2023 Jan - March
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January 2023
January 2023: The confirmed toxic planktonic blue-green algae (BGA), Microcystis Aeruginosa, remains visually present again in the lake and heavier concentrations at shorelines due to wind fetch. The water clarity overall is poor, and has been turbid with a greenish tint and visible BGA particulate within the water column. BGA odors remain noticeable. Though odors and their strengths are not always explicitly noted with each image, it does not imply that no comment on odor means no BGA odor was detected. The likelihood of BGA odor being present and detectable upon these weekly observations is high. The BGA odor strength usually increases with the visual amount of BGA present. The BGA surface blooms may have possibly been stunted again, due to the high winds and overcast weather conditions that have been occurring this winter season. Certain photos (days) illustrate wave action from such winds on the water's surface.
Microcystin toxin remains present in Cardno-Stantec monthly sampling (that occurs in a subjective singular area in the middle of a lake lobe). The FL-DEP has stopped sampling this lake since November 2022 without any explanation. No public toxin results have been posted for public safety since the FL-DEP stopped sampling.
There has been no additional methods used by the City to proactively prevent these toxic blooms (and improve overall water quality) in 2022 to present whatsoever-- multiple suggestions requested since 2020 (and listed on this website) remain purposefully ignored without explanation.
As the photos continue to show, these cattail plants remain a reoccurring location where toxic BGA scums remain present for extended periods. These areas have concentrated surface scums and remain the highest health and safety risk of Microcystin exposure via the air and water for the public. The City of St Pete continues to avoid commenting on these known facts and initiating any cattail removal (which falls under their stormwater management obligations) to assist and reduce these risks for residents.
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.
20 of 31 days (64.5% of the month) noticeable toxic blue-green algae quantities were documented
Jan 04 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
Jan 04 2023
Northwest Lobe
BGA surface buildup stuck in cattails
13 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 05 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Turbidity plume of bright green BGA, denoted by yellow arrow; faint BGA streaking and clumps on surface (middle of photo)
Jan 05 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup (slightly subsurface)
Jan 06 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
BGA stuck in floating cattail reed debris, denoted by red arrows
Jan 06 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
Jan 07 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
16 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 08 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae streaking; BGA surface scum stuck by cattails, higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts, denoted by red arrow
Jan 08 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
17 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 09 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Trapped BGA scums in floating cattail reed debris, denoted by red arrows; higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 09 2023
Southeast Lobe
BGA surface scum stuck by cattails, higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 10 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
19 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 10 2023
1) Southeast Lobe 8:39 AM
Blue-green algae surface buildup
19 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 10 2023
2) Southeast Lobe 9:22 AM
Blue-green algae surface buildup;
wind direction /fetch contributing increased amount of visible BGA / cyanobacteria
Jan 10 2023
3) Southeast Lobe 12:23 PM
Blue-green algae surface buildup;
BGA is compressed due to ongoing slight North wind, gray streaking is dying BGA in surface scum; highest concentration of cyanobacteria cell counts are near shore, and that's the ongoing and highest toxin risk, closest to people
Jan 11 2023
Southeast Lobe
BGA surface scum stuck by cattails, higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 11 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface scum stuck in floating cattail island; BGA specs on water surface
Jan 12 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface scum stuck in floating cattail island; BGA specs on water surface
Jan 13 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Turbidity plume of bright green BGA, denoted by yellow arrow, stuck in floating cattail island
Jan 15 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
24 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 15 2023
1) Southeast Lobe 8:33 AM
Blue-green algae surface buildup
24 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 15 2023
2) Southeast Lobe 12:24 PM
Blue-green algae surface buildup
24 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 16 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Trapped BGA scums in floating cattail reed debris, denoted by red arrows; higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 17 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Trapped BGA in floating cattail reed debris, denoted by red arrow; higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 20 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
29 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 20 2023
1) Southeast Lobe 11:32 AM
Blue-green algae surface buildup
29 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 20 2023
2) Southeast Lobe 1:23 PM - West Area
Blue-green algae surface buildup from previous photo has shifted and expanded due to wind direction
Jan 21 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
30 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 22 2023
1) Southern (Entrance) Lobe - Center
Trapped BGA in floating cattail reed debris; higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts; BGA streaking and surface clumps (middle right)
Jan 22 2023
2) Southern (Entrance) Lobe - West Angle
Blue-green algae surface buildup; Trapped BGA scums in floating cattail reed debris, denoted by red arrows; higher toxin risks due to higher cyanobacteria cell counts
Jan 23 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
Jan 23 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
32 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 30 2023
Northwest Lobe
Blue-green algae scum and surface buildup
39 days after December peroxide algaecide
Jan 31 2023
1) Southeast Lobe 9:37 AM
Unknown white gray mats floating on surface (possibly cyanobacterial cells, not yet visible with green pigment or expired surface scum cells?)
