South Florida Water Management District: Extra sampling can track, prevent algae blooms

With a goal of preventing pollution in general and blue-green algae blooms in particular, the South Florida Water Management District is proposing a dramatic expansion in its water quality monitoring in Lake Okeechobee, the lake's watershed and the St. Lucie River and Caloosahatchee River watersheds.

Under a proposal to be presented Thursday to the district's board, the agency would increase:

• The number of water quality monitoring sites from 163 to 243
• The frequency of sampling, in many case from once to twice a month
• The number of algae-friendly substances, such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff, sampled for

The plan is still being developed, said Susan Gray, district chief of applied sciences, so details may change with board input.