Sea Grass?

flats habit

Was out this last Friday south of Horseshoe (for the first time in probably more than a year) and areas that held sea grass in the past are pretty barren now.  Is it because of too much fresh water?  Just haven’t seen it this bad.  Thanks!

surfman

Could be due to the dark water, cuts off the sun and the grass will die back, it usually comes back though in the spring if we don't have another deluge again. Pretty dry now so I am looking forward to clear water again.

Doc Stressor

Yes, light attenuation is believed to be the most important cause of seagrass loss.   Runoff from rivers and marshes containing excess nutrients is the primary cause in the Big Bend.  The grass beds in the northern part of the region are being lost at a high rate.

https://myfwc.com/media/11867/executive-summary.pdf

nick

I was up in cedar key after we got that 2' of rain. I couldn't see bottom in 4" of water. I ran the trolling motor up on the flat off snake key and the grass was brown.

ANUMBER1

Kings Bay is as clear as I have seen it in 20years, with big patches of wide blade grass scattered about the bay..

I think this summers rain helped a lot.

surfman

The rain recharges the springs for sure, on the Suwanee when the river goes down after it has swollen from rain the springs always pump like mad. The river clears up after no rain for a while and all the swamp water has drained away.

nick

ANUMBER1 said:

Kings Bay is as clear as I have seen it in 20years, with big patches of wide blade grass scattered about the bay..

I think this summers rain helped a lot.

I know they’ve been planting a bunch. 

Hailey volunteers often to do it.  

flats habit

Thank you, guys, for all of the great responses.  I hope it comes back one day soon.  Places that held trout in the past were like barren landscapes devoid of life.

Jim311

South of Horseshoe frequently gets blown out bad from the Suwannee pumping dark water which is pretty normal in the summer. It can get gin clear in the winter but never in the summer. It rained like 30 inches in Steinhatchee so the a Suwannee was pumping hard the last few months.