More Job cuts in the Fort Myers area. (Cape Coral, Vero Beach: environment, budget)

[hiknapster]

The reason for the algae bloom is due to the fertilizer that comes from the center of the state due to the sugar crops, and others, and runs off into the Chattahoochee and consequently, into the gulf.

In other words, big business.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

The reason for the algae bloom is due to the fertilizer that comes from the center of the state due to the sugar crops, and others, and runs off into the Chattahoochee and consequently, into the gulf.

In other words, big business.

Add to that miles and miles of canals with no mangroves or anything to filter the water. Sea walls do not stop the run off from pest control and fertilizer from lawns that feed out to the Pine Island sound and mess up the PH of the water.
Take note:I did not say Cape Coral at any time !

[inftmyers]

Originally Posted by firemed

Add to that miles and miles of canals with no mangroves or anything to filter the water. Sea walls do not stop the run off from pest control and fertilizer from lawns that feed out to the Pine Island sound and mess up the PH of the water.
Take note:I did not say Cape Coral at any time !

Ya but it goes out and settles on the bottom. The water releases often kept the water cloudy enough to where sunlight couldn't reach the dead matter on the bottom. However now that the releases have been cut back, the water is beginning to clear up allowing algae to grow. Sunlight is its most important necesity. Sanibel takes a "natural" (AKA: cheap) approach to it and lets the algae slowly be washed back out to sea. Well come to find out, that just makes the problem worse because you're adding more decaying plant matter to fuel even more algae growth. The sad part is leaders had to take a trip to Hawaii before they realized they needed to clean up the algae. Also the new C-43 reservoir will have a filtering system on it and hopefully all the nitrogen and phosphorous will be removed before it enters the caloosahatchee. Out of curiousity, do either of you feel like the East coast gets preferential treatment when it comes to these water releases? I heard somewhere that like 70% of runoff is sent to the West coast and 30% to the East. I think it should be 50/50.

[hiknapster]

They certainly did not need a taxpayer-sponsored trip to Hawaii to find that out.

This problem has been going on for decades and very well-known. It is not a recent development.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by inftmyers

Ya but it goes out and settles on the bottom. The water releases often kept the water cloudy enough to where sunlight couldn't reach the dead matter on the bottom. However now that the releases have been cut back, the water is beginning to clear up allowing algae to grow. Sunlight is its most important necesity. Sanibel takes a "natural" (AKA: cheap) approach to it and lets the algae slowly be washed back out to sea. Well come to find out, that just makes the problem worse because you're adding more decaying plant matter to fuel even more algae growth. The sad part is leaders had to take a trip to Hawaii before they realized they needed to clean up the algae. Also the new C-43 reservoir will have a filtering system on it and hopefully all the nitrogen and phosphorous will be removed before it enters the caloosahatchee.

I hope it works,

[121804]

I think there are a lot of people in SW FL who hope to see something beneficial come of all the mess that is occurring. We truly enjoy living in Charlotte County & see a lot of good things that "could" happen. My husband & I have lived in 9 different states & 3 different countries. SWFL can fix itself. It has a lot going for itself. It also has a lot of issues that have been overtaken the good & those negative issues MUST be addressed & fixed. Any city that wants to survive needs to do that. All these cities in the Carolinas & TN will see their day also. But look at the turnaround cities like Buffalo & Houston have done.

My husband loves Sanibel & we have to go there every weekend [and the $6 toll ]. I don't know any of the science behind what is happening with the algae, etc. But today the water was decent & there was not such a heavy smell. So, all that stuff on the sand is decaying plant matter? It looks better than a few months ago but it still is concerning. Why don't the gizillionaires that live there get involved?

Last weekend a pair of dolphins came VERY close to shore. It was awesome to watch though we had to wonder just how safe that was for the dolphins!

And on a side note: Enough condos already! That inventory is going to take forever to reduce.

[inftmyers]

Originally Posted by firemed

I hope it works,

Me too. Sanibel and Captiva are truly unique and it would be a shame if they lost that. If I were a county leader I would be trying a lot harder to find a solution than they seem to be. There is too much competition in Florida for them to just wate around and hope something miraculously happens. I actually was thinking about going into Marine Science before I realized how hard it is to find jobs. Thats a shame because Lee county could really use some!

[firemed]

Originally Posted by inftmyers

Me too. Sanibel and Captiva are truly unique and it would be a shame if they lost that. If I were a county leader I would be trying a lot harder to find a solution than they seem to be. There is too much competition in Florida for them to just wate around and hope something miraculously happens. I actually was thinking about going into Marine Science before I realized how hard it is to find jobs. Thats a shame because Lee county could really use some!

Well if you run for office I will vote for you !

[inftmyers]

Originally Posted by firemed

Well if you run for office I will vote for you !

Too many formalities and complications for me. I will stick to just being opinionated.

[hiknapster]

Lee County saw dollar signs, just like everyone else. Once that dried up, they were at a loss.

Environmentalists and scientists they never needed.