a NOAA Chart-By Todd Thurlow)

As we know, my brother Todd has been keeping his eye on the Landsat satellite images as they provide tremendous insight into the condition of Lake Okeechobee and potential algae blooms that affect the health, safely and welfare of those living around the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon. Todd notes that in studying the Landsat images: “Perhaps the algae grows on Rocky Reef? The area just north of this location is were some of the earlier blooms originated.”

Hmmm? Could the Rocky Reef be an area where the water cannot flow in the lake as easily due to its nature? Could it be possible that nutrient rich back pumped waters from the sugar fields fester in this area feeding a lake wide bloom? Worth a thought as we try to fix our problems…

The toxic algae blooms –people are still talking about them….

You may have noticed recently in various publications and “Letters to the Editor” across the state that some are calmly claiming that “algae blooms have been occurring in Florida since the beginning of time…” This may be true, however, this summer’s 240 square mile algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee that led to the outbreak in the St Lucie River was unprecedented. Comparing the situation to prior algae bloom outbreaks of 2013, 2014, or any other is like comparing a dog to a wolf. The same but very different.

Another interesting thing Todd stumbled upon while researching the “Rocky Reef” located basically above Clewiston was a 1977 joint NASA/SFWMD report on, of all things, using Landsat radiance data to study the turbidity and chlorophyll concentrations in Lake Okeechobee.

The report is entitled: LANDSAT INVESTIGATION OF WATER QUALITY IN LAKE OKEECHOBEE, PRESENTED AT THE 1977 ASP-ACSM CONVENTION IN WASHINGTON DC FEB 27-March 5, 1977. (http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/pg_grp_tech_pubs/portlet_tech_pubs/dre-71.pdf)

Since obviously the South Florida Water Management District has been using the Landsat information since 1977, and Martin County has been paying taxes to the District since around the same time, I think it would have been polite if the District had let us know when Lake Okeechobee’s then poisonous waters were overflowing with algae and headed this way. Don’t you as well?

You can learn about Todd’s discoveries about the Rocky Reef below.

Jacqui

___________________________________

In correspondence to Mark Perry, Todd Thurlow provided the following: (http://www.thurlowpa.com)

Here is September 4th’s Landsat 8 image.

(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Landsat%2030m%20Resolution/index.html#LC80150412016248LGN00%2520-%2520crop.jpg)

That 16.8 square mile area in the southwest looks like algae but part of it is apparently the “Rock Reef”.
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/index.html#LakeOAlgaeBloom%2528possible%2529-2016-09-04_close.jpg)

Chart View:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/index.html#LakeOAlgaeBloom%2528possible%2529-2016-09-04_RockReef.jpg)

Rocky Reef: There is an old pump station out there that is visible in Google Earth. Here is a picture of it:
(http://www.panoramio.com/photo_explorer#view=photo&position=78&with_photo_id=43780903&order=date_desc&user=4322147)

“The Message of my Family’s Fallen Oak Tree”-St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon

I like to believe that I receive messages from Nature. You know, like Florida’s Native Americans did? They paid attention to their natural environment. They were an extension of it. This helped them survive and adapt, giving them an edge when it came to Mother Nature and Humankind’s periodic wrath.

I remember reading a chapter in Patrick Smith’s “A Land Remembered;” it only dawned on the pioneers that a hurricane was coming when they noticed the Indians moving to higher ground.

I feel that this week, I too, was given a sign.

Last week, on August 20th, the first day of “early voting,” I visited my parents at my childhood home in beautiful Sewall’s Point. My mom, being mom, recommended I go outside and lie under her favorite ancient oak tree and just soak in the beauty of it all.

She knew I had been stressed lately running my campaign for the river and for Martin County’s quality of life.

She handed me a banana and I went outside on the deck under our giant oak tree.

—The deck of all the family outings, the deck that used to be a swimming pool before my mother filled it in, the deck of running grandchildren, the deck of Thanksgiving and of Easter. The deck of memories.

It was a gorgeous day so I took some pictures and rested in a reclining chair right under the amazing tree. It’s branches reached the ground enclosing me an a giant embrace. Sunlight danced from leaf to leaf and reflected in the wings of dragonflies. Woodpeckers and squirrels darted from branch to branch tending to their babies. I noticed how the old tree was intertwined with numerous equally old stick-like cabbage palms. I thought about how many had walked under the oak’s branches: the Native People, the Pirates, the Spanish, the Pioneers –different animals–and now me.

How long had it been alive? Maybe 250 years?

Seven days later, I received a text from my sister, Jenny, who lives next door to my parents. “I have some bad news. Mom and Dad’s giant oak tree split in half….everyone is OK, but the back yard is a mess. One side is still standing.”

So the following day I went to look at the damage. It was dramatic but it looked so strong we thought the other half might endure. An arborist said it was possible.

And then, on August 31st, the day after losing the election, its remains came crashing down…

Yesterday, I visited walking around taking pictures.

No one was home. Just me and the tree. The tree I watched grow from my bedroom window and saw reflected in the mirror every time I assessed myself. I was assessing myself now, but there was no reflection.

I moved about with care and disbelief. Finally, not knowing what else to do, I put my hand on the tree’s gigantic fallen limb. No birds chirped. No crickets called. All I could muster to say was “thank you.”

I walked away, saddened and empty.

Then it dawned on me, I’d missed something. A message. I turned around; I looked over the pile of destruction. And then I saw it, green and full of life, the resurrection fern.

I moved against the tree’s wet branches: “Yes, I said….”Through water, we are reborn.”

Ocean, Shore, and Bridges, St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon

scan0018 (4).jpg — A. Ruhnke, Stuart Nov. 12, 1956. (Courtesy of Sandra Thurlow)

I started the day looking for a quote of inspiration; this is what I found:

“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

-Christopher Columbus

There have been some heavy set backs lately, for me and for others. After a year of total dedication and tremendous support, I lost a close race for Martin County commissioner. A race mostly inspired by our river…

Sometimes it may seem that we have fallen overboard and are surrounded by sharks, but we are not. We have just run aground… I believe because of our collective efforts since 2013 there is more wide-scale awareness for the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon than in the combined previous 83 years. Progress is being made and will continue. There are always set backs as a goal is being achieved.

Just yesterday, I opened up “Florida Trend Magazine”and right there was the now famous aerial photograph of a beautiful North River Shores peninsula surrounded in fluorescent green algae. The title? Southeast “Bloom Blame, Florida researchers look for links between environmental factors and brain diseases.”

Unbelievable….

As you know, our plight, the plight of the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon has become a state issue. A national issue. The sad story of Lake Okeechobee and the St Lucie River is now mainstream, not just for a certain well read group, but for everyone.

Why?

Because we organized, we protested, we taught our youth, we went into schools, we went into churches and synagogues, we spoke at our dinner tables, we created organizations, we exploded on social media, we inspired candidates to run for the river, we inspired incumbents who had not spoken for the river to speak…

We had the courage to lose sight of the shore, this dirty shore that we stand on, and cross the ocean of the unknown. Along this journey, some have been persecuted, others are spreading the word…

This 1956 photo of the City of Stuart nestled in the arms of the St Lucie River was taken eight years before I was born. There were problem with the river then too, but only a few to speak for it, and hardly a way to spread the news…

Such a beautifully composed photograph, isn’t it? With the bridge leading to Stuart and the St Lucie Inlet on the horizon?

–Let’s have the courage to once again set sail…

Updated Lake O Discharge Information, Dr Gary Goforth-8/16, SLR/IRL

Thank you Dr Goforth for allowing me to share this update. Through knowing our subject, we shall prevail! Jacqui

____________________________________

Subject: Updated Lake discharge information, August 23rd, 2016

Updated flows and loads attached.

Since January 1:
· 178 billion gallons of polluted Lake water has been discharged to the St. Lucie estuary, equal to 24% of all Lake discharges. This foul water dumped millions of pounds of pollution into the estuary:
o 247,000 pounds of phosphorus
o 2.4 million pounds of nitrogen
o 47.5 million pounds of sediment
· 372 billion gallons of polluted Lake water has been discharged to the Caloosahatchee estuary, equal to 50% of all Lake discharges. This foul water dumped millions of pounds of pollution into the estuary:
o 325,000 pounds of phosphorus
o 4.7 million pounds of nitrogen
o 19.3 million pounds of sediment
· 21.4 billion gallons of polluted Lake water has been discharged to the Lake Worth Lagoon, equal to 3% of all Lake discharges.
· 45.4 billion gallons of treated Lake water has been discharged to the Everglades, equal to 6% of all Lake discharges, and 60% less than last year at this time.
· 12.6 times more Lake water has been sent to the estuaries than to the Everglades

Despite the high pollution load from the Lake to the St. Lucie estuary in 2016, agricultural runoff has contributed about 70% more phosphorus pollution, and almost as much nitrogen pollution.

More info at:
http://www.garygoforth.net/Other%20projects.htm

Gary Goforth

(Please click on images to enlarge)

Satellite Images Reveal Another Significant Algae Bloom in Lake O, SLR/IRL

Because the Army Corp of Engineers has been discharging into the St Lucie River for the past months and the nightmare of June’s algae situation, my brother has been monitoring satellite images of Lake Okeechobee. Unfortunately, another large bloom has been documented. For awhile the large bloom that reached a size of over 200 square miles seemed to subside and was not not very visible via satellite …

Since August 19th, 2016 a visible bloom is back.

