2023 April - June
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April 2023
April 2023:  The confirmed toxic planktonic blue-green algae (BGA), Microcystis Aeruginosa, remains visually present within the water column as particulate specs, which appears as green turbid water from farther view within the water column. Shoreline BGA surface streaking and large BGA specs or clumps were documented. These are indicators that BGA is present and growing in large enough quantities to form visible particulate.Â
The other BGA species Lyngbya Wollei or "black mat algae" is appearing again at the Southern (Entrance) Lobe, as the black clumps and floating mats near the shore. This is the seasonal time frame that species was documented last year. The gray green mats at the shore could also be Lyngbya being sun bleached or, other algae and/or BGA growing around these mats and sticking. Note, there has been little to no rainfall, and therefore, run off.
Tampa Bay Area is in severe drought conditions since at least March 2023. This condition may be contributing to the less intense presence of surface scum BGA at this time. Rainfall events have disturbed these shoreline mats of algae this month, and likely promoted BGA regrowth attempts. It's noted within the photos when these weather events occurred.
For brevity, when the term "BGA" is referenced in the photo notes, it means the long-established "Microcystis Aeruginosa" type, with the bright green paint like appearance.
5 of 30 days (16.6% of the month) noticeable toxic blue-green algae quantities were documented. This does not include the presence of the likely toxic BGA Lyngbya species observed and documented, as well as the planktonic algal bloom in the water column creating the green turbid water, which is likely a dominant toxic cyanobacteria type. (Cyanobacteria is commonly considered a planktonic algae type despite being bacteria.)
April 2 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; faint gray streaking around mats is BGA
April 3 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae; is gray scum on sand, dead BGA?
April 3 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae faint streaking; still not removed nano bubble generator outlet pipes now left as debris
April 4 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 5 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae subsurface plume (middle right side of image) as dense green cloud, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Stantec Water Sampling Day
April 7 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 10 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 10 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe - East View
The extent of Lyngbya and algal mats around lobe's shoreline. Beached cattail islands and regrowth.Â
April 11 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, Â less floating Lyngbya due to the choppy wave action and increased winds (10+ mph) over the last couple of days.
April 12 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Overcast. Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 13 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
April 16 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Rainfall event evening, 10-15 minute light to medium strength with about 0.25" to 0.5" accumulation
April 17 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Tiny bright green blue-green algae surface clumps closest to shoreline, with BGA white sticky bubbles; green turbid water, floating leaf debris
April 17 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae streaking and some BGA sticky bubbles; white oleander flowers floating
April 18 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
April 18 2023
1) Southeast Lobe ~8:10 AM
Blue-green algae streaking and some BGA sticky bubbles; green turbid water
April 18 2023
2) Southeast Lobe ~3:42 PM
BGA sticky bubbles condensed to shore, obvious green turbid water indicative of BGA algal bloom in water column
April 19 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April  20 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Tiny bright green blue-green algae surface clumps denoted by yellow arrows, broken up Lyngbya and algal mats, green turbid water
April 20 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 21 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
April 23 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
April 25 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
April 27 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Rainfall event late evening, 1+ hour of light rain with about 0.35" to 0.5"Â accumulation
April 30 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Choppy water, cloudy and windy the past few days, (10 - 20+ mph), only a few chunks of Lyngbya visible in lobe
May 2023
May 2023:   The confirmed toxic planktonic blue-green algae (BGA), Microcystis Aeruginosa, remains visually present within the water column as particulate specs, which appears as green turbid water from farther view within the water column. Shoreline BGA surface streaking and large BGA specs or clumps were documented. These are indicators that BGA is present and growing in large enough quantities to form visible particulate.Â
The other BGA species Lyngbya Wollei or "black mat algae" is appearing again at the Southern (Entrance) Lobe, as the black clumps and floating mats near the shore. This is the seasonal time frame that species was documented last year. The gray green mats at the shore could also be Lyngbya being sun bleached or, other algae and/or BGA growing around these mats and sticking. Note, there has been little to no rainfall, and therefore, run off. This condition may be contributing to the less intense presence of surface scum BGA at this time. Rainfall events have disturbed these shoreline mats of algae this month, and likely promoted BGA regrowth attempts. It's noted within the photos when these weather events occurred.
