Algae Update

Sporting Clay: 'Green monster' still choking river

By, Bob Buehn
For the Florida Times-Union/ Jacksonville.com
on Saturday, October 17, 2009
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The river is trying to tell us something and it's not good.

The blue-green algae blooms we saw in August and September are still persisting in some tributaries of the St. Johns, even as the days get cooler.

Soon it will be cool enough to make the remaining algae disappear, but the excessive nutrients, mostly nitrogen and phosphorus, will still be in the water, waiting for next summer when conditions again are right for the "green monster."

This is mostly our doing, caused by storm water washing the fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides from our yards into the river and the numerous creeks and sloughs.
The St. Johns River is Northeast Florida's most important natural feature and certainly defines the eastern part of Clay.

For outdoors folk, the river, Doctors Lake and Black Creek provide endless opportunities for recreation and nature activities. That's why the widespread algae blooms this summer worry me. It's not going to get better unless we all help.

Earlier this summer, when the algae was so thick it looked like fluorescent green paint on seawalls and pilings, and the propane-like odor was making people sick, I wrote about the possible health hazards of algae blooms. That didn't even address the harmful effects to aquatic vegetation and wildlife.

We can all start by working to make our own yards "river friendly." That's not just for waterfront homeowners either, since storm drains and ditches all ultimately funnel water into the river.

The St. Johns Riverkeeper organization advocates for the river and provides a wealth of educational material on its Web site, www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org. Included there is very specific advice about fertilizers, including using fertilizer with no or very little phosphorus, use of organic fertilizer and avoiding fertilizer that contains weed killer.

The St. Johns Riverkeeper notes that any fertilizer and chemicals can potentially harm our waterways.

It will take a mind-set change, but if we use the winter season to change our approach, and keep the health of the river in mind, we can make a difference. Don't be fooled when the water looks clear and healthy in January. The makings of the "green monster" are still there.

E-mail Bob Buehn at bbuehn@yahoo.com.

http://jacksonville.com/community/my_clay_sun/2009-10-17/story/sporting_clay_green_monster_still_choking_river