Considering what happened in June and July of this year, we as a community should be prepared for another possible river algae outbreak if this bloom significantly grows or other conditions are right–presently, Todd measured the bloom at just over 40 square miles. (See below)

Many reports and Facebook posts have already surfaced about algae blooms building up again in marinas and along shorelines. Hopefully if there is an outbreak, it won’t be as extreme as earlier this year when the Governor declared a state of emergency.

Thank you Todd for the information and the images.

We will keep reporting.

JTL
———————–

On Aug 20, 2016, at 4:12 PM, Todd Thurlow <todd@thurlowpa.com> wrote:

Jacqui:

I sent this to Mark Perry. They just posted yesterday’s Landsat 8 pass. Algae is clearly visible. The outline around the bloom is 41.4 square miles:

(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/index.html#LakeOAlgaeBloom-2016-08-19_wide.jpg)
Full Res:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/LakeOAlgaeBloom-2016-08-19_wide.jpg)

Close-up:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/index.html#LakeOAlgaeBloom-2016-08-19_close.jpg)
Full Res:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Measurments/LakeOAlgaeBloom-2016-08-19_close.jpg)

Todd

(Todd Thurlow)
http://www.thurlowpa.com

Joe Negron & The EAA Reservoir, Escaping the ACOE’s IDS Tar-Pits, SLR/IRL

EAA Reservoir in white section-Planning Phase Proposed

Recently, Senator Joe Negron proposed as part of his goal-set as incoming Senate President the purchase of lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee. The idea of a reservoir is not a new one, but is certainly an idea whose “time has come.” To have the Present of the Senate supporting this idea is unprecedented!

As we move forward, it is important to know that this concept has been “on the books” since the beginning of Everglades restoration and is doable. We have all been really fighting for land since 2013, but the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan took shape in 2000. Unfortunately is not taking shape very quickly as it is caught in the tar-pits of government and can’t seem to break free.

So now we the state must take leadership.

The chart I want to share with you– in case you are unfamilar —so you can see the “tar-pit”— has a confusing name.

It is called the “Integrated Delivery Schedule” or (IDS).

But what does that mean?

The Army Corp of Engineers “IDS” as seen above, in many colors, is like a goal sheet, but because there are so many moving parts going on simultaneously and they because they are dependent on each other, the chart is multi-dimensional rather than just “one, two, three.” Nonetheless, the projects are “in order”…just think of it as a “list of things to do” from top to bottom…as the money comes in and the ACOE tries to get things done between politicians and stakeholders fighting.

OK to stick on point, I want to call attention to the bottom of the sheet. Third from the bottom in white you will notice a line that reads: “EAA Storage & ASR/Decomp Ph2.”

EAA storage is referring to water storage for Lake Okeechobee in the EAA; ASR is an entire other subject–like deep injection wells in the aquifer to store and retrieve water. Obviously the two concept were seen to work together.

It is all very complicated and I will write more about it in the coming months, but Senator Negron’s proposal has the potential to put the EAA reservoir higher up on the list, save the St Luice River/Indian River Lagoon, promote faster Everglades Restoration and pull us out of the tar-pits.

I for one am very thankful to Senator Negron, and I plan on pulling this Mammoth out by his tusks! 🙂

Jacqui

Here are some insightful links on the subject.

1. “Florida Audubon 2016: The Role of the EAA in Everglades Restoration Storing water in the EAA is one of the central components of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The EAA Reservoir project in CERP sought to hold water from Lake Okeechobee and farm runoff in the wet season and release this water south in the dry season. A er leaving the reservoir, freshwater would move through the network of man-made filter marshes called Stormwater Treatment Areas to remove phosphorus and other nutrients that are harmful to the plants and wildlife before continuing its path through the Central Everglades, Everglades National Park, and Florida Bay. Although an initial plan for the EAA Reservoir project was developed, the project was not constructed. The original location on for the project is now being used for two shallow water storage structures known as Flow Equalization on Basins (FEB). One FEB is part of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) project while another is part of the State of Florida’s Restora on Strategies plan required to meet water quality standards. These are important projects, but as recognized in the CEPP plan, the EAA Reservoir project is s ll necessary to achieve the goals of restoration on.1 There is an urgent need for state and federal agencies to come together to plan for water storage in the EAA.”
(http://fl.audubon.org/sites/g/files/amh666/f/audubon_eaa_reservoir_may2016.pdf)

2. Everglades Restoration (http://www.evergladesrestoration.gov/content/cepp/meetings/012512/Recap_EAA_Reservoirs.pdf)

3. AWRA Conference 2002, EAA Reservoir: (http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/33/32652.pdf)

4. ACOE:
ACOE EIS: https://books.google.com/books?id=1Do0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PP5&lpg=PP5&dq=EAA+reservoir+abstract&source=bl&ots=Dzbx9WhjvA&sig=2zyM1N1nfIgv1f9xtitaztXQFIw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj98s7S9MrOAhWEPB4KHRVIB44Q6AEIPTAF#v=onepage&q=EAA%20reservoir%20abstract&f=false

ACOE Integrated Delivery Schedule http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Portals/44/docs/Environmental/IDS/IDS_PLACEMAT_Revised_February2016_web.pdf

Senator Joe Negron announces his goal to purchase land in the EAA 8-9-16 (River Kid, Evie Flaugh stands nearby)

Negron map of possible areas for land purchase

The River League’s Briefcase and the Spirit of Ernie Lyons ….SLR/IRL

Recently, at Rivers Coalition Defense Fund meeting, president Kevin Henderson brought along the old River League’s briefcase. It had been stored away for many decades in an aging house in Stuart. In case you have not heard of them, “The River League” worked tirelessly in the 50s and 60s to stop the expanding destruction of our rivers by the Florida Flood Control District (today’s South Florid Water Management District) and the Army Corp of Engineers.

I couldn’t believe the old brief case—a beautiful sight–aged leather, and rusted metal with the sweat of those who carried it unwashed from its handle…

Kevin placed the briefcase on the table and opened it. It had not been opened in almost 50 years! No pun intended, but the sound of the locks “clicked”and suddenly it was open…

I held my breath.

I swore for a second that I saw the spirit of Ernie Lyons come out of the old briefcase like a genie. He had a giant cigar in his mouth and dark rimmed glasses. His hair was greased back and he sat at a floating desk from the old Stuart News…He was leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head smiling from ear to ear. His teeth were stained with tobacco juice and he looked happy as a clam.

“Ernie here….Ha! Good to see you workin’ so hard! Those bastards are still killing it aren’t they? The river that is! Don’t you for a moment have despair. As you know this war has been going on for a long, long time. All of us, who have passed, are on your side. We are here. All of us who worked so hard to save the paradise of this place. You’ve probably caught on. Good versus evil is not a game. And I got a secret to tell ya. —I know the end—and good wins. Don’t give up! And know we’re here working the magic behind the scenes to help you save the St Lucie/Indian River Lagoon.”

Then he looked away and started furiously typing…the words he was writing could be seen above his head:

Today’s column, 1968

HOW THROATS OF OUR RIVERS WERE CUT BY CANALS

“There was never anything more beautiful than a natural South Florida river, like the North and South Fork of the St Lucie…

A bank of cabbage palms and live oaks draped with Spanish moss and studded with crimson-flowered air-plants and delicate wild orchids– were scenes of tropical wonder, reflected back from the mirror-like onyx surface of the water….”

When I looked up, Ernie was gone and our meeting was in full discussion…

As a reflection from the mirror of the St Lucie’s onyx-like water–I know that Ernie is here…

Ernest Lyons, Editor Stuart News and state and national award-winning conservationist: Florida Press: (http://www.flpress.com/node/63)

Ernest Lyons with Mr Oughertson, (bow tie) Timer Powers (hat) and other dignitaries ca 1960s (Photo Sandra Henderson Thurlow)

The bridge between Sewall’s Point and Hutchinson Island is named in honor of Ernie Lyons.

Taking a Look for Ourselves, Algae Flyover, Lake O, SLR/IRL

Visible algae around S-308 at Port Mayaca , August 3 2016.

Algae Flyover…

Included today are aerial images my husband Ed Lippisch took Wednesday, August 3rd and a satellite image for grand overview.

As far as my husband’s photos, the algae is lessened but it there. Look closely. The above image is of S-308 the structure that allows water to enter the C-44 canal, S-80 and then the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon. Algae blooms can be identified even from 1000 feet.

The photos included below may be recognizable to many of you showing other views of S-308, S-80, the C-44 canal and the St Lucie River in the area of Palm City. Alage blooms are present.

The Landsat satellite image also from Aug 3rd was shared by my brother Todd Thurlow. As he notes, “it has been cloudy thus viewing is difficult.” Nonetheless, these images are key to knowing what is going on in the lake.

So thank you Ed! Thank you Todd! We will continue to check things ourselves hoping another toxic algae episode is not on the way. Also Thank you to the ACOE/SFWMD for lessening the discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the estuaries since e June 29th. Better but not best. The long term goal? Clean up this water and re-plumb this state.

LC80150412016216LGN00-crop — Aug 3 2016 Landsat satellite

1884 Rand, McNally & Co. Map, the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee,”My How Things Change…”SLR/IRL

001 — Rand, McNally, and Co. 1884 (Bloomfields Illustrated Historic Guide) Library of Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

Yesterday, my mother, historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow, came across this map while going through some old things…isn’t it a beauty? Look at the sprawling Everglades! Look at how the St Lucie River was not connected to Lake Okeechobee– at all…Look how at that time the inlet, Gilbert’s Bar, our inlet, was open…naturally.