For brevity, when the term "BGA" is referenced in the photo notes, it means the long-established "Microcystis Aeruginosa" type, with the bright green paint like appearance.
17 of 31 days (54.8% of the month) noticeable toxic blue-green algae quantities were documented, a significant increase from the April observations. This does not include the presence of the likely toxic BGA Lyngbya species observed and documented, as well as the planktonic algal bloom in the water column creating the green turbid water, which is likely a dominant toxic cyanobacteria type. (Cyanobacteria is commonly considered a planktonic algae type despite being bacteria.)
May 1 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Tiny bright green blue-green algae surface clumps denoted by yellow arrows; green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
May 2 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Tiny bright green blue-green algae surface clumps denoted by red arrow; green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
May 3 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Bright green blue-green algae streaking and surface clumps; green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae? white streaks are BGA / sticky bubbles?
Stantec Water Sampling Day
May 3 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae faint streaking and surface clumps, BGA odor detected
May 4 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae streaking; green turbid water
May 4 2023
Southeast Lobe - East View
Blue-green algae buildup, olive green gray dying or weakened stage?
May 4 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, olive green gray dying or weakened stage?;Â Lyngbya and green filamentous algae mats
May 5 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae clumps within  Lyngbya and gray/ green filamentous algae mats
May 5 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe - CloseupÂ
Blue-green algae clumps denoted by red arrows, notice the brighter green color and appearance versus the other algal mats
May 7 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae clumps denoted by yellow arrows within submerged green algae; black /gray Lyngbya still present; green turbid water
May 9 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae clumps denoted by yellow arrows within submerged green algae; black /gray Lyngbya still present; green turbid water
Rainfall event afternoon, ~15 minutes light drizzle
May 10 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae faint translucent like streaking and sticky bubbles , slight BGA odor detectable
May 11 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
May 13 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae faint translucent like film and BGA sticky bubbles
Rainfall event ~5:00pm, medium to light rain, ~40 minutes, this photo occurred an hour afterwards
May 14 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae clumps denoted by red arrows, floating cattail reed and leaf debris
May 14 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
May 16 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
May 18 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Lower water level, more sand/weeds at shore exposed, unknown green algae? growing underwater
May 19 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, olive green gray dying or weakened stage?;Â Lyngbya and green filamentous algae mats
May 19 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae streaking; green turbid water; slight peroxide like odor detectable
May 21 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Rainfall events, drizzle to medium-heavy, about 1" accumulation for day
May 22 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
May 23 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface clumps and gray translucent streaking BGA
May 24 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, bright green as well as olive green gray dying or weakened stage?;Â Lyngbya and green filamentous algae mats
Rainfall event ~3:00pm light rain until evening, about 0.5"-0.6" accumulation
May 25 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat, less than priorÂ
Rainfall event afternoon (~3:45pm - 5:00pm) light rain
May 26 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe - West View
Blue-green algae gray streaking and stagnant sticky bubbles
Rainfall event afternoon (~4:50pm), 20 minutes, drizzle
May 26 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
May 28 2023
Southern (Entrance) LobeÂ
Blue-green algae bright green streaking and gray streaking and stagnant sticky bubbles, (different phases of BGA life cycle?)
