Red Tide of Death
If anything hits the heart, it's the red tide that is effecting our area and most of the western side of the Gulf of Mexico. It is the most heartbreaking thing to see here in Naples, Florida.
So what it Red Tide?
In simple layman terms, it's basically the releasing of Lake Okeechobee water into our rivers and canals that flow out to the Gulf of Mexico. With that is all the algae in large concentrations pushed out causing red tide and suffocation of all sea life.
Though it's more complicated than that. Much more. I say this because my brother's brought it to my attention about US Sugar and of course our government that allows it to happen. As one brother quotes, "100% Man Made Ecological Disaster. US Sugar is so deep in the pockets of Tallahassee, (including absolutely worthless outgoing Gov Rick Scott) it's disgusting. They are killing Florida while earning BILLIONS in revenues!" The other, "Don't forget Bill Nelson, he is bought and paid for by big sugar and has been his entire career, look at his voting record. Rick Scott lives in SW Florida and knows what is going on." Now those are some pissed off brothers and they are dead on correct.
I say that because I looked into it further and it's pretty much there in black and white even though US Sugar blatantly denies it. From what I read, mind you I am copying and pasting some info here with my twist, of course. So in 1931 when US Sugar was founded, this company took on the marsh below Lake Okeechobee. It was drained and set aside for producing sugar cane. To US Sugar, the land technically ended up to be poor quality growing conditions, so "heavy" usage of phosphates and nitrates made it possible, especially after factoring in "subsidies" from the federal government which, by the mid 30s, protected the marginal industry by federal law. (Yep, you read that correctly). Our government protects the companies that do this. The water once destined for the Everglades is held back in Lake Okeechobee by the Herbert Hoover Dike. There, regulated amounts of water are released to the cane fields for irrigation. So when the water level behind the dam gets too high, the excess is redirected to the St. Lucie River that empties into the Atlantic past the coastal city of Stuart and also into the Caloosahatchee River that runs westward past Sanibel Island and out to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the shallow nature of the lake the phosphate level deposited over the years through is "extremely" concentrated. As a consequence this nutrient laced release produces toxic algae growth in the freshwater estuaries and various forms of red tide algae blooms in the saltwater. Some of these blooms are capable of killing any life caught in the polluted web, and over the past decade it would seem that the situation has hit critical mass.
Ya think?😨
So yes, US Sugar plays a huge roll in this. The only thing I can think of is to is shut down the southern end growing fields and bring back the natural flow of water as it did before man. Part of the South Atlantic Gulf Regions Watershed.
Is this the only solution? Doubtful. The repercussions alone could be disastrous. Opening up the Hoover Dike and allow the water to flow naturally again, flooding all of southern Florida. The Army Corp of Engineers actually have a worst case scenario study if that were to occur.
So now what? We just sit back and pray someone figures this out? I personally have no clue what to do and I don't think anyone has. It's so sad.😢
I will end this with a recent little video clip I did this past Sunday, showing the red tide effects here in Naples, Florida. Out of curiosity, we all went out to take a look and I can't even explain how sad and how upsetting it is to see this. I did the video clips from Cocohatchee Marina, through Wiggins Pass, south to Vanderbilt Beach, back up the backwaters to New Pass in Estero. The Pelicans were thin, no seagulls in sight, and the ospreys looking extremely rough. Seeing the dolphins at New Pass was a relief. But they're all starving...nothing but death surrounded us.
Red Tide- Naples, Florida 2018
So what it Red Tide?
In simple layman terms, it's basically the releasing of Lake Okeechobee water into our rivers and canals that flow out to the Gulf of Mexico. With that is all the algae in large concentrations pushed out causing red tide and suffocation of all sea life.
Though it's more complicated than that. Much more. I say this because my brother's brought it to my attention about US Sugar and of course our government that allows it to happen. As one brother quotes, "100% Man Made Ecological Disaster. US Sugar is so deep in the pockets of Tallahassee, (including absolutely worthless outgoing Gov Rick Scott) it's disgusting. They are killing Florida while earning BILLIONS in revenues!" The other, "Don't forget Bill Nelson, he is bought and paid for by big sugar and has been his entire career, look at his voting record. Rick Scott lives in SW Florida and knows what is going on." Now those are some pissed off brothers and they are dead on correct.
I say that because I looked into it further and it's pretty much there in black and white even though US Sugar blatantly denies it. From what I read, mind you I am copying and pasting some info here with my twist, of course. So in 1931 when US Sugar was founded, this company took on the marsh below Lake Okeechobee. It was drained and set aside for producing sugar cane. To US Sugar, the land technically ended up to be poor quality growing conditions, so "heavy" usage of phosphates and nitrates made it possible, especially after factoring in "subsidies" from the federal government which, by the mid 30s, protected the marginal industry by federal law. (Yep, you read that correctly). Our government protects the companies that do this. The water once destined for the Everglades is held back in Lake Okeechobee by the Herbert Hoover Dike. There, regulated amounts of water are released to the cane fields for irrigation. So when the water level behind the dam gets too high, the excess is redirected to the St. Lucie River that empties into the Atlantic past the coastal city of Stuart and also into the Caloosahatchee River that runs westward past Sanibel Island and out to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the shallow nature of the lake the phosphate level deposited over the years through is "extremely" concentrated. As a consequence this nutrient laced release produces toxic algae growth in the freshwater estuaries and various forms of red tide algae blooms in the saltwater. Some of these blooms are capable of killing any life caught in the polluted web, and over the past decade it would seem that the situation has hit critical mass.
Ya think?😨
So yes, US Sugar plays a huge roll in this. The only thing I can think of is to is shut down the southern end growing fields and bring back the natural flow of water as it did before man. Part of the South Atlantic Gulf Regions Watershed.
Is this the only solution? Doubtful. The repercussions alone could be disastrous. Opening up the Hoover Dike and allow the water to flow naturally again, flooding all of southern Florida. The Army Corp of Engineers actually have a worst case scenario study if that were to occur.
So now what? We just sit back and pray someone figures this out? I personally have no clue what to do and I don't think anyone has. It's so sad.😢
I will end this with a recent little video clip I did this past Sunday, showing the red tide effects here in Naples, Florida. Out of curiosity, we all went out to take a look and I can't even explain how sad and how upsetting it is to see this. I did the video clips from Cocohatchee Marina, through Wiggins Pass, south to Vanderbilt Beach, back up the backwaters to New Pass in Estero. The Pelicans were thin, no seagulls in sight, and the ospreys looking extremely rough. Seeing the dolphins at New Pass was a relief. But they're all starving...nothing but death surrounded us.
Red Tide- Naples, Florida 2018
Its all very sad and with this once abundant ecosystem dead or dying, so will tourist....thus Naples. One thing I thing you are incorrect about. Red Tide is not cause by those run off releases. Freshwater blue green algae varieties are. It is an important distinction and you must know the difference otherwise you risk your otherwise credible argument.
ReplyDeleteI will tend to disagree with you. I've read both of these types of algae blooms are fueled by the same thing — agricultural runoff and warm water from Lake Okeechobee.
ReplyDelete