When my mother came across this image, she wrote my brother and I:

“I know Todd has every map there is but still holding an original is fun and I thought the configuration of Lake Okeechobee was interesting on the 1884 Rand, McNally & Co. map tucked in the back of Bloomfield’s Illustrated Historical Guide. Of course it was too big for me to scan the whole thing. I love it that I know right where I am on this map. I am about on the former Dade/Brevard County line as I type this.” Mom

What is she talking about? Our family home in Indialucie, Sewall’s Point, named so as it is located between the St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, sits on the border of what once was Dade and Brevard counties. Since I was a kid there has been a piece of wood nailed to a tree, in my parent’s back yard that reads: “Dade County.”

My, how things change..too bad we didn’t save more our state’s natural water connections. Swamp or no swamp, it must have been beautiful. But I am glad our family home in now in Martin and not Dade County. 🙂

Jacqui

FullSizeRender — Map of Florida’s changing counties. (SHT)

Rand,McNally’s history: (http://designorati.com/articles/t1/cartography/385/a-brief-history-of-rand-mcnally.php)

Looking Out for Ourselves, Landsat Satellite Photos of Lake O’s Algae Blooms, SLR/IRL

I believe in not being dependent on the federal or state government, but what recently happened along the St Lucie River is ridiculous…

In the months following the June 29th, 2016 “State of Emergency”and toxic algae bloom invasion of the St Lucie River, one thing is clear. Our federal and state governments did not look out for Martin County’s best interests, instead knowlingly discharging toxic algae from the lake into the communities along the St Lucie River— with out so much as “public-peep”— until real tragedy and helath risks had struck. Then suddenly, it was like: “Oh my, where did all this algae come from?”

Well, it happened knowingly because the state and federal government (ACOE/SFWMD/ DEP/ Florida Dept of Health) knew Lake Okeechobee was not “popping” here and there with a few algae blooms as is often the case, but rather was”covered in the stuff.”

By July 2nd commonly distributed government satellite images, like the one above, were showing over 200 square miles of algae bloom that obviously had to grow over time to attain such prominance.

Anyway…the least “they” could have done was to have given the public fair warning to be careful and ready as is standard operating proceedure during a drought when wild-fire conditions are present.

But they did not.

Instead, the Department of Environmental Protection quietly took its tests, reporting to the District and the Army Corp– at their leisure— the few results they attained…They should have warned the county government of more than a bloom here and there. They should have told everyone that a dangerous situation was getting ready to occur. But they did not. Maybe they thought it wouldn’t happen? I doubt it. This is true negligence considering the first duty of government is health, saftey and welfare of the people it levies taxes from…

Thus today, I am sharing a brief exchange between my very technically-savvy brother, attorney, Todd Thurlow, and me, from earlier this week. Todd’s shared images will help us look out for ourselves. Thankfully, the recent Landsat satellite images of Lake Okeechobee, for now, look much clearer of algae than just a few months ago.

The link below the exchange will allow you see the satellite images of the lake over time, dates are also present:

Jacqui

_____________________________________________________________________

7-27-16 Email exchange:

Jacqui: Do the satellite images show any more algae in the lake? J

Todd: I might see some in the southwest quadrant but not definitive. As mentioned before, unfortunately, Landsat 7 has a broken instrument that causes the black lines on the image.

Todd

7-26-16:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Landsat%2030m%20Resolution/index.html#LE70150412016208EDC01%2520-%2520Crop.jpg)

Full Resolution:
(http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/Landsat%2030m%20Resolution/LE70150412016208EDC01%20-%20Crop.jpg)

Updated Lake Flows and Loads to the Estuaries July 2016, Dr Goforth, SLR/IRL

Today I am sharing Dr Gary Goforth’s most recent update from July 26, 2016,entitled:

“Updated Lake Flows and Loads to the Estuaries”

This information is disturbing. Please take this information and fight for change in whatever way you can. Thank you. Jacqui

———————————————————–

Dr Goforth:

Some observations for the period January 1 – July 25, 2016:
· Inflows to Lake Okeechobee are more than twice what they were this time last year
· Approximately 20 times more Lake water has been sent to the estuaries in 2016 than has been sent to the Everglades; unbelievable…
· Only 20% of Lake releases have been sent south this year, including irrigation for the EAA and other users; only 5% of Lake releases have made it to the Everglades through the STAs this year
· Lake releases to the Caloosahatchee (1.1 million acre feet or about 360 billion gallons) have been about twice the Lake flows to the St. Lucie (0.5 million acre feet, or about 167 billion gallons)
· The duration of the 2016 Lake event for the St. Lucie (178 days) has now exceeded the durations of both the 2013 and 1997-1998 events. Fortunately the Lake discharges in 2016 has been about half the flow that occurred during the 1997-1998 event.
· Lake releases to the St. Lucie have carried more than 8 times the phosphorus TMDL for the entire C-44 Canal, and more than 9 times the nitrogen TMDL … yet FDEP refuses to include the Lake loadings when they assess the C-44 Basin for compliance with the TMDL – unbelievable …
· An estimated 37 million pounds of suspended sediment has been dumped from the Lake to the St. Lucie River and Estuary; much of this accumulates on the bottom as muck.
o Because of the filtration effect of the marsh along the western shore of the Lake, the sediment load to the Caloosahatchee Estuary has fortunately been less – about 20 million pounds.
· More than 220,000 pounds of phosphorus and 2.2 million pounds of nitrogen from the Lake has been dumped to the St Lucie Estuary
o Phosphorus loads from agricultural lands in the watershed have amounted to about 390,000 pounds – 75% MORE THAN FROM THE LAKE
o Nitrogen loads from agricultural lands in the watershed have amounted to about 1.5 million pounds
o Septic tank loading of nitrogen from Martin and St. Lucie counties is roughly 5% of the total nitrogen loading to the St Lucie
· More than 340,000 pounds of phosphorus and 4.8 million pounds of nitrogen from the Lake has been dumped to the Caloosahatchee Estuary.

All brought to you by our leaders in Tallahassee and Washington …
Dr Gary Goforth

More sobering details available on my website:http://www.garygoforth.net/Other%20projects.htm

Year to date flows and loads:

Click to access DRAFT%20-%20CY%202016%20Summary.pdf

2016 Lake event SLR:

Click to access Draft%20-%20lake%20event%20update%20-%20SLR.pdf

2016 Lake event CE:

Click to access Draft%20-%20lake%20event%20update%20-%20CE.pdf

Click to access Draft%20-%20lake%20event%20update%20-%20SLR.pdf

IRL Economic Valuation Update 2016, TCRPC, SLR/IRL

Today I will share the “Indian River Lagoon Economic Valuation Update 2016” as presented by the Treasure Coast Region Planning Council on July 15, 2016.

Links are provided for full review; as an overview, the conclusion states:

“This economic valuation update is not a status report of the IRL’s environmental health or how to address human related impacts affecting its long-term sustainability. The report simply serves to measure the economic value the IRL region stands to lose if it does not eliminate regional and local environmental inputs that are degrading the health and productivity of this estuary of national significance…the health and sustainability of the IRL will be a key determinant in the future of the region’s economy, public health and other natural, cultural, and societal values that are collectively worth far more than what has been quantified in this report.”

Power Point Presentation: http://www.tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2016/July2016/Final_Reports/CEDS%20Committee%20Update2.pdf

Final Report: http://www.tcrpc.org/special_projects/IRL_Econ_Valu/IRL%20Economic%20Valuation%20Update%20Final%20Report%2006-24-2016.pdf

Packet information, summary first page: http://www.tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2016/July2016/Final_Reports/11_IRLValuation.pdf

TCRPC, Micheal Busha, Ex. Director. 2016 Michael Davis, chair: JTL ,vice -chair, http://www.tcrpc.org

“Blocking the Water North,” While the People Scream “Send the Water South!” SLR/IRL

ACOE Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project 2016

Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a Carl Hiaasen novel….

On June 16th, I attended a Water Resources Advisory Commission meeting of the South Florida Water Management District.

Of course, by this time, a 33 square mile algae bloom, parts toxic, had been documented in Lake Okeechobee by the Department of Environmental Protection. The St Lucie River, having been discharged into since January 29th, was looking pretty disgusting. Tempers flared.

At the WRAC meeting, water advocates, not just from Martin County, but from around South Florida were once again pleading with the SFWMD Board of Directors to “endorse buying land south of the lake in the EAA for storage, cleansing and conveyance to the Everglades in order to stop damaging discharges to the estuaries and restore freshwater to Florida Bay.”

“Send the Water South!” rang through the rafters. “Send the Water South!” As usual, the Board looked straight ahead….

And then the presentations came, and a well spoken District scientist started taking about the “The Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project,” and how it is tied into the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan form 2000. —-It’s time had come…

A slide appeared showing pink, green, brown, and blue— representing the watersheds of Fisheating Creek, Indian Prairie, and Taylor Slough northwest of Lake Okeechobee.

According the Army Corp of Engineers who also attended the WRAC “the objectives of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, or “LOW Project, “are to improve the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water entering Lake Okeechobee, provide for better management of lake water levels, reduce damaging releases to the Caloosahatchee, and St Lucie estuaries downstream of the lake, and improve the system wide operation flexibility.”

You can read about the project here: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/Ecosystem-Restoration/Lake-Okeechobee-Watershed-Project/

It is a probably good project… No doubt. Do you wonder more about what goes on behind the scenes? Surely….