May 29 Â 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae gray streaking and stagnant sticky bubbles, Â with other filamentous green algae mat
May 29 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae bright green streaking and stagnant gray sticky bubbles
May 30 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae gray streaking and stagnant sticky bubbles
Note: May 31 2023
Very Light Rain, late afternoon (~3:30pm-6pm), 0.2" inches
June 2023
June 2023:  The confirmed toxic planktonic blue-green algae (BGA), Microcystis Aeruginosa, remains visually present within the water column as particulate specs, which appears as green turbid water from farther view within the water column. Shoreline BGA surface streaking and large BGA specs or clumps were documented. These are indicators that BGA is present and growing in large enough quantities to form visible particulate.Â
The other BGA species Lyngbya Wollei or "black mat algae" is appearing again at the Southern (Entrance) Lobe, as the black clumps and floating mats near the shore. This is the seasonal time frame that species was documented last year. The gray green mats at the shore could also be Lyngbya being sun bleached or, other algae and/or BGA growing around these mats and sticking. Note, there has been little to no rainfall, and therefore, run off. Â
Tampa Bay Area is in severe drought conditions since at least March 2023. This condition may be contributing to the less intense presence of surface scum BGA at this time. Rainfall events have disturbed these shoreline mats of algae this month, and likely promoted BGA regrowth attempts. It's noted within the photos when these weather events occurred.
For brevity, when the term "BGA" is referenced in the photo notes, it means the long-established "Microcystis Aeruginosa" type, with the bright green paint like appearance.
10 of 30 days (33.3% of the month) noticeable toxic blue-green algae quantities were documented. This does not include the presence of the likely toxic BGA Lyngbya species observed and documented, as well as the planktonic algal bloom in the water column creating the green turbid water, which is likely a dominant toxic cyanobacteria type. (Cyanobacteria is commonly considered a planktonic algae type despite being bacteria.)
June 1 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Rainfall event evening (~6:15pm - 7:24pm), med to heavy rain, measured 0.8"
June 2 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
Rainfall event late afternoon (~3:30pm - 7:00pm), light rain drizzle, measured 0.25"
June 3 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, red arrows denote thickest BGA scum and toxin risk, green turbid water
June 4 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae streaking; green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat closest to shore
June 5 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Other green filamentous algae mat; gray tone of mats is sun-bleached or dying algae?
June 5 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe - West View
Blue-green algae stagnant sticky bubbles and gray streaking, floating cattail islands and brown leaves
June 6 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya? , other green filamentous algae mat
June 7 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya? , other green filamentous algae mat
June 8 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating black chunks of Lyngbya? , other green filamentous algae mat
June 9 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
June 11 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae particulate within filamentatous algae mat
June 12 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Sunbleached (brown gray color) green filamentous algal mat
June 13 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
June 14 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
June 15 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
**green water color indicates BGA particulate in water column
June 16 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
Rainfall event afternoon (~4:38pm - 4:46pm), measured 0.1"
June 16 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae faint bright green streaking and stagnant bubbles
Note: On June 17 2023 - Rainfall event, measured 0.95"
June 19 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
Note: On June 20 2023 - Rainfall event afternoon (~4:27pm - 4:32pm), measured 0.1"
June 21 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, other green filamentous algae mat
Rainfall event morning (~9:49am - 10:35am), heavy rain, measured 0.9"; & continued light rain afternoon until evening, measured 0.6"
June 22 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
submerged algae?, water level is lower than typical, closest to foreground are lawn weeds growing where water line usually is
June 24 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae very faint bright green streaking on water's surface, green turbid water
June 25 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae subsurface bright green plume and gray buildup, with stagnant sticky bubbles (a part of BGA life cycle)
June 25 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, bright green paint (Microcystis type) mixed with bright olive green hair filament texture (Aphanizomenon type), and stagnant BGA bubbles
June 25 2023
Southeast Lobe - East View
Blue-green algae buildup of the condensed white appearance of stagnant BGA bubbles on water's surface and green BGA mixed in
June 26 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, gray dying or weakened stage and BGA stagnant bubbles, other green filamentous algae mat closest to shore
June 26 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, gray dying or weakened stage and BGA stagnant bubbles, with transparent film on water's surface
June 29 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup and floating bright green BGA clumps on water surface within streaking, red arrow denotates the thicker surface scum area and toxin risk.
Rainfall event afternoon - measured 0.34"
June 30 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup, olive green / gray dying or weakened stage and BGA stagnant bubbles, other green filamentous algae mat closest to shore