Northern Estuaries: FairGraphic showing scores by indicator and region. The overall Northern Estuaries score was 58%, which comes in as fair. The three sub regions of Caloosahatchee River Estuary, Loxahatchee River Estuary, and St. Lucie River Estuary also were graded as fair. With only four exceptions, indicators across the three subregions were fair. The exceptions were all rated as good. Those four good ratings were Clorophyll a in Caloosahatchee, Salinity in Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie, Benthic infuana in St. Lucie region, and SAV in Loxahatchee.

In general, the Northern Estuaries (Caloosahatchee River Estuary, Loxahatchee River Estuary, and St. Lucie River Estuary) are in fair to good condition. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) declined or remained stable at low densities in all regions. Oyster scores ranged from poor to good throughout the five years with mostly fair scores. A cycle of salinity perturbations negatively affected oysters, but when salinities were favorable the oysters rebounded. Benthic infauna were in good condition, while salinity and chlorophyll a were in good to fair condition. The Northern Estuaries are impacted by human control of flows that alter volume, distribution, circulation, and temporal patterns of freshwater inflows, and natural events like hurricanes, El Niño, and drought. These cause sub-optimal salinities that have negative impacts on SAV, oysters, and benthic infauna.

Caloosahatchee: SAV rated "fair" 2013 to 2016, and "poor" in 2017. Loxahatchee: SAV rated "very good" in 2013, "good" 2014 to 2016, and "fair" in 2017. St. Lucie: SAV rated "fair" 2013 to 2015 and "poor" 2016 to 2017.Caloosahatchee: Oysters rated "fair" 2013 to 2016, and "good" in 2017. Loxahatchee: Oysters rated "poor" in 2013, and "fair" 2014 to 2017. St. Lucie: Oysters rated "poor" 2013 to 2014, and "fair" 2015 to 2017. Caloosahatchee: Chlorophyll alpha rated "good" 2013 to 2015, "fair" in 2016, and "good" in 2017. Loxahatchee:  Chlorphyll alpha rated "poor" 2013 to 2017.  St. Lucie:  Chlorophyll alpha rated "fair" 2013 to 2014, "good" in 2015, "poor" in 2016, and "fair" in 2017.Caloosahatchee: Salinity rated "good" 2013 to 2017. Loxahatchee:  Salinity rated "fair" 2013 to 2017.  St. Lucie:  Salinity rated "good" 2013 to 2014, "very good" in 2015, and "fair" 2016 to 2017.

Health Reports

Overall Health

Select the interactive link to view a page with a frame displaying data on a website managed by our partners at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science that provides an interactive view of the data. Choose the standard view to see the report data in a regular website format.
Interactive Partner Page Standard Web Page
Lake Okeechobee Interactive Lake Okeechobee Regular
Southern Coastal Systems Interactive Southern Coastal Systems Regular
Northern Estuaries Interactive Northern Estuaries Regular
Greater Everglades Interactive Greater Everglades Regular

legend for the grading system. 0-20% is very poor. 20-40% is Poor. 40-60% is Fiar. 60-80% is good. 80-100% is very good.

 

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