Water Quality

As our lakes here at Skiwatch age, maintaining acceptable water quality will be a challenge, not only for the Board of Directors, but all residents and property owners as well. Skiwatch has taken steps in assessing water quality but is proactive in addressing ecology issues as well.

Overview of Florida Lakewatch Program---a volunteer citizen lake monitoring program that facilitates "hands-on" citizen participation in the management of Florida lakes through monthly monitoring activities. Coordinated through the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the program has been in existence since 1986. In 1991 the Florida Legislature recognized the importance of the program and established Florida LAKEWATCH in the state statutes (Florida Statute 1004.49.). Lakewatch is now one of the largest lake monitoring programs in the nation with over 1800 trained citizens monitoring 600+ lakes, in more than 40 counties.

Answer: There are a number of factors that influence water clarity, such as suspended matter and minerals from ground water. During the summer months, rainfall is higher and run-off clouds the water when dirt and debris wash into the lakes. Clarity is also impacted in the warmer months since higher levels of boating activity push up bottom sediments (clay, mud, and dead grasses) into the water column. This effect is magnified during droughts when lake levels fall and boat props are closer to the bottom. Interestingly, levels of algae as measured by University of Florida Lakewatch labs, are relatively constant throughout the year and have little effect on clarity.

Answer: Several reasons: 1. PH is relatively acid (6.0). 2. Temperature extremes in Summer and Winter. 3. Low nutrient levels as specified by the Total Chlorophyll readings (basically no food chain). The lakes do sustain colonies of Crawfish which can survive in the somewhat hostile environment.

Answer: Although not as acid as it was years ago, the acidity comes from ground water minerals, humic acid from organics brought in by rain runoff, and some acid rain. The acidity is normal for lakes in this region with some lakes having PH as low as 3.5.

Answer: Well, there is some sediment in the lakes and its composition varies. Samples taken from 34 different spots in all five lakes produced this breakdown:

Clay particles: 35%
Sand/common silt: 25%
Pine needles: 20%
Pine branches: 10%
Tree/shrub leaves, other: 5% (Mainly: Oak, Maple, Chinese Tallow, Wax Myrtle)
Unidentified: 5%

Note: Interesting to note that, the most populous tree on the shorelines and berms is the Wax Myrtle yet it comprises less than 5% of the total sediment mass on the bottom (closer to 2%). This is most likely because Wax Myrtle shrubs are evergreen and normally keep their leaves all year.)

Note: Send your questions to skiwatch@hotmail.com. They will be researched by the county Extension Service or University of Florida and posted to the our site.

Florida Lakewatch Program and Water Sampling at Skiwatch Estates

The water and chlorophyll (algae) samples that have been taken are general criteria for the classification of lakes. While knowing the trophic state of the lakes is important, it is also important to monitor changes in the water quality. Nutrient levels may change from season to season and year to year, and after sampling our lakes monthly for two full years we have established a baseline from which we can now observe these changes.

The lakes remain oligotrophic (low nutrient content) and although they became murky after Ivan, have begun to clear somewhat. There was a slight increase in nutrient levels in the last report (below) but that may have been due to Hurricane Dennis, six days earlier. As we continue to sample and monitor we will be able to spot trends or changes in our lake water quality. By controlling our lake level for the last two years, we have virtually eliminated new erosion and silting in.

There are simple things we as owners can do to preserve the quality of the water. As always, if owners must fertilize use zero phosphate and low nitrogen products; and never fertilize from the berm down to the shore. Most of the grass here is centipede and does not require much more than water. Also, pick up pet waste.

Now that the lakes are clearing we will be using the pontoon boat to "troll" the lakes and pick up branches, etc. from the bottom and we're checking into ways to further filter run-off that goes to the lakes through the drains.

Lake Classification (Trophic State)

Oligotrophic lakes have a low level of nutrients ( nitrogen and phosphorus), clear water, and few aquatic plants and algae. Eutrophic and hypereutrophic lakes contain high levels of nutrients, turbid water, and lots of aquatic plants and algae. Mesotrophic lakes share characteristics of both eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes.