It is ironic that when the message of the people is “Send the Water South!” the government is finally getting around to “Blocking the Water North!”

Maybe one day we will all be on the same page so our lives don’t seem so much like a characters in a Funny Farm.

Life’s ironies abound.

Here’s the meeting information. A drive from Stuart to Okeechobee is about 40 minutes.

A “Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project NEPA Scoping Meeting will be led by ACOE’ Gretchen Ehlinger, Ph.D. Senior Biologist in the Okeechobee Auditorium, 3800 NW 16th Boulevard, Suite A, Okeechobee, FL 34972, on Tuesday, July 26 with an open house beginning at 6 p.m., followed by an official presentation at 7 p.m.

As this meeting is run by the ACOE, this meeting will only be able to address the LOW Project.

Let’s all attend the meeting even if Dr Ehlinger has to focus on the northern watershed. Maybe we should invite Carl Haaisen?

First page of letter ACOE dated June 28, 2016

Update-Comparison of Lake O Releases, Dr Gary Goforth, 7-14-16 SLR/IRL

The following update Comparison of Lake O Releases was shared by Dr Gary Goforth on 7-14-16. Thank you Dr Goforth. The more informed and studied we are about where the water is going, the better chance we have to change this situation.

Website: http://garygoforth.net
Updates attached.

A few observations:

1. Lake Okeechobee has received more than twice the watershed inflows since January compared to last year at this time.

2. Discharges from the Lake have increased 25% compared to last year this time, however the distribution of inflows has dramatically changed compared to last year (as you so clearly know):

3. Since January 1,
a. approx. 525 billion gallons of Lake water have been sent to the estuaries (including Lake Worth Lagoon)
b. Lake flows are averaging about 1 billion gallons per day to the St. Lucie River/Estuary and about 2.1 billion gallons per day, and about 0.1 billion gallons /day to Lake Worth Lagoon, for a total of about 3.2 billion gallons per day
c. Twenty-five (25) times more Lake water has been discharged to the estuaries than to the Everglades
d Ag runoff has contributed significant nutrient loads to the St. Lucie River/Estuary:
i. Nitrogen loads: 36% from ag and 54% from Lake
[Dear Gov. Scott and SFWMD Board members: Martin County septic tanks contributed about 2% of the nitrogen load]
ii. Phosphorus loads: 53% from ag and 30% from Lake
e. 93% of the sediment load to the St. Lucie River/Estuary this year has come from the Lake discharges (37 million pounds)

4. Only 32 billion gallons of Lake water have been sent to the STAs this year – less than 1/3 of the amount sent last year at this time.

Gary

Lake Okeechobee Algae Bloom Satellite Imagery May- July 2016, SLR/IRL

Today I share an amazing link to a website of Lake Okeechobee satellite imagery from May-June 2016 as created by my brother, Todd Thurlow. These images reflect the huge algae bloom in the lake that on July 2nd was estimated to be over 200 square miles. The algae has been discharged into the St Lucie River causing the present State of Emergency.

After going through thousands of images, Todd picked and cropped the best “bands” for each satellite. Each of the two Landsat satellites only pass every 16 days. So there are gaps. Plus, he skipped other days because of clouds. The other satellites pass daily but you will see gaps for cloudy and hazy days.

Each folder is arranged in reverse chronological order – most recent image first. The algae seemed to be worst around June 24. The current images from the low-res satellites are fairly clear. It will be interesting to see the next Landsat 8 pass on July 18.

Thank you Todd!

LINK: http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOImagery/

LE70150412016176EDC02 - crop — LE70150412016176EDC02 – crop

http://www.thurlowpa.com

Wildlife’s Toxic Algae “State of Emergency,” Their Unheard Cries, SLR/IRL

Alligator... — Alligator swimming in toxic algae…Central Marine.

We are in a State of Emergency…

The Army Corp of Engineers has been discharging from Lake Okeechobee since January 29th and toxic algae from the lake has been released into our St Lucie River. We are being invaded. This is horrific for the people, but what about the animals? Thank God someone is documenting their plight….

Facebook friend, Rebecca Fatzinger, is not only a voice for the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, but for its wildlife. With the cries of the people “loud and clear” sometimes it seems the animals are but an afterthought for our local, state, and federal government.

I can’t help but wonder….

The Florida Wildlife Commission? The Department of Environmental Protection–have you written a statement about the wildlife implications of this bloom? What are you thinking? Are you allowed to say?

How could the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon once have been the most bio-diverse estuary in North America? How could we be home to some the state’s most important aquatic preserves?

Thank you to Rebecca for documenting and giving us an up close look as the animals try to cope.

Heartbreaking. Disturbing. Disgusting….

This is home?

Little Blue Heron... — Little Blue Heron…SLR

Seagull at on shoreline of Atlantic Ocean, Bathtub Beach.

Pelicans diving in toxic algae--this bloom came back at from DEP 414 mpl. — Pelicans diving in toxic algae–this bloom came back at from DEP 414 mpl. Bathtub Beach.

St Lucie River wide water looking towards Roosevelt bridge.

Water coming out of St Lucie Locks from Lake Okeechobee with visible algae

….Little Blue Heron eyes dead fish in algae

Osprey waits out rain to hunt below... — Osprey waits out rain to hunt below…

Western side of C-44 Canal at S-80, St Lucie Locks and Dam. This structure discharges water from Lake Okeechobee and the agricultural basin created to drain lands into the St Lucie River/IRL. (Photo Dr Scott Kuhns, 6-22-16) — Western side of C-44 Canal at S-80, St Lucie Locks and Dam. Algae can be seen going through S80 into the SLR hurting wildlife and people. (Photo Dr Scott Kuhns, 6-22-16)

St Lucie Locks and Dam 6-25-16 Dr Scott Kuhns

This one is from Megan Remnick also Facebook friend…

Aerial of S-80 at St Lucie Locks and Dam. Visible algae flowing through S-80 from western area of C-44 towards the St Lucie River. Photo Ed Lippisch.

THANK YOU TO REBECCA FATZINGER FOR SHARING HER PHOTOS!

7-12-16 NOTE: Although there are no photographs of bottlenose dolphins in this series they are certainly swimming in algae waters further from shore where the algae is more “particulate.” Yesterday, I spoke with Nic Mader of Dolphin Ecology Project and she said she has seen dolphins swimming around in their “normal” areas on her runs. The animals are very “sit specific” (territorial) like people. I also called Dr Gregory Bossert now of Georgia Aquarium formerly of Harbor Branch and his response was that this is just one more layer in an already health-affecting system— noting the animals sicknesses such as low immune system, lobo mycosis, and lessons the animal have been prone to for over 15 years since HERA Heath Environmental Risk Assessment began. Nic has stated if she gets photos she can share she will.

This blog post I wrote in 2014 about dolphin health and freshwater pollution may be insightful: https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2014/06/26/fresh-water-pollution-a-destructive-force-in-the-st-lucie-riverindian-river-lagoon/
__________________________________________

AGENCIES TO ASSIST; please contact them.

FWC:http://myfwc.com

DEP:http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/default.htm

SFWMD:http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/sfwmdmain/home%20page

Lake Okeechobee is Definitely “Point Source Pollution,” SLR/IRL

Algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee is estimated to be 263 square miles as shown in this NOAA satellite image on 7-2-16 shared by FOS on 7-6-16. — Cropped image, full image at end of this post. Red shows algae bloom’s size as calculated and drawn by Todd Thurlow. The present bloom in Lake Okeechobee is estimated to be 239 square miles as shown in this NOAA satellite image on 7-2-16 and shared by FOS on 7-6-16.

In the aftermath of last week’s media frenzy and State of Emergencies, let’s consider the following:

1.This year, the ACOE has been discharging from Lake Okeechobee into the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon since January 29th, 2016. This has caused the estuary’s waters to become fresh.

2. Lake Okeechobee is a freshwater lake and this year contains a gigantic algae bloom that was first documented to be 33 square miles located in the south-eastern quadrant of the lake, on May 9th, 2016. This bloom is cyanobacteria/microcystis, a fresh water bloom. It does not grow in salt/brackish water. As the estuary has been made fresh, the cyanobacteria can grow here too. This bloom in the lake is now approximately 239 square miles as calculated by my brother Todd Thurlow. Florida Oceanographic has shared this overlay on a NOAA satalite image.

Shared on Facebook by person flying over lake o in early May. — Shared on Facebook by person flying over lake O in early May, bullsugar.org

3. On May 23rd, 2016, Martin County reported that a sample was taken by DEP (The Florida Department of Environmental Protection) upstream of S-308 at Port Mayaca, at 24.4 micrograms per liter (mpl) qualifying as a threat to human health by the World Health Organization’s limit of 10 micrograms per liter. According to Mark Perry two more samples were taken on June 15th and came back at 280 mpl and 387 mpl. The government obviously knew this bloom was toxic, but they kept dumping and did not warn people of what could occur.

4. As the the river was becoming full of algae, on May 30th, 2016 my husband Ed Lippisch flew over S-80 taking photos of algae going through S-80 into the east side of the C-44 canal and into the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon. This was done again later by Dr Scott Kuhns. The algae has been coming through for months.

5. More photos were taken and shared to document the bloom in the lake on June 26, 2016 as citizen were concerned about algae bloom in the St Lucie River and even beaches but no communication from state or federal agencies as to causes was provided. The people had to blow up before the government would do anything.

