State of the Bay Update Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management 2009 Whitney Gray and Jim Beever Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council State of the Bay Update 2009 Water Quality • Parameters and Standards Hydrology •Flows and Salinity Wildlife •Listed Species, Seagrass, and Fisheries Social • Population, Recreation, and Building Permits 2009 State of Estero Bay Update The Estero Bay Watershed 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Koreshan House Calusa Indians Ponce de Leon Tamiami Trail FGCU Construction Southwest Florida International Airport Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Mosquito Spraying 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Changes in Water Quality Standards Parameter State Standards EPA 2004 2009 2004 2009 Chlorophyll‐a 11 mg/mL3 estuarine No mention in 62‐302 (2008) 0.4 ug/L rivers/streams 0.4 ug/L rivers/streams 20 mg/mL3 streams Copper 3.7 mg/mL3 marine 3.7 ug/L estuarine 0.125 mg/L estuarine 3.1 ug/L estuarine 3.7 mg/mL3 fresh 0.125 mg/L fresh 9.0 ug/L fresh Dissolved oxygen 404.0 mg/L estuarine 505.0 mg/L estuarine 505.0 mg/L estuarine 505.0 mg/L estuarine 4.0 mg/L fresh 5.0 mg/L fresh 5.0 mg/L fresh 5.0 mg/L fresh 200 count/100 mL estuarine (2004 State Of the Bay) 400 count/100 mL (Impaired Fecal coliform Waters Rule in 2002) 200 count/100 mL 200 count/100 mL estituarine (2004 State Of the Bay) 400 count/100 mL (Impaired Waters Rule in 2002) 200 count/100 mL 0.7‐3.5 mg/L estuarine = caution >3.5 mg/L = impaired (2004 SOB) 0.9 mg/L (Summary Table for Total nitrogen Narrative In development Nutrient Criteria in 2002) 0.9 mg/L 0.1‐0.5 mg/L estuarine = caution >0.5 = impaired (2004 SOB) 40 Total phosphorus Narrative In development ug/L (Summary Table in 2002) 40 ug/L 25‐100 NTU estuarine = caution >100 = impaired (Summary Table in Turbidity No mention No mention 2002)1.9 NTU rivers/streams Note: mg/mL3 = ug/L (micrograms/Liter) 62‐302 = Surface Water Quality Standards (FDEP 2008) 62‐303 = IidImpaired Waters Ru le (FDEP 2002) Summary Table for Nutrient Criteria (USEPA 2002) Gold Book (USEPA 1986) National Recommended Water Quality Criteria (USEPA 2009) 2009 State of Estero Bay Update 2008 Water Quality Status Total Total Chlorophyll‐a Copper DO Fecal Coliform Turbidity Total Met Nitrogen Phosphorus Estuarine Estero Bay 7 7 Mullock Creek Hendry Creek VV 5 Estero River VV 5 Spring Creek 5 VV 5 Imperial River Fresh VV 5 Mulloc k Creek 10‐Mile Canal V6 Hendry Creek V6 Spring Creek 6 VVV 4 Imperial River Total Met 11 11 6 4 11 11 11 Water Quality Standard not met for average in 2008 V On the FDEP Verified List for Water Quality Impairments (Florida Department of Environmental Protection 2009; Lee County Environmental Lab 2009) 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Impaired Waters 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Chlorophyll‐a Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 9.00 8.00 7.00 Estero Bay g/M3) 6.00 mm HdHendry CkCreek ( a 5.00 ‐ Mullock Creek 4.00 3.00 Spring Creek 2.00 Imperial River Chlorophyll 1.00 Estero River http://teacherweb.ftl.pinecrest.edu/santar m/Diagrams2001/plantcells.jpeg 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 Trend Fresh 9.00 8.00 7.00 g/M3) 6.00 Ten Mile Canal (m a 5.00 Hendry ‐ 4.00 Mullock Creek 3.00 Spring Creek Chlorophyll 2.00 Imperial River 1.00 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Copper Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 1.80 1.60 1.40 Estero Bay 1.20 /L) gg Hendry Creek (u 1.00 Mullock Creek 0.80 