Our Lakes in 2010 – Some Highlights
We are still enjoying the beautiful fall weather and hope that the coming winter will be benign. You will remember the prolonged cold snap we experienced last January that caused widespread saltwater and freshwater fish kill around the state. Thousands of dead fish were seen floating in the water along the coasts. Cold snaps are a natural weather event in the Florida winter. However, this year it lasted for an abnormally long time - close to two weeks. The cold weather proved to be deadly for tilapia, which is particularly sensitive to cold water. But our birds - egrets, herons, woodstorks, ibis, spoonbills and turkey vultures were seen feasting on the fish. Fortunately, there were enough surviving juvenile tilapia to re-populate the lakes during the ensuing months.
The partnership with the Shorecrest Preparatory School became tangible with eighth grade students taking water samples in three lakes of Placido Bayou. The water sampling and processing in the laboratory of the School began in February and will continue to December 2010. In accordance with the guidelines of UF/IFAS LAKEWATCH the water quality will be determined by measuring the amounts of phosphorous, nitrogen, chlorophyll, and the degree of water clarity. Additional tests will be for Ph, dissolved oxygen, temperature (air and water), and salinity. Another dimension of the project is the planting of aquatic and near-shore plants to absorb nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) and act as an onshore buffer against excess fertilizers. The planting was carried out in April. The picture on the back of this page gives a snapshot of the plantings. The water quality data and planting data will be used by the students to prepare a scientific paper as a final project in 8th grade Oceanography at Shorecrest.
The Lake Committee collaborated with the Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management and Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in the sampling of two types of algae found in the wetlands outside our PBCA area, also called Placido Bayou. Laboratory analysis proved the algae to be non-toxic.
An erosion survey in 2008 concluded that erosion did not pose an imminent risk to the foundations of residences and roads. Nevertheless, it was found recently that 140 feet of the North bank of Lake Messina needed to be restored. Following PBCA Board approval the work is expected to be undertaken by a contractor in early 2011. It involves regrading the bank to a 4:1 slope and restoration using riprap and geoweb.
I take this opportunity to thank the members of the Lake Committee and the PBCA staff for their active participation and support in keeping our lakes healthy and beautiful.
Frank Hartvelt, Chair, Lake Committee