Pilot Dave Stone Lake Okeechobee bloom 6-26-16

6. By June 29th, 2016 the St Lucie River’s bloom was “peaking” and blooms were reported along the river in every area of the county. People were panicking. By June 29th, 2016, finally the Martin County Commission, and then Governor Scott had called for a “State of Emergency” helpful for recovering monetary losses but not for health protections or stopping the discharges from Lake O.

Jamie Burns week of June 26th, St Lucie River full of algae bloom from Palm City to Sewall's Point. — Jamie Burns week of June 26th, St Lucie River full of algae bloom from Palm City to Sewall’s Point.

Canal off of Sunset Trail near North River Shores, Stuart. Week of 6-29 Duncan family. — Canal off of Sunset Trail near North River Shores, Stuart. Week of June 26th, Baskin family.

7. After emergency state, ACOE’s Col Kirk toured the area and thankfully the ACOE temporarily cut back but did not stop releases to the estuaries.

8. At the tail-end of this crisis something very serious happened. This Tuesday it was reported that the bloom at Bathtub Beach tested on June 30th registered at 414 micro grams per liter. 10 qualifies as toxic. This number is off the chart. This number sits on a DEP web site but no one is discussing it. Why not?

Alge bloom at Bathtub Beach week of June 26th. JTL

Link to DEP Algal Bloom Monitoring and Response: https://depnewsroom.wordpress.com/south-florida-algal-bloom-monitoring-and-response/

How can something so dangerous to our citizens and wildlife not be stopped when we know where it is coming from?

Certainly our own dirty water runoff, fertilizer, and our own disgusting septic tanks exacerbate the situation, but they did not start this algae debacle. Dumping from Lake Okeechobee did. This needs to stop.

Under present water law Lake Okeechobee is does not quality as “point source pollution.” If it did a permit would be required to dump into our estuaries. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is the point source discharge permit program authorized by Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.

“All point source discharges to surface waters (“Waters of the United States”) must have an NPDES permit. Permits are issued by EPA and authorized state programs.”

And the bloom? As mentioned, it is getting bigger.

Yes, according to Florida Oceanographic Society, it has grown from 33 square miles to approximately 239 square miles, almost half the lake.

Maybe if it fills the entire lake it won’t only be point source pollution, but the government will get the point. The government is now regretfully poisoning its own people. Laws must be changed. The state’s pluming must be changed. Lake Okeechobee is definitely the point–the point of our point source pollution.

Link to NPDES: https://www.epa.gov/npdes

New calculations estimate the algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee to be 239 square miles. Based on the latest images from NASA on July 2nd, the algae bloom has grown from 33 square miles on May 9th to now take up almost 1/3 of the lake. "This toxic algae is what has been discharged into the St. Lucie Estuary and the Indian River Lagoon, making its way through our waterways and onto local beaches. We need to stop the discharges from Lake Okeechobee and send the water south the Everglades, where it is desperately needed." - Mark Perry, Executive Director — New calculations estimate the algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee to be 239 square miles. Based on the latest images from NASA on July 2nd, the algae bloom has grown from 33 square miles on May 9th to now take up almost 1/3 of the lake.
“This toxic algae is what has been discharged into the St. Lucie Estuary and the Indian River Lagoon, making its way through our waterways and onto local beaches. We need to stop the discharges from Lake Okeechobee and send the water south the Everglades, where it is desperately needed.” – Mark Perry, Executive Director (Image created and calculated from NOAA image by Todd Thurlow)

Latest Coverage via Florida Oceanographic Society:
Watch Full Video of WPBF 25 News Special: Algae Crisis from 7/6
Reeking, Oozing Algae Closes South Florida Beaches, New York Times
Toxic Algae Bloom Severely Impacts Local Businesses, CNN
Florida’s Biggest Lake Fouls Coastlines, Orlando Sentinel
Scientist Cautions Blue-Green Algae Can Have Serious Health Impact, WPBF News
Toxic Algae Bloom Crisis Hits Florida, Drives Away Tourists, Tampa Bay Times
Algae Stink Mucking Up Beaches, Business, Stuart Residents Say, WFTV News

NPDES:https://www.epa.gov/npdes

Destiny, The Man Behind the Protests, SAVE OUR RIVERS/BUY THE LAND, SLR/IRL

Evan Miller listens during a Rivers Coalition meeting. Evan represents Citizens for Clean Water. (Facebook) — Evan Miller listens during a Rivers Coalition meeting. Since 2013, Evan represents Citizens for Clean Water for the coalition. (Facebook)

C4CW: http://www.citizensforcleanwater.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citizens4cleanwater/

Evan Miller grew up in Stuart, Florida, not far from the St Lucie Locks and Dam. He attended Crystal Lakes Elementary School, Hidden Oaks Middle School, South Fork and Martin County High Schools, graduating in 2002.

As a kid, Evan would ride his bike down to the St Lucie Locks and Dam with his friends. He knew the sad story of the lake and St Lucie River. He knew about the long history and steady destruction of the waterways he loved that one day would come to a head. But little did he know, that it would happen in his lifetime, and he would lead the message.

The story is this—

After graduating, Evan was sponsored as a professional surfer and lived in Costa Rica, and came home in 2012. Upon his return, he saw the river’s decline and innocently put a message on his Facebook page during the “Lost Summer os 2013,” when the river was posted by the Health Department as “off-limits.” Evan’s message read: “Who wants to meet me at the locks?”

Believe it or not, this request turned into a rally of over 5000 people!

Two weeks later, Evan organized a beach rally, putting down stakes and having a surveyor friend help him create the letters–over 2000 people came and spelled out in the sand SAVE OUR RIVER.

Destiny had found its man…

Now in 2016, under even worse conditions, after the St Lucie River and area beaches turned into a toxic-soup from an onslaught of releases from Lake Okeechobee since January—- that in time were dumping toxic algae from the lake into the river—- Evan has used his Facebook talents again.

This past Saturday, on July 3rd, the Martin County Sheriff’s Department reported that over 3500 people, from every walk of life, came out to spell in the sand the message of the masses to fix the lake and river debacle: BUY THE LAND.

This event played out over the 4th of July weekend on national media outlets. People in Martin County were getting phone calls from people in other states they had not spoken to in years. My father got a call from a man in his wedding from 1962 who lives in California. They had not spoken in years…

“What’s going on down there?”

Yes, the world has “seen” the peoples’ message thanks to Evan.

SAVE OUR RIVER/BUY THE LAND!

Sometimes it’s just destiny…

2013/2016 Evan Miller

From the Cub Ed Lippisch and Scott Kuhns

2016 Rebecca Fatzinger — 2016 The crowd. Rebecca Fatzinger

Tiger Shores-ocean of algae July 2016 (Evan Miller) — Ocean of algae July 2016 (Evan Miller)

Evan and Kenny at the bullhorn. Kenny Hinkle looks on. (Facebook) — Evan Miller at the bullhorn. Kenny Hinkle looks on. (Facebook)

&nbsp
CNN:http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/01/us/florida-algae-pollution/

“State of Emergency” Halts Northern Waters, but Not Lake’s Algae Waters, SLR/IRL

2. Lake O alae 6 26 2016 — 1. Lake O algae 6 26 2016

Today’s photos were taken by Dr Gary Goforth this past Sunday. During a trip, he flew over Lake Okeechobee.

He writes: “Jacqui–The photos are of the southeast part of Lake; the plane had just passed over Clewiston and is headed northeast. The city of Pahokee is visible along the upper right shoreline. The FPL reservoir is visible in the background. The bloom is enormous – easily over 100 sq miles in extent, although areas are patchy.” GG

___________________________________________

STATE OF EMERGENCY

It’s hard to understand state of emergencies.

Martin County waters are experiencing their third “state of emergency” since 2013–two of those being this year in 2016.

Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott declared one, after our county commission declared one first, over the blue-green algae blooms in the St Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic Ocean —I am very grateful.

What I do not understand is that when you really read between the lines, we will continue to be under siege.

After one sifts through the words of the declaration there are basic things that stand: the emergency order directs Water Management Districts and the Florida Wildlife Commission to stop flows into the lake as soon as possible coming from the north. It also allows a waiver of requirements to purchase pumps to move water south, and increases water testing.

This is all good and well, but there is one problem. This means the discharges from the lake continue– perhaps lessened, but they will continue…full of the same algae that is causing the emergency in the first place. And the lake is very high at 14.90. The dumping could go on for months even if no new water enters the lake from the north…

Until the gates at S-308 and S-80 are closed we will suffer. Like having the dike too high is a safety issue for those south of the lake, sending the lake’s algae waters to the St Lucie River is a safety issue too. Take a look.

______________________________________________

ACOE Lake O: http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml

Rick Scott’s site: (http://www.flgov.com/2016/06/29/gov-scott-declares-state-of-emergency-in-st-lucie-and-martin-counties-following-algal-blooms/)

Simplified Emergency Order and short article Stuart Magazine: (http://www.stuartmagazine.com/up-front/noteworthy/gov-rick-scott-declares-state-emergency-over-blue-green-algae-blooms)

From: "Wesley Scott" — From: “Wesley Scott” <wes@indianrivershutter.com>

“Too Unthinkable,” the Complete Destruction of the St Lucie River, SLR/IRL

"Too Unthinkable" sits in the algae waters of the St Lucie River. JTL — “Too Unthinkable” sits in the algae waters of the St Lucie River-with Evinrude motor. JTL 6-26-16

The blue-green algae, the cyanobacteria–sometimes toxic— that we first saw in aerial photos over Lake Okeechobee weeks ago, is not only here, it is everywhere…our river has been made completely fresh by our government. Now the algae is blooming fluorescent green-blue, dying a putrid brown-green, flowing out of our inlet, and poisoning not only or rivers’ shores but our beaches.

