South Florida GREEN ALGAE ALERT

[OceanObsessed]

I have seen this happen many times in SE Florida over the years. It aways clears up but it is nasty while it lasts. It has also been on the first reef close to shore in past years.

I am not sure if it is the same algae but I believe that one of the local colleges (might have been Nova Southeastern) did a recent study linking algae growth on the reef to the sewage outfall. There was an article in the paper about it within the past couple of years.
-Chris

 

[HowardE]

I was planning on bringing gear when visiting Mom in N. Broward next month, but now I wonder if I should bother. I will check back here before packing.

Is this stuff in anyway related to the red algae that had appeared in the past? Is it related to depth at all?

We've dived out of Pompano a lot lately, and have left out of the hillsboro inlet. Things south of Hillsboro are clean, but north of Hillsboro is covered.

It is still worth going in lots of places. But if you are diving anywhere in the zone I mentioned... ask the operator what the reef is like as far as growth of algae.

 

[HowardE]

How about yourself, do you have Chem Lawn stop by every month?

Nope - not me. No lawn.

 

[OceanObsessed]

If my memory serves me correctly this seems to be seasonal and seems to peak in winter months in SE Florida. I wonder if this is related to the drastic increase in population in the winter and that increases the nutrient rich discharge of the outfall which feeds the bloom?

 

[OceanObsessed]

Hi there Howard.
We met once on a beach dive at my place with Chip. I spoke with Chip a couple days ago and he told me that you guys saw a sailfish last weekend while diving. Pretty cool!
-Chris

 

[dlndavid]

where did you see Chip, at the mall ?


end hijack,


I hope it goes away by the time I get there.

 

[joystershell]

If my memory serves me correctly this seems to be seasonal and seems to peak in winter months in SE Florida. I wonder if this is related to the drastic increase in population in the winter and that increases the nutrient rich discharge of the outfall which feeds the bloom?

Are you saying that our snowbird visitors are full of ****?

 

[deepstops]

The usual suspect is nitrates from sewage and runoff. The sewage can be treated to reduce nitrates, this would be the 3rd step in the treatment process which many towns and cities just do not want to pay for.

But, one of the major sources, if not the major, is run off from farms and lawn chemicals. How many golf courses you have in the area? How much fertilizer are they putting on the grass right now? How about yourself, do you have Chem Lawn stop by every month?

We're not terribly far from a drought situation here at the moment. It's been quite dry this winter and there's minimal runoff of anything right now. In the summer when it's raining everyday, we start to see what I call "red hair algae" and that I'm pretty sure is caused by fertilizer runoff.

 

[OceanObsessed]

Are you saying that our snowbird visitors are full of ****?

Well, let me tell you, some of the snowbirds that I know.... oh nevermind. I don't think I want to bite that hook

where did you see Chip, at the mall ?

Yeah,.... thats it. I guess he was upgrading his dive gear... he was purchasing one of those "Ariel the Little Mermaid Snorkeling Sets"

 

[HowardE]

Hi there Howard.
We met once on a beach dive at my place with Chip. I spoke with Chip a couple days ago and he told me that you guys saw a sailfish last weekend while diving. Pretty cool!
-Chris

Yeah... I remember.

Yes - we saw a sailfish on our safety stop... It was great!