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An unwanted contribution to Lake Powell from St. Joe Co.

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Liv'smom

Liv'smom

Beach Lover
These are surface samples taken from a St. Joe development on Lake Powell. The clearer sample was taken on 7/1/07, and the other was taken on 7/7/07. I am no die-hard environmentalist, but this is shocking to say the least. I saw more of the sample in a five gallon bucket and I am not kidding when I say it looked like a bucket of used motor oil. The samples are being tested to find out what the "murck" consists of, but you don't have to be a chemist to know that no living thing could survive in that kind of environment. This happened in the course of just a few days, just try to imagine what would happen to our beautiful lake if this is allowed to go on. Even if you don't live on Lake Powell, you can be sure that St. Joe owns property in your area. They have been made aware time and again that what they are doing is harmful, but the mighty dollar beats out regard for the damage that is being done.
This stuff does not settle like sediment does. These pictures were taken after the samples sat untouched for 24 hours, so it just floats around with the current suffocating anything that gets caught up in the current with it. That is what could become of the entire body and bodies that Lake Powell feeds into if something isn't done. Take a look and post your thoughts. I will let you know when I have more info if your interested.
 
I have a friend who lives on Lake Powell and he told me yesterday of this muck!! He said that you can not even see the bottom of the lake in areas that used to be crystal clear. I know that the "lake powell people" have already taken samples and I am sure they are on top of it. (as much as they can be) Seeing photos really hits home....:cry:
 
Send it to Watersound Beach Club and have them mix it in Pete Rummell's martini next time he swings by for a drink.


.
 
So many questions I have and so little information I posess.

What do you mean that samples were taken "from the development"? I assume the samples were taken from the lake. Do you mean near WaterSound? What development are they actually doing on the lake? Have they cleared property all the way to the lake? It looks like it could be heavy silt from the bottom of the lake where it is swampy instead of sandy but what would have stirred it up? Are they dredging or installing docks? Or are you implying that it is a spill of some kind?

Could there be something or someone else responsible? I don't know anything either way but I don't understand why you are jumping on St. Joe unless you know more maybe. I do know they've been careful elsewhere and generally left a good wetlands buffer in other developments.

Who has told them what they are doing is harmful and specifically what are they doing?
 
I've scooterbugged and slogged my way through some truly viscous and goopy swamp mud, dry creek beds, bog, etc. in my day and while your clothes are never the same, even that stuff settles out of water in less than 24 hours.
 
scooterbug44 said:
I've scooterbugged and slogged my way through some truly viscous and goopy swamp mud, dry creek beds, bog, etc. in my day and while your clothes are never the same, even that stuff settles out of water in less than 24 hours.
Click to expand...

Sounds right - maybe they struck black gold.
 
It is being pumped out of a pond in Watersound North and into the lake. The contractor and developer were notified on several occasions about the concern for the eco system of the lake. On the day the samples were taken, the DEP and Florida Wildlife were finally notified. The Lake Powell Community Alliance is the group that monitors this kind of activity.
 
If the matter is being pumped out of a pond, directly into the Lake, I would think the DEP would have to issue a permit. That is much more info than in your first post, which after reading, I was thinking that the darker color was maybe due to more tannins being washed into the Lake after the week's worth of rains we had around and prior to that time. I encourage you to contact the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) and inform them of the problems you witnessed, especially about JOE pumping the pond into the Lake. The CBA monitors many aspects and scientific readings of all of our Coastal Dune Lakes, on a monthly basis. Phillip Ellis was the former Director for the CBA, and I am uncertain who is now operating as the Director.

You might try contacting Sky Notestein for direction.

Sky Notestein
Florida LAKEWATCH Regional Coordinator

Florida LAKEWATCH
7922 NW 71st Street
Gainesville, FL, 32653

1-800-525-3928
(352) 392-4817
Fax: (352) 392-4902

skynote@ufl.edu
fl-lakewatch@ufl.edu
http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu
 
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