On the widest level, this is a health hazard brought upon us by a “knowing government.” Our state, federal, and local governments have seen this coming for years. The slow and steady destruction of the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon is well documented.

The St Lucie River was first declared “impaired” by the state of Florida in the year 2002. I have been blogging about this for four years.
(http://www.dep.state.fl.us/southeast/ecosum/ecosums/SLE_Impairment_Narrative_ver_3.7.pdf)

Now, in 2016, all of Martin County’s beaches and the southern most beach of St Lucie County are closed. Palm City; Stuart; Rio; Sewall’s Point, Jensen. All waters are off limits. “Don’t Touch the Water.” –A health, safety and welfare issue for the people, a nightmare for local government, and a complete environmental and economic disaster for us all.

Included for purposes of documentation– to be added to the thousands of other posts on social media this weekend— I share the following, some that were shared with me…Divided into 8 sections: 1. Algae in the waves at Bathtub Beach, by JTL; 2. algae aerials at C-44, S-80, and S-308, by Dr Scott Kuhns; 3. Lake Okeechobee and St Lucie River’s extensive algae bloom, by jet pilot Dave Stone, and local pilot Ron Rowers; 4. Rio, a residential disaster, Jeff Tucker; 5. Sewall’s Point as seen from the Evan’s Cray Bridge with a river full of algae by walker Tracy Barnes; 6. Rebecca Fatzinger’s duck eating algae; 7. my Uncle Dale Hudson’s lead to Snug Harbor’s Marina “a multimillion dollar disaster,” and 8. Really blue-algae at Central Marina, Stuart/Rio.

The outpouring of the public is immense, and the powers that be, must look our way. Document, call, write, demand, and VOTE.

Jacqui

I. Bathtub Beach, JTL

Algae rolling in the tide at Bathtub Beach on Hutchison Island, 6-26-16, JTL

Link to video: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYo6RNg3a1Y)

II. Photos by Dr Scott Kuhns Lake Okeechobee, Port Mayaca (S-308), St Lucie Locks and Dam (S-80) and C-44 canal. All aerial photos taken 6-25-16.

East side of Lake O north of Port Mayaca 6-25-16, SK — East side of Lake O north of Port Mayaca 6-25-16

S-308 structure at Port Mayaca, heavy glare on Lke Okeechobee--bloom visible on bottom side of photograph. — S-308 structure at Port Mayaca, heavy glare on Lke Okeechobee–bloom visible on bottom left area of photograph.

Near Fuge Street in Martin County approaching Palm City from C-44 as it connects to the South Fork of the St Lucie River where original curves still can be seen.

III. Professional jet pilot Dave Stone coming from Lee County to Martin County 6-26-16.

Aerial Video St Lucie River approaching North River Shores at 700 feet.

Link to video: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WLU6uLUKHo)

Lake Okeechobee from 13,000 feet, Dave Stone 6-26-16. Mr Stone said algae on the top of the lake is visible as far as the eye can see.

Near the Harborage Marina in Stuart, Roosevelt Bridge in background

Rio approaching Roosevelt Bridge from Sewall's Point — Rio approaching Roosevelt Bridge from Sewall’s Point

Floridian on west side of SLR–the border of Martin and St Lucie Counties.

IV. Jeff Tucker, Rio

Video link Jeff Tucker, Rio: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DG687c8mgc)

V. Tracy Barnes walking over Evans Crary Bridge from Stuart into to Sewall’s Point

Shoreline of Sewall's Point, Tracy Barnes 6-25-16 — Shoreline of Sewall’s Point, Tracy Barnes 6-25-16

Video of Sewall’s Point walking over bridge. River full of algae.
Link to video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pEg9OPuN2w )

VI. Rebecca Fatziner’s duck in SLR

Duck in St Lucie River's bloom, Rebecca Fatzinger 6-24-16. — Duck in St Lucie River’s bloom, Rebecca Fatzinger 6-24-16.

VII. Dale Hudson, alerted Ed and I to Snug Harbor Marina where we took these photos yesterday.

VIII. *Central Marina, Rio/Stuart blue algae

Green algae turning blue at Central Marina. — Green algae turning blue at Central Marina 6-27-16.

“Too Unthinkable”

Blog from 2014 on impairment of SLR: (https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2014/03/26/impairment-of-the-st-lucie-riverindian-river-lagoon/)

*blue algae photos, #8, added to this post later in afternoon on same date this was originally published. JTL

Shocking Documentation of ACOE/SFWMD Sending Algae Through Locks to River, 6-22-16, SLR/IRL

Today we will get a science lesson and see some new shocking photos…

Eutrophication: (Ecology.) (of a lake) characterized by an abundant accumulation of nutrients that support a dense growth of algae and other organisms, the decay of which depletes the shallow waters of oxygen in summer.

Today’s blog shares new aerial photos by Dr Scott Kuhns taken 6-22-16 of the extensive blue-green algae cyanobacteria bloom on the western side of the C-44 Canal being sent through S-80. The photos show a condition caused by mixture of polluted Lake Okeechobee and C-44 agricultural basin water filled with an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus primarily from decades of intense agricultural farming north, south and around Lake Okeechobee. Scientists have documented this condition of “eutrophication” since the late 1960s and predicted it would worsen unless serious corrections were put in place.

http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/papers/pp1011/wqlakeo.html

These nutrients, now out of control, feed algae blooms and have caused the eutrophication (or overabundance of algae growth) of Lake Okeechobee. The St Lucie River is now experiencing this due to our manmade connection to the lake. Our agricultural canals of C-44, C-23, C-24, and C-25 are culprits too. The giant releases from the lake and canals make our river fresh and seeded with algae water. Sometimes growing toxic.

The bloom on the west side of S-80 at St Lucie Locks and Dam was first documented by local activist this time in late May. The ACOE has been dumping since January 29, 2016. The river is now almost entirely fresh. Perfect for blooms.

Yesterday the St Lucie River went up in algae with multiple reports throughout the entire river from Palm City, Rio, Stuart, Jensen, and Sewall’s Point. Could there be a correlation considering the bloom started in the eutrophic lake ? How could there not be.

Dr Kuhns’ comment?

“Ridiculous!!! What does it take?”

We should not be connected to the lake. Agricultural canals should be redirected. There must be storage to treat this algae water. It should not be sent into our estuary destroying property and the environment.

C-44 at S-80 St Lucie Locks and Dam looking east. Scott Kuhns

ACOE/SFWMD Periodic Scientist Call slides 6-21-16

Blog June 1st with close ups of this phenomenon at S-80 weeks ago: https://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2016/06/01/governments-toxic-algae-releases-into-our-slrirlbusted/

Discovery Channel’s On Location Algae Tour, SLR/IRL

From what I’m told, the last water story the Discovery Channel did was on Flint Michigan….perhaps the next will be on the Lake Okeechobee and the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon….

Discovery reporter Katie Carpenter visited Stuart yesterday just for a tour. She visited Florida Oceanographic speaking to Mark Perry, others, and then met with me at the Town of Sewall’s Point for a tour of the area. She is just doing preliminaries–groundwork, seeing if there is a story.

I did my usual spiel trying to be a good hostess; I’ve done this before for high level government officials and reporters, and I am happy to do it—-it’s how we are going to change this mess–by sharing our story, putting it out for the world. So I put my smile on, got out my history books, maps, photographs, and river advocacy educational materials from 2013 and offered a road tour.

I figured we’d hit a few places and maybe there would be some algae blooms to show her. Maybe they’d look toxic–

Not only did I see particulate algae in the water off Sewall’s Point but mats of it awaited us at Sandsprit Park, The Harborage Marina under the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, and most dramatically at St Lucie Locks and Dam where the waters of Lake Okeechobee are released by the ACOE along C-44 through Structure-80 into the South Fork of the St Lucie River.

Today I will share some photos and videos from the trip to continue documenting this 2016 Lake O Event that started January 29th, 2016.

It’s a crazy story isn’t it? From most biodiverse estuary in North America to a health hazard.

I wish there were a better story to Discover.

Katie was brought to our area through locals who referred her here. We have many connections. Yes, the world is Discovering what is happening here, and this exposure will help facilitate change because we definitely have a story.

LOCATION #1

St Lucie Locks and Dam looking east to the SLR

Looking north over algae bloom and 7 gates releasing Lake O water and agricultural canal C-44 water.

LOCATION #2

LOCATION #3

JTL and Katie Carpenter, Discovery Channel. — JTL and Katie Carpenter, Discovery Channel 6-21-16.

#1 SL Locks algae coming from C-44 west side through S-80 into SLR

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZzHiOXy-zA)

#2
Roosevelt Bridge//Harborage Marina

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qbV7OY4HQ4)

#SkyWarrior’s Report SLR/IRL, Father’s Day Weekend 6-19-16

In our continued documentation of the 2016 Lake Okeechobee event, my husband Ed and I flew over the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon around 5:00pm on Father’s Day, 6-19-16, at the very end of an outgoing tide. Being a stormy day, there was poor lighting, but it was easy to see the darkness that enveloped the river due to the discharges of surrounding agricultural canals, and tidal runoff, and especially the high and long-going releases from Lake Okeechobee. The dark plume hugged the coast and jutted far out into the Atlantic having no clear edge as it was churned up from high winds and waves. Nonetheless from above, it’s shadow was visible for miles all the way south to the Jupiter Inlet.

