Effects of Pollution on the

Caloosahatchee River and Estuary

RICHARD BARTLESON
Research Scientist,
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

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Photo Redfish Pass

7/10/13
Joyce Palmer,USFWS
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Pollutants and Sources

Herbicides - Agriculture and Lawns
Pesticides - Agriculture and mosquito control
Oil and grease- roadways
Plastic- bags, fibers, beads- Us
Contaminants of Emerging Concern (COEC)pharmaceuticals, personal care products,

Deadclams2013chemicalspill

Aboveprobableeffectlevels:
Chlordane(thisfigure),PAH,DDT
USGS1999
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High nutrient, color, solids loading

Wetland loss From 50% to 22% in 2008, losses 2010-2016
Lower base flow
Groundwater drawdown, wetland loss, water storage,
Fast polluted flow, Nutrient sources
EsteroBay
WatershedSection

19,996acres1996
2010.Surfacewater
runoffhasbeen
drasticallyincreased
bydrainageditches
andcanals.

KevinErwin
ConsultingEcologist

Dissolved organics (color), Suspended solidsVallisneria

25%lightdepth(m)

Colorof
freshwaterrunoff

Ruppia

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SanCarlosBay,goal
Iona
Ft.Myers

CaloosahatcheeNIsotopeRatio

NutrientSources

18
16
14
d15N()

12
10
8

DrySeason

WetSeason

Wet/dryfallP

2
0
10

10

20

30

40

RiverMile

WWTPlant
mgdpermitted
LeeCo.FiestaVillageWWTP5
LeeCo.WaterwayEstates1.25
Ft.MyersCentral11
Ft.MyersSouth12
CapeCoralEverestParkway8.5
CapeCoralSouthwest6.6

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Nutrient Effects
-Harmful algal blooms
-blue green algae
-Pyrodinium bahamense

TarponBay

McIntyreCreek

DuffysCreek

0.14
0.12

IN(mg/l)

0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
TarponBay TarponBay TarponBay McIntyre

McIntyre

McIntyre

201120122013
201120122013
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013

Limitinglevel

Duffys

Duffys

Duffys

2011

2012

2013

201120122013

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2011
2012
2013

S79Flow
low
intermediate
high

Nutrient effects
K. brevis blooms

1954-2002

BrandandCompton2008

SanibelRedtides
8000

4000

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S79 Flow (cfs)

DenseredtidepatchnexttoSanibel
shoreline
12000

Nutrient effects-Ecosystem Balance

Hypoxia, fresh water, red tides kill grazers

Some
algal species lack grazing pressure

FromShort&Burdick1996

23g/m2/yrmax
=Caloosahatchee
LoadingRate

Nutrient, Sediment Effects: Oxygen Depletion

Greenhouse gases and heat- Carbon fuels, methane, power plant
2009
2008
32.7
30.4
29.6
Lethaltemperatureofriverclams3539C

2008

2009

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SCCFCaloosahatcheeWaterQualityMonitoring
RECONs - Beautiful
Is., Ft. Myers
Channel, Shell Pt.
Sondes -FM Yacht
Basin, Iona Cove,
Colonial, Refuge
Weekly grab
samples
Monthly Sound
nutrients

RECONLoboDeployment

S79

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SCCF Marine Laboratory water quality projects

Restoration- oysters , scallops, seagrass and tape grass

0.15 acres

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What can we do?

Keep wetlands and keep them wet.
Elect responsible representatives, attorney generals and Governors
-Reducing Runoff and Nutrient Loading
-Nutrient removal using SAV (restoration)
and algae
-Route rain to fallow farmlands and
pastures
-TMDLs for phosphorus and CDOM
-Fertilizer minimization (including
agriculture)
-Livestock Fencing, manure management
-Replacement of septic systems with
tertiary treatment

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