Green water...

Grady-lady

Wow!

Crystal River should change its name to Emerald River.

I've seen King's Bay murky at high tide, but never seen the water this green. Even Hunter Springs was green.

Is it all the rain?...or something more ominous?

Homosassa River, at least near the headwaters, seems ok.

Doc Stressor

It's caused by extra nutrient loading. When the rainy season first starts, the increased surface runoff gets the algae blooming worse than normal.

I remember how Crystal River and the Homosassa used to look years ago and it hurts my heart every time I see them now. The spring holes and runs used to be blue.

Glenn

This has been a regular headline in the Citrus "Mullet Wrapper" for the last year or so. Sad thing is that nobody is willing to come together on a solution.

swampmonster

We go and buy four stroke motors to keep the water clean and no control on runoff. The yards look nice and green, good for home value and resale.

Grady-lady

I know it's been talked about on here before...fertilizer runoff, septic tank runoff, decreased spring flow from the aquifer...mostly due to increased population. But it's the worst I've ever seen, wonder if we've finally reached the point of no return?

Silver Springs has a dramatically reduced flow, maybe not officially noted, but it's obvious from the older water lines on the rock walls. (and it's not a tidal area ) The Silver River seems to be a dead-zone, the bottom is covered with slime, the grasses are covered with slime...though the water is still blue and fairly clear, it's not the same river teeming with fish that it was just a decade or so ago. (and it's certainly not from fishing pressure!)

The lakes around here have been steadily dropping since the mid-sixties...there's harvestable timber growing in places where we used to catch bass. I know things like water levels change over time...but I can't help but wonder if we've finally gone too far.

Does anyone think the river will 'come back'?...it's shockingly green.

Doc Stressor wrote: »

I remember how Crystal River and the Homosassa used to look years ago and it hurts my heart every time I see them now. The spring holes and runs used to be blue.

We've lived in N. Central Fl over 40 years, before that, Tampa. When I was a younger girl than I am now, we'd swim and crab in waters that I wouldn't stick my big toe in today.

I can't see any practical solutions.
Tearing down existing homes, forcing people to move away, forbidding motor traffic on the river...none of those are practical. The Silver River is suffering, and nobody lives along that river. Citrus County is taking some hits to its economy, so I hear...I don't think further hits will solve the problem. It might help if seawalls are torn down and natural shorelines restored, and it might help if all homes are on a central sewer system...but I can't imagine the cost, and it certainly won't be financed by a depressed economy...those would be just local solutions anyway, and won't improve the overall health of the aquifer.
It's ridiculous how much of our water goes to keep the grass green...now we've greened up the water, too.

ANUMBER1

Salt water intrusion is another major factor, got barnacles growing on the dock posts behind Charlie's now.. Ten years ago that didn't happen. Got mangrove trees growing where 40 years ago was cattails and cedars.

Vertigo

Find a way to reduce population to levels of 100 years ago, and all problems will be solved. Otherwise, expect more change in the environment.