Over the weekend there were multiple reports of algae blooms throughout the river and canals. Below are photos from a family boat ride in the vicinity of the Harborage Dock in Downtown Stuart yesterday, showing foam and algae at the shoreline and tiny specks of algae dispersed throughout the entire river.

“One resident nearby of Stuart, Dr Vopal, texted: “The river is pea green! …It is time for the legislators to look at this river and consider the health of the people that live on it. ”

Over the weekend just to me and on Facebook there were reports of algae blooms not only in Stuart but along the C-44 canal, the condo/marinas along Palm City Road, the eastern area of Lake Okeechobee itself, the St Lucie Locks and Dam, the St Lucie River near Martin Memorial Hospital, Sandsprit Park, Phipps Park, and Poppleton Creek. Certainly there were many others.

As most of us know, the Army Corp of Engineers has been discharging into the St Lucie River since January 29th, 2016. The river is almost completely fresh thus these freshwater blooms— that are in the lake and upper agricultural canals prior to being released into our river (cyanobacteria is a freshwater bloom)—and then they spread throughout the river once it too is fresh from all of the discharges. Since the ACOE has been releasing since January and there has been so much rain conditions are really bad.

Ed and I will continue to document. Our region’s entire quality of life is at stake. Nothing affects our local economy more than our river. We all must continue pushing to send water south to be cleaned and conveyed to Everglades National Park as Nature intended. Call our elected officials at every level. And vote on Aug 30th in the primary.

Fondly,

Jacqui and Ed, #Skywarriors since 2013

Photos of SLR/IRL -Sewall’s Point, Sailfish Point, St Lucie Inlet, Sailfish Flat’s former seagrass beds, Jupiter Island, Atlantic Ocean’s “protected” nearshore reefs.

^-19-16 Ed Lippisch and Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch view the confluence SLR/IRL over Sewall’s Point, Sailfish Point, Sailfish Flats, St Lucie Inlet, Jupiter Island, Atlantic Ocean.

Photos shared over weekend: Phipps Park, C-44 canal, St Lucie Locks and Dam, Sandspsprit Park also from family Father’s Day boat ride Harborage Marina, Downtown Stuart.

Foam and algae blooms in the area of Harborage Marina, Downtown Stuart, near the Roosevelt Bridge.

Lake O algae bloom shared by boater and posted by M. Connor just prior to weekend.

Pre weekend- Photos of an algae bloom in Lake Okeechobee on the east side of the lake. These photos were shared on Facebook by a river warrior and then by Michael Connor.

River Kidz and Treasure Coast Rowing Club youth led a river clean up and planting of native vegetation to filter water during incoming and outgoing tides at Poppleton Creek. The creek was filled with an algae bloom. photo TC Palm

Cyanobacteria/Blue Green Algae/Microcystis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcystis_aeruginosa

Aerial Documentation Destructive Discharges into the the SLR/IRL, 6-15-16

As many of us have read in Ed Killer’ excellent TCPalm article, the discharges from Lake Okeechobee have surpassed the level of 2013, the “Lost Summer.” As my husband Ed and I go up fairly regularly in the Cub, I will attempt to share shorter more frequent posts with more aerial photos of the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon in order to document this year’s continued destruction.

This destruction is not expected to stop anytime soon as Lake Okeechobee yesterday was reported at 14.77–very high for hurricane season. Last year, on 6-10-15, the lake stood at a “comfortable” 12.58. As we know, the entire reason we are being dumped on is because the water cannot go south as Mother Nature intended.

The photos below were taken 6-15-16. The ACOE has been releasing since January 29th, 2016. Today is June 17th, 2016. All charts below showing basin water inputs of area agricultural canals and tidal runoff are courtesy of the South Florida Water Management District and Army Corp of Engineers’ Periodic Scientists Call.

Aerial photos taken by Ed Lippisch at the confluence of the St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon around Sewall’s Point, Sailfish Point, Manatee Pocket and St Lucie Inlet 6-15-16, formerly the richest seagrass beds in the county as well as North America.

All aerials in the area of Sewall's Point and Sailfish Point by Ed Lippisch, 6-15-16. — All aerials in the area of Sewall’s Point and Sailfish Point by Ed Lippisch, 6-15-16.

ACOE Lake O level: http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml

(Good article on subject: Ed Killer’s Stuart News/TCPalm article:http://www.tcpalm.com/news/indian-river-lagoon/health/ed-killer-2016-discharges-surpass-2013s-deluge-of-dirty-water-35576244-a286-76f6-e053-0100007fcae3-383204831.html)

Our Once Beautiful Manatee Pocket, SLR/IRL 2016

Today I will share aerial photos of the Manatee Pocket area around Sandsprit Park taken yesterday by my husband, Ed Lippisch, and a short written update by Dr Gary Goforth dated 6-12-16.

Manatee Pocket lies close to the St Lucie Inlet just across from Sewall’s Point. It once was the mecca for the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon commercial fishing business. The Lake Okeechobee discharges continue having started by the Army Corp of Engineers January 29th of this year and are approaching the level for all of 2013. Lake Okeechobee yesterday was reported to stand at a very high for this time of year 14.77 feet—-There is no end to discharges in sight for the St Lucie River. Conditions are very bad and the state and federal government are stuck in a pattern that is killing our quality of life and economy.

There must be a better way…

For the St. Lucie, the 2016 Lake discharges:
– exceeded 133 billion gallons (compared with 136 billion gallons for 2013)
– dumped more nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment than the “Lost Summer” of 2013
– dirtier than 2013 (higher concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended sediment)
– have exceeded the nitrogen and phosphorus TMDLs for the C-44 Canal by 600%
For the Caloosahatchee, the 2016 Lake discharges:
– have exceeded 302 billion gallons (compared with 456 billion gallons for 2013)
– are dirtier than they were in 2013 for nitrogen and phosphorus

Gary Goforth, (garygoforth.net), 6-12-16

Photos of SLR at Manatee Pocket, Ed Lippisch, 6-115-16. — Photos of SLR at Manatee Pocket, Ed Lippisch, 6-15-16.

ACOE http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/reports.htm

Hugh Willoughby’s 1920’s Dream, New York Yacht Club; Today’s Dream, Clean Water, SLR/IRL

1933 photograph shows Hugh Willoughby flying over Sewall's Point and Willoughby Point in Port Sewall. The insignia of the the New York Yacht Club is on th side of the biplane. (Dale M Hudson via Sandra H. Thurlow's book Sewall's Point. — “1933 photograph shows Hugh Willoughby flying over Sewall’s Point and Willoughby Point in Port Sewall. The insignia of the New York Yacht Club is on th side of the biplane.” (Photo, Dale M. Hudson from Sandra H. Thurlow’s book “Sewall’s Point, A History of a Peninsular Community of Florida’s Treasure Coast”.)

One of my favorite aerial photographs from my mother’s history books on Martin County is of the infamous Hugh Willoughby flying over the St Lucie River at Sewall’s Point and Willoughby Point. In more familiar terms for boaters, this location is known as “Hell’s Gate” due to the bottle-necking of the rushing tide.

Mr Hugh de Laussat Willoughby, one of the “early birds” of aviation, and a resident of Sewall’s Point, (http://earlyaviators.com/ewilloug.htm) had the idea of locating the New York Yacht Club at the southern tip of the peninsula as envisioned in the map below. It is difficult to see in the aerial, but the insignia of the New York Yacht Club is on the side of the biplane.

The yacht club never materialized as the market crash of the late 1920s and following depression of the 1930s dashed that dream. Today many local pilots fly over the St Lucie River at this same location to photograph a different dream. –By showing the devistation, inspiring a dream for our state and federal agencies, of clean water…

Would Mr Willoughby ever have imagined his paradise would be one of controversial pollution? Never in a thousand years….

This year, the ACOE has been discharging from Lake Okeechobee since January 29th 2016; in 2013 they released May through October, and in 2014 nothing…

May the photographs or today’s ailing river inspire change, and may the spirit of Mr Willoughby keep adventure and love alive in our hearts—and the wind— ever at our backs.

New York Yacht Club Station courtesy of Sandra H. Thurlow.

Cub taking photo of a cub. Ron Rowers. (Photo Scott Kuhns, 2014, St Lucie River.) — Cub taking photo of a cub, pilot Ron Rowers. (Photo Scott Kuhns, 2014, St Lucie River, Stuart.)

Sewall's Point and Willoughby Point 2016. (Ed Lippisch) — St Lucie River at Sewall’s Point and Willoughby Point 2016 with dark waters from Lake O releases and area run off. (Ed Lippisch)

....further away — ….further away–Hell’s Gate.

Sewall's Point 2016 — Sewall’s Point and Willoughby Point, 2016

Sewall's Point and Willoughby Point 2014. — Sewall’s Point and Willoughby Point 2014.JTL

East side of Sewall's Point and confluence SLR/IRL2013 (JTL) — East side of Sewall’s Point and confluence SLR/IRL Lost Summer–(JTL)

ACOE Lake O level: http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/plots/okehp.pdf

Governments’ “Toxic Algae” Releases Into Our SLR/IRL,”Busted…”

I have been questioning the sick irony of the government sanctioned “toxic algae” releases into the St Lucie River since 2014. This was questionable, until now…

Let’s back up a bit…

My blog post on July 8th, 2014 was entitled: “Do the ACOE and SFWMD Release Lake Okeechobee Into to SLR When There is Toxic Algae?”