Jan 31 2023
2) Southeast Lobe 10:30 AM
BGA streaking appeared, unknown white mats broken up on surface from earlier
Jan 31 2023
Northwest Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
Jan 31 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup, yellow line estimates distance from shore
40 days after December peroxide algaecide
February 2023
February 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. Shoreline BGA surface scums (from bright green to brown gray) were documented. BGA specs or clumps on the water's surface were also documented and are an indicator that BGA is present and growing in large enough quantities to form visible particulate.
Feb 24, 2023 -- A surface scum of the filament strand, hairlike / stringy BGA type (likely the Aphanizomenon species) was documented. Both Microcystis and Aphanizomenon BGA species have been identified in water sampling testing in prior months. Such as Greenwater Labs December 2022 Algal Identification Results.
Feb 26, 2023 -- A heavy occurrences of the sticky bubbles phenomenon of the BGA life cycle was documented, other instances streaking bubbles also occurred as shown in the photos.
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.
12 of 28 days (42.8% of the month) noticeable toxic blue-green algae quantities were documented
Feb 02 2023
Northwest Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
(white areas are due to overexposure of photo because of sunlight reflection)
Feb 05 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
Feb 06 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup; pale green dying / expired surface scum closest to shore; BGA particulate in water column increasing turbidity; brown oak leaves floating on water's surface
Feb 07 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps stuck by cattails and debris at shore
Feb 08 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps stuck by cattails and debris at shore, as denoted by red arrows
Feb 10 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface streaking, denoted by yellow arrows
Feb 13 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup
Feb 13 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps stuck by cattails and debris at shore, as denoted by red arrow
Feb 14 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps stuck by cattails and debris at shore, as denoted by red arrow
Feb 17 2023
Southeast Lobe
Green turbid water, BGA in water column? Other filamentous algae growing on rocks
Feb 20 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, BGA in water column? Other filamentous algae growing on bottom and on floating debris
Feb 23 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, BGA in water column? Other filamentous algae growing on bottom and on floating debris
Feb 24 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup; oak leaves floating on surface
Feb 24 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Unconfirmed other BGA species, likely Aphanizomenon
Feb 24 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Close up of prior photo to show the filament hair like strand texture, different than Microcystis' solid paint like appearances
Feb 26 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup; brown green dying / expired surface scum?
Feb 26 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Close up of prior photo to show sticky bubbles on surface as well as the faint gray BGA streaking
Feb 26 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae surface buildup and streaking bubbles
Feb 26 2023
Southeast Lobe - East View
Heavy concentration of sticky bubbles on water surface, these bubbles are associated with BGA and its photosynthesis
March 2023
March 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. Shoreline BGA surface scums 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.
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.
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.
4 of 31 days (12.9% 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.)
March 01 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, filamentous algae on sand bottom?
March 02 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, filamentous algae or plant growing at bottom?
March 05 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
March 06 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup
March 06 2023
Southeast Lobe
Blue-green algae buildup (slightly subsurface) and BGA surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
March 07 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by yellow arrows
March 12 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, filamentous algae or plant growing at bottom?
March 16 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Blue green algae surface clumps appearing as small specs, denoted by red arrows; other filamentous algae present, and gray dying algae??
March 17 2023
Southeast Lobe
Green turbid water, filamentous algae growing on rocks
March 24 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?
March 29 2023
Southern (Entrance) Lobe
Green turbid water, floating more visible black chunks of Lyngbya, mixed in with green filamentous algae; is gray scum on sand, dead BGA?
March 30 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?
March 31 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?