Martin County Board of County Commissioners

Emergency Meeting to Discuss Local Water Conditions

Tuesday, June 28 at 9:00 a.m.

County Commission Chambers 2401 SE Monterey Road in Stuart

Water Challenges

• Lake Okeechobee is too high

• Releases since end of January with no end in sight

• Low salinities in river, estuary, and near shore areas

• High temperatures

• High nutrients

• Widespread and unprecedented blue green algae blooms

Current Conditions

• 14.90 feet

• Inflows to the Lake= ~7550 cubic feet/second

• Outflows from the Lake=~5870 cubic feet/second

• Current inflows to St. Lucie from the Lake averaging 1800 cubic feet / second weekly

• Bottom salinities at the Roosevelt Bridge averaging ~5 ppt; only getting peaks briefly during high tides

• Temperatures ranging from 87-90 degrees (F)

• Lake Okeechobee at 14.93 feet

Hideaway Lane

Manatee Pocket with dead armored catfish (freshwater fish)

Sewell’s Point

Bathtub Beach

3 miles north of St. Lucie Inlet looking offshore

Florida West Coast – San Carlos Bay

Links to Information • www.martin.fl.us

• Beach Conditions Hotline: 772-320-3112 updated daily

• Search for Speak Up for the St. Lucie • Facebook Page: “Speak Up for the St. Lucie”

• www.martin.floridahealth.gov • Bright yellow tab at top of page for blue green algae

information

• www.dep.state.fl.us • “Algal Blooms” button on right of page • South Florida algal bloom sampling results

• www.saj.usace.army.mil • Lake Okeechobee button on right of page • “Current Conditions” and “Daily Reports”