At that time there was a question for me; now there is not.

Do the ACOE and SFWMD Release Toxic Lake O Water Into the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon?

The 2014 post told the story of seeing cyanobacteria’s fluorescent blooms in the lake when my husband Ed and traveled through the St Lucie River to Lake Okeechobee by boat passing the St Lucie Locks and Dam (S-80) and Port Mayaca, (S-308) in 2009. This was just when I was beginning to focus my interests on the health of the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon as I had been elected to office in the Town of Sewall’s Point in 2008. During this trip it hit me that the algae started in the lake. Ed and I had traveled throughout the St Lucie River and C-44 canal, and when we got to Port Mayaca, at the lake, there it was….the fluorescent green algae.

Not being a scientist or biologist –it finally hit me “this is a fresh water bloom.” It blooms in the lake….not in the river that is more saline. But once the river is fresh from releases from the lake and canals, it can spread there too.

Hmmm?

The story of the blog continues into 2013, when I saw the SFWMD testing the water at S-80, St Lucie Locks and Dam, and to my surprise I could see the unmistakable flourescent green cyanobacteria that often becomes “toxic”going right though the gates! I found this unsettling. Obviously the SFWMD, the ACOE, DEP, the Florida Health Dept and other official entities were in full knowledge that these dangerous blooms were being sent down the river to the residents of Stuart, Florida. Here I was an elected official representing a peninsular community and I had no clue. I had never even heard of this. Something is weird here, I thought. There is no warning to local governments. There is no press for the public. This is just everyday business….the everyday business of quietly poisoning Martin County’s citizens.

How could this be? I wondered…Maybe I am missing something? Maybe I am exaggerating?

Over time, I wrote other posts about this too.

I decided that this concept could be widely shared and understood, but we needed a good visual.

Well the ultimate visual is here…

Thank you to my husband, Dr Ed Lippisch for these photos and two short videos taken on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016 of tremendous blooms knowingly being sent through the open gates at S-80 towards the St Lucie River. We don’t have to wonder anymore.

In broad daylight, for all to see. State and Federal agencies….you’re busted.

(Link VIDEO 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLXUH2a-0Gg&feature=em-upload_owner)

(LINK VIDEO 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXHD70JF9jM&feature=em-upload_owner)

*Thank you to the Stuart News, the River Warriors, Bullsugar.org and other river advocates for all of their work identifying and reporting the blooms especially in the lake and around Lake O this 2016.
Toxic Algae blooms (Microcystis/Cyanobacteria) :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcystis_aeruginosa

History’s Stairway-From the “Greatest Fishing Waters in America” to the Home of Toxic Algae 2016, SLR/IRL

Stairs leading to the former home of Hubert W. Bessey, the Perkins family and later William H. and Lucy Anne Shepard ca. 1890-1947 via historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow. — Stairs leading to the former home of Hubert W. Bessey, the Perkins family, and later William H. and Lucy Anne Shepherd ca. 1890-1947- via historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

Courtesy of "Stuart on the St Lucie," by Sandra Henderson Thurlow. — Courtesy of “Stuart on the St Lucie,” by Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

Shepherd's Park, Stuart 5-30-16. JTL — Shepherd’s Park shoreline, St Lucie River, Stuart 5-30-16. The ACOE in collaboration with the SFWMD and other state agencies has been discharging waters that cannot go south to the Everglades from Lake Okeechobee as they are blocked by the EAA. The ACOE has been releasing this year since January 29, 2016. The estuary is now fresh and breeding the algae blooms of Lake Okeechobee. JTL

My earliest memories of Stuart include stairs…stairs leading to the river…

Walking in Shepherd’s Park as a child, I would ask, “Where did those stairs go Mom?” Her answer may have gone something like this…

“Jacqui, those stairs led to a great house, one of Stuart’s first, built by pioneer, Hubert Bessey. It later became the residence of William and Lucy Ann Shepherd who first came to Stuart in the early 1900s. They came, like so many did at that time, for the fishing. Stuart, you know, was “the fishing grounds of presidents” and known as “the greatest waters in America” for this sport. Mr Shepherd was president and owner of T.H. Brooks and Company, a steel corporation in Cleveland. He and his wife were generous citizens of our community. In 1947 the house was almost demolished by a hurricane, but repaired. Then in 1949, disaster struck. Right in the middle of the winter season, the house mysteriously burned to the ground, but the stairs still stand today…” (Adapted from “History of Martin County”)

Yesterday, with these 50-year-old lessons ringing in my ears, I approached the remains of the old Shepherd residence that became today’s Shepherd’s Park. I was here on Memorial Day to meet reporter Jana Eschbach, from CBS affiliate Channel 12 News in West Palm Beach. It was Jana who had alerted me to a large fluorescent green algae bloom-more than likely toxic.

I arrived early and walked around. Lots of memories. Seeing the old stairs, I thought about how they used to lead to “the fishing grounds of presidents and the greatest fishing grounds in America.” And today, less than 100 years later, they are leading to toxic algae blooms. Never in my wildest dreams would I have foreseen this as a child.

Walking around the breakwater, I thought to myself:

“I will not give up on this place–this former paradise. It could recover if given the chance. History can repeat itself in some form here for the positive. Yes, and I will remember the words of Ernest Lyons who my mother taught me about too—the writer and editor of Stuart’s early paper–a leader and inspiration in fighting against the digging of the excessive agricultural canals that have destroyed our St Lucie River.

I mused for a second and remembered his inspirational quote:

“What men do, they can undo. And the hope for our river is in the hundreds of men and women in our communities who are resolved to save the St Lucie.”

Yes.

The recovery of this river is in the people, for no government can exist in today’s age knowingly bringing this upon its people…It continues to be our time to change history.

CBS 12 report: http://cbs12.com/news/local/toxic-green-slime-invades-waterways-for-miles-in-martin-county#

http://cbs12.com/news/local/toxic-green-slime-invades-waterways-for-miles-in-martin-county#
_______________________________________________

OTHER PHOTOS FROM STUART, 5-30-16, Dusty Pearsall.

Lake Event 2016, “Worse than a Third World Country,” May-SLR/IRL

Front page Stuart News 5-27-16 by Tyler Treadway.

Today I have posted pictures from the front page of the Stuart News, and I am also providing Dr Gary Goforth’s “Lake Event Update” for May 2016. This report gives an update on nutrient, sediment, and polluting fresh water loads into the St Lucie Estuary from Lake Okeechobee. Numbers from Lake O are at/or close to “Lost Summer “2013 levels now.

Today, the ACOE reports Lake Okeechobee at 14.38 feet – a very high level going into hurricane/rainy season beginning June 1st.

(http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml )

Thus the Army Corp of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, with the knowledge of other state agencies and entities such as the Dept. of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Legislature, and the Governor will be opening the flood gates to begin releasing more water from the lake today.

Cyanobacteria of toxic levels (as determined by the World Health Organization) is now reported in the lake and canals leading to the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon. This is a fresh water bloom and as the estuary becomes more fresh from lake releases the bloom will be able to survive throughout the river and estuary. I do not understand how this is legal in spite of the safety issues of the dike. The federal government in cooperation with our state government is knowingly releasing toxic algae into our waterways –Worse than a third world country.

Jacqui

__________________________________________________

CONDITIONS REPORT, DR GARY GOFORTH

SLR/IRL conditions report, Dr Gary Goforth 5-26-16 http://garygoforth.net
With poor water quality conditions in the Lake, the nutrient and sediment loads to the River/Estuary have already exceeded the 2013 Lake event. Feeding the bloom …

Since January 30, 2016:
Nitrogen – more than 1.6 million pounds
Phosphorus – more than 190,000 pounds
Sediment – more than 34 million pounds

Average flow – more than a billion gallons per day …

(Please click on slides to enlarge.)

600 acres of Seagrass is Dead in “One of the most Biodiverse Estuaries in North America,” SLR/IRL

I was on the Army Corp of Engineers Periodic Scientist Call this past Tuesday. These are excellent calls and one learns quickly the difficulties and the burdens of water management for our state and federal agencies in the state of Florida. I have participated in the calls as an elected official for the Town of Sewall’s Point since 2012.

This past Tuesday, something was said that struck me. Mark Perry, of Florida Oceanographic, reported something to the effect that over 600 acres of seagrasses inside the St Lucie Inlet are now “sand bottom.” Six hundred acres….

I went home and asked my husband that night at dinner…”Ed could it really be six-hundred acres? The seagrasses dead?”

“Easy.” He replied. “Just think of when I lived at the house at 22 South Sewall’s Point road when we first got married in 2005, and we’d walk out with the kayaks and there was lush seagrass all the way out ….well that’s gone–its gone all around the peninsula–you can see this from the air.”

Ed took some aerial photos the day after this conversation. Yesterday. I am including them today.

—-So it’s true, 600 acres of seagrasses are dead in one of the most bio-diverse estuaries in North America, the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon or southern IRL —for many years, as many of us know, confidently cited as not “one of,” but rather, “the most diverse…”

The Army Corp has been releasing from Lake Okeechobee this year since January 29th, 2016. We are only in June and there is more to come. Yes there is…there is “more to come” from us. There has to be. Because we are losing or have lost —everything.

Please compare the 1977 photo and then the 2012 map to photos taken yesterday. Please don’t give up the fight to bring back life to this estuary.