Algae--A Specific Rant

[pecan]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/toxic-algae-bloom-swarms-utah-lake-sickens-100/

Article posted online today about Lake Utah and the Jordan River , toxic algae bloom

Yep, and that is where our water comes from through a canal system into our backyard. We've shut the water off as we are concerned our dogs may get into it and possibly die from exposure. This will be the first year we have watered our yard with city water from the hose.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Lake Erie is having problems too http://www.ecowatch.com/glyphosate-...algae-bloom-1906543478.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Form NPR
"Because of the massive algae bloom, Florida Gov. Rick Scott has asked President Obama to declare a federal emergency and make federal emergency funds available. The White House rejected the request, saying Florida has the resources to handle the problem itself. Scott is appealing the decision."

Then from the SunSuntinel

'In addition to the property cost, building a reservoir on the land could cost $2.5 billion, according to the district. That expense could sidetrack other overdue Everglades restoration projects, which district officials said should be the priority.


Water district balks at Everglades land deal
"I don't want to go spend a couple billion dollars and not solve the problem," district Board Chairman Daniel O'Keefe said. "This can't be the shiny thing that distracts us from getting the projects done."

Yet environmental advocates say the cost is worth the chance to use the land to move more water south — replenishing the parched Everglades and also boosting South Florida drinking water supplies."

It's worth the cost if it's not coming out of their pockets in the form of additional taxes that they would have to pay. So you have local politicians not willing to take a chance on spending billions for something that may or may not work. And you have Washington refusing to help with federal funds when they squander that amount in a few seconds. However... and remember that you heard it here first. Washington will step in and mandate that Florida pay for this on its own or federal funding for something like highways will be held up. Not aid for solar research or another pet project but aid for the bad bad automobiles and the roads they travel on. I go back to my original point and that is to let the scientists solve the problem. Some issues are just too big to be regulated away.

You don't have the full picture. The cost for this land $1.7 billion was approved overwhelmingly by the voters in Florida in a state-wide referendum.

"Florida voters backed Amendment 1, which required that a portion of money from an already-existing tax on real estate documents be used for purchasing and preserving land.

It was supposed to net about $10 billion over the next 20 years.

The amendment also allowed the money to be used for management of land, including payment of some salaries and operating costs of state employees directly involved in purchasing and preserving land.


When it came time for the 2015 state Legislature to divvy up money in the budget, lawmakers instead used Amendment 1 funds to pay for the salaries and operating costs of whole agencies. Just under $59 million went to Everglades restoration from Amendment 1 funding in 2015; $227 million went to pay salaries and operating costs."
Sun Sentinel July 26, 2016 (Today)

I know of no real plans to build a reservoir on this land as the true purpose of its purchase was to restore the natural flow of the Okeechobee watershed to the Everglades. A reservoir would just impede this natural flow and be nothing more than a large catch basin where the polluting nutrient levels can be compounded resulting in a reservoir full of algae (some toxic). There is already one reservoir? like this. Its called Lake Okeechobee.

The Federal government through Congressional approval earmarked $7.8 billion over 30 years for Everglades restoration and that has been proceeding successfully and in a timely fashion.
The point still remains that the State of Florida must control the polluting nutrients that are causing the algae problem. Flow rates and flow patterns will do little to alleviate this.
This is the same in all other parts of the country where algae blooms have proliferated.
BTW, the scientists have decided what needs to be done. The State of Florida has declined to even recognize it as a possible solution.
This will rapidly become a 'money pit' if the science is not followed.

 

[pecan]

Well the good news is that Florida legislature and the EPA just approved a plan to allow more toxins into Florida water ways.

Wait, that's not good news at all.

@Meyer Jordan

 

[peter hillman]

This will rapidly become a 'money pit' if the science is not followed.

Hmmm, explains it all.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well the good news is that Florida legislature and the EPA just approved a plan to allow more toxins into Florida water ways.

Wait, that's not good news at all.

@Meyer Jordan

Not quite true. The Florida DEP released this new expanded list under the aegis of Gov. Rick Scott. In some cases exceeding the EPA established criteria. The EPA had no part in this. I expect this to quickly end up in litigation. Many believe that this was done just to pave the regulatory way for fracking to begin in Florida. Another item that may well end up in litigation.

 

[peter hillman]

Some good news, a much smaller scale than the others, but shows that humans can do better if they try.
7/28/2016.
Last year the city installed a water circulation project to improve the quality of Virginia Lake's water. Since then, experts say the water clarity has improved.

The City of Reno says a new underwater pipe is one of the many things that has helped circulate the water. Measurements are showing a big difference.

Lynell Garfield, a hydrologist with the City of Reno said, "Last year with the extreme drought, we saw four to six inches or so of depth, where you could drop the disk in before it disappeared. And this year it was well over 7 feet."

Garfield says that's a dramatic improvement in water clarity. In the past couple of years, algae has grown and toxins were killing off a massive amount of birds.

The lake was stagnant year round, but with the new outlet constructed, it's now forcing the flows from north to south to better circulate the water. Experts also say the flow in the Truckee River is making all the difference. Water is coming through the Cochran Ditch and into Virginia Lake again.

But with clarity, also came a new discovery.

"We're starting to see the bottom of the lake and we see we might have some invasive weeds in the lake. We have them in the Truckee, we have them in Lake Tahoe. And now because the clarity is better, we're seeing that we have them in Virginia Lake also," said Garfield.

The city says it is working with experts to better study the lake and improve it. We're told you can do your part to keep the lake clean by throwing away your trash and reducing your water runoff at home, because there are storm drains that end in this body of water.."
Virginia lake is a man made lake that holds decent sized trout. It also took the life of a childhood friend in the 70's. Driving by last weekend I did notice the aerator fountains actually looked clear rather than green!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Some good news, a much smaller scale than the others, but shows that humans can do better if they try.
7/28/2016.
Last year the city installed a water circulation project to improve the quality of Virginia Lake's water. Since then, experts say the water clarity has improved.

The City of Reno says a new underwater pipe is one of the many things that has helped circulate the water. Measurements are showing a big difference.

Lynell Garfield, a hydrologist with the City of Reno said, "Last year with the extreme drought, we saw four to six inches or so of depth, where you could drop the disk in before it disappeared. And this year it was well over 7 feet."

Garfield says that's a dramatic improvement in water clarity. In the past couple of years, algae has grown and toxins were killing off a massive amount of birds.

The lake was stagnant year round, but with the new outlet constructed, it's now forcing the flows from north to south to better circulate the water. Experts also say the flow in the Truckee River is making all the difference. Water is coming through the Cochran Ditch and into Virginia Lake again.

But with clarity, also came a new discovery.

"We're starting to see the bottom of the lake and we see we might have some invasive weeds in the lake. We have them in the Truckee, we have them in Lake Tahoe. And now because the clarity is better, we're seeing that we have them in Virginia Lake also," said Garfield.

The city says it is working with experts to better study the lake and improve it. We're told you can do your part to keep the lake clean by throwing away your trash and reducing your water runoff at home, because there are storm drains that end in this body of water.."
Virginia lake is a man made lake that holds decent sized trout. It also took the life of a childhood friend in the 70's. Driving by last weekend I did notice the aerator fountains actually looked clear rather than green!

Great to hear good news from other parts of the country.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Keep a close eye on your respective state governments, folks.

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article92725542.html#emlnl=5-Minute_Herald

 

[Meyer Jordan]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article95442427.html