Red tide blamed on upstream pollution

Red tide blamed on upstream pollution
Researchers say runoff from dairy farms, sewer systems flows down river

By PAM WITMER
PJWITMER@NEWS-PRESS.COM
Published by news-press.com <http://www.news-press.com> on March 15, 2005

A preliminary scientific study of the cause of red tide in Lee County traces a lot of the problem to sewage and dairy farms.

"We have the data to show this is from human impact," Brian Lapointe, senior scientist at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, said at a workshop presented by the Sierra Club on Monday.

Partially treated sewage comes down the Caloosahatchee River into the Gulf of Mexico from five treatment plants, according to a study conducted by Lapointe and Larry Brand, a scientist with the University of Miami. Septic-system runoff is also found in the river. The dairy-farm runoff comes from Lake and Hendry county farms, and from dairy farms that feed into Lake Okeechobee, the study says. The lake water is then fed into the Caloosahatchee and ends up in the Gulf.

Lapointe teamed with Larry Brand of the University of Miami for a seven-month study. Their goal was to examine the history and cause of red tide in Lee County. Red tide, caused by a population boom of neurotoxin-producing alga, can kill fish and marine mammals such as manatees and irritate people's breathing. Joann Burkholder, a scientist at North Carolina State University, shared her research on freshwater systems as well. The cause of fish kills and other
problems comes back to pollution, she said.

But Burkholder said about two years of analysis of existing historical data, and probably about $200,000 in research money, would be needed to furnish the proof required to push for legislative changes.

The study detailed Monday cost $38,000, with the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau covering $30,000. The remaining $8,000 was split among Bonita Springs, Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach. Lapointe said he drew his conclusions from data collected from monitoring stations at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee and at several points in the Gulf.

Increased volumes of nitrogen, traced from dairy waste and sewage treatment, later were found in the algae dumped on Lee County beaches, he said. "We can actually fingerprint the source of the nitrogen," Lapointe said.

Tamara Pigott, beach and shoreline project manager for Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, said the crowd at Monday's event was small. About 40 people showed up.

"But it was a well-educated group on the issue and that was important because it was a lot of technical information," Pigott said. The message should be "we're doing something about this, but it will take some time," Pigott said.

Lori Glenn, chairwoman of the Sierra Club event, said a meeting is planned today with some elected and appointed officials - whom she declined to name - and with Pigott.