Spring Creek Copper 0.60 Imperial River http://www.chemicool.com/elements/images/copp 0.40 er-sulfate.jpg Estero River 0200.20 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 TdTrend FhFresh No data for Estero Bay 1.80 1.60 1.40 )) 1201.20 Ten Mile Canal (ug/L 1.00 Hendry Creek 0.80 Mullock Creek Copper 0.60 Spring Creek 0.40 Imperi al River 0.20 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Dissolved Oxygen Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 7.00 6.00 5.00 Estero Bay L) Hendry Creek // 4004.00 (mg Mullock Creek 3.00 DO Spring Creek 2.00 Imperial River 1.00 Estero River http://www.abc.net.au/science/ 0.00 news/stories/s1599675.htm 2006 2007 2008 No data for Mullock Creek 2006‐2008 Trend Fresh 7.00 6.00 5.00 Ten Mile Canal 4.00 Hendry Creek (mg/L) 3.00 Mullock Creek DO 2.00 Spring Creek Imperial River 1001.00 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Fecal Coliform Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 600 mL) 500 Estero Bay 400 nies/100 Hendry Creek oo 300 Mullock Creek (col Spring Creek 200 Imperial River coliform 100 Estero River http://www.ars.usda.gov/images/docs/8057_8251/ ecal 2005-06-20-coliforms.jpg FF 0 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 Trend Fresh 600 mL) 500 400 Ten Mile Canal ies/100 Hendry Creek 300 (colon Mullock Creek 200 Spring Creek coliform 100 Imperial River cal ee F 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Total Nitrogen Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 1.40 1.20 N) as 1.00 Estero Bay /L gg Hendry Creek (m 0.80 Mullock Creek http://www.lee- 0.60 county.com/gov/dept/NaturalResources/Water Spring Creek nitrogen Quality/Pages/FertilizeSmart/fertilizesmart_ima 0.40 ges/menu_top_pic_fertilizer.jpg Imperial River Total 0.20 Estero River 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 TdTrend FhFresh 1.40 1.20 N) as L 1.00 // Ten Mile Canal (mg 0.80 Hendry Creek 0.60 Mullock Creek nitrogen 0.40 Spring Creek otal Imperial River TT 0200.20 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Total Phosphorus Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 0.12 P) 0.10 as Estero Bay g/L 0080.08 mm ( Hendry Creek 0.06 Mullock Creek Spring Creek 0.04 phosphorus Imperial River tal oo 0020.02 T Estero River www.lee-county.com 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 Trend Fresh 0.12 P) as 0.10 g/L Ten Mile Canal mm 0080.08 ( Hendry Creek 0.06 Mullock Creek 0.04 Spring Creek phosphorus 0.02 Imperial River otal TT 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Turbidity Trends 2006‐2008 Trend Estuarine 5.00 4.50 4.00 Estero Bay 3.50 Us) TT 3003.00 Hendry Creek (N 2.50 Mullock Creek 2.00 Spring Creek Turbidity 1.50 Imperial River 1.00 http://recon.sccf.org/definitions/jars-turbidity- 0.50 Estero River 192x144.jpg 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2006‐2008 TdTrend FhFresh 5.00 4.50 4.00 s) 3.50 UU Ten Mile Canal 3.00 (NT Hendry Creek 2.50 2.00 Mullock Creek 1.50 Turbidity Spring Creek 1.00 Imperial River 0500.50 0.00 2006 2007 2008 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Parameter Estero Estero Hendry Imperial Spring Ten Mile Basin CHNEP Water Quality Bay River Creek River Creek Canal Net BOD Status and Trends Data 0 ‐3 ‐3 Chl‐a corr 2 ‐10 12 for Estero Bay Basin Cl 1995‐2005 Color 022 DO 64 1 2 2 1025 F Coli 01001 NH3 •Ten Mile Canal showed the ‐2 ‐1 ‐3 ‐6 highest number of parameters NO23 ‐40 ‐100‐2 ‐7 that had degraded. NO3 ‐2 ‐200‐1 ‐5 pH 0134 •Estero River and Spring Creek PO4 0 ‐1 ‐20‐1 ‐4 showed the fewest parameters Salinity 9 9 that had degraded. SO4 Temp ‐100‐1 •Ten Mile Canal also showed the TkN ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 ‐2 ‐5 highest number of parameters TN ‐2 ‐1 ‐10 1‐3 that had improved. TOC TP 1 1 •Hendry Creek showed the fewest TSS 11 0 2 1 5 parameters that had improved. Turb 55 0 1 0 011 positive trend neutral trend negative trend 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Estero Bay Tributary Flows 700.00 600.00 500.00 400.00 N Estero River CFS in S Estero River Imperial River Flow, 300.00 Spring Creek Ten Mile Canal 200.00 Hendry Creek 100.00 0.00 Jul Jul Jul Jan Jan Jan Jun Jun Jun Oct Oct Apr Apr Apr Feb Sep Feb Sep Feb Sep Dec Dec Aug Aug Aug Nov Nov Mar Mar Mar May May May 2006 2007 2008 Imperial River Estero River http://www.clubkayak.com/cfkt/trips/ http://lifeinbonitasprings.com/wp- estero_bay.html content/uploads/2009/07/Bonita-Springs- Florida-Imperial-River.jpg 2009 State of Estero Bay Update y alinit SS http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/events/sanctuaries/seagrass_meadow650.jpg 2009 State of Estero Bay Update 2006 March September 2007 March September 2008 March September 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Measure: Number of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Family Groups Time Frame: 1991-2001 Data Source: FWC Level of Change: -100% in EBABM area Meeting Recovery? No Red‐cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Measure: Number of Successful Bald Eagle Nests Time Frame: 1995-2009 DtData Source: FWC Level of Change: + 33% in EBABM area Meeting Recovery? Yes according Year Number of Success Nests Rate 1995 9 5 (55%) 1996 10 6 (60%) 1997 10 4 (()40%) 1998 11 7 (64 %) 1999 11 6 (55 %) 2000 14 ? 2001 14 10(71%) 2002 11 2(18%) 2003 9 2(22%) 2004 12 6(50%) 2005 11 ? 2006 10 7(70%) 2007 11 4(37%) 2008 9 6(67%) 2009 12 5(42%) Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Measure: Number of Successful Florida Scrub Jay Nests Time Frame: 1995-2009 Data Source:FWC: FWC Level of Change: -100% in EBABM area Meeting Recovery? No Year Number of Nests Success Rate 1989 2 2 (100%) 1993 1 unknown 1995 0 0 1999 0 0 2001 0 0 2009 00 Photo by Joe Vidulich Florida Scrub Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Measure: Acres of gopher tortoise habitat impacted Time Frame: 1999-2009 DSData Source: FWC? Level of Change: -4% in EBABM area by 1999 to 2003 Meeting Recovery? No Photo by Whitney Gray Date Acres Gopher Acres Gopher Acres Gopher Net Gopher Total Project Tortoise Habitat Tortoise Habitat Tortoise Habitat Tortoise Habitat Impact Impacted Preserved Off‐Site Preserved Onsite Lost 1999 27 4 0 23 76 2000 121 18 5 98 436 2001 387 56 15 316 1,108 2002 00000 2003 43 9 6 28 88 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 8‐year 577 86 26 465 1,707 total Gopher Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus 2009 State of Estero Bay Update Time Frame: 1986-1999/2000 Data Source: FWC LlfChLevel of Change: 0 + 15% in EBABM area Meeting Recovery? Not Yet http://www.ecotrail.com/images/peli cans.jpg Year Number of Success Rate Rookeries 1986 9 5 (55%) 1999 6 6 (55 %) 2008 13 ? http://fl.water.usgs.gov/cesi/images/wildlife /woodstork1_2.jpg WdiWading Bir d &&B Brown PPlielican RRkiookeries Pelicanus occidentalis 2009 State of Estero Bay Update % Rank Frog Species Occurrence Frog species detected 1 Oak toad, Bufo quericus 17.1 and rank based on 2 Southern toad, Bufo terrestris 10.3 freqqyuency of Florida cricket frog, Pseduacris nigrita occurrence 3 9.0 verrucosa during the 2000 4 Green treefrog, Hyla cinerea 8.8 season.