Dear Home Owners:

Back in March (2004), the Board had an agent from the Fish & Game Department come out to look at our lakes and determine if there was a way to control the weed and algae growth. While he was here we asked him about fertilizer run-off and phosphates making their way into the lakes. He said that phosphates do nothing to help the growth of the kinds of grasses we commonly use in our yards here in the Florida Panhandle. A call to the County Extension agent confirmed this.

We have found a 15-0-15 (no phosphate) fertilizer that would meet the needs of the lawns here at Ski Watch, and would not introduce phosphates into the lakes. It is Vigoro Ultra Turf Centipede Weed and Feed. It is recommended for Centipede, Zoysia, St. Augustine, and Carpet Grass. It also kills a variety of common weeds.

Some people have refrained from fertilizing their back yards but still fertilize the front. The problem is that there are drains in the corners of each lot and these nutrients will still find their way into the lakes, thereby causing weed growth.

The Board wants people to either refrain from using fertilizers (best option), or use a fertilizer (no phosphate), like the Vigoro, on their yards (front only).

The CC&R's state that, "All chemicals used for yard maintenance shall be of a type that will not affect the lakes and it's fishes".

We are currently looking into methods of handling the weed growth that we have now, but this measure is something we can all easily do. The consequences of not addressing this problem now could prove costly in the future.

Thank you for taking these steps to help curb the growth of weed and algae in the lakes.

Ski Watch Board of Directors

The following question was posed to the Lakewatch experts in Gainesville: should we keep or remove the grasses and algae on the bottom of the lakes? Sky Nordstein e-mailed back with this response:

Which lake is better? A turbid plankton dominated lake or a clearer water but macrophytes dominated lake? It really depends on the eye of the beholder.

In the case of Ski Watch Lakes, I would recommend leaving macrophytes so that nutrients are contained in these plants rather that being available for phytoplankton and possibly reducing water clarity. Think of the plants as nutrient storage sites. As lakes are naturally low spots that drain surface runoff, they tend to accumulate soils, organic materials (like leaves) and collectively nutrients. This is a natural process that can take hundreds to thousands of years for a lake to gradually change to a marsh or wet prairie. Human activities can speed this process up dramatically. If at some point, the plants reach a nuisance level and you want to control them, it would be best if you could scrape them out, say when doing a muck/sediment removal on the lake, that way the nutrients in the plants (and also the terrestrial soils and organic matter that have washed in) are not allowed to remain in the lake. Luckily your lakes are low in nutrients, so that neither tiny nor big plant forms should become abundant because they are limited by low nutrient availability and/or low pH. This is why minimizing the input of nutrients or sediments from homeowners is so important; it is basically buying you time.

● Skiwatch lake health report:

Nutrient levels The Annual Report from UF shows (Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorous) as well as Total Chlorophyll levels continue at extremely low levels.

PH. PH of all the lakes, including pump water outflow, was tested and, as expected, was relatively acidic at 6.0. Although 6.0 may seem high, it isn't as high as it was 10 - 12 years ago when the level was such that it produced stinging eyes and changed the color of bronze props and rudders. The reduction in acidity has allowed Crawfish to thrive and provide food to support the turtles and shore birds we now have at Skiwatch.

Grasses/Algae. Samples of the bottom grasses and algae were sent to University of Florida (sponsor for Florida Lakewatch) for analysis. Although they may look untidy, the grasses and algae help keep nutrient levels low and water clarity high. The results are as follows:

Ski Watch/Santa Rosa Algae from samples collected Sep 16, 2006 Identification by Mary Cichra

The algae identified are generally elongated and frequently grow in chains forming long filaments. These algae are grouped as Desmids (microscopic green algae that occur in freshwaters all around the world, especially acidic waters). Many of these algae are known to form mucilage. (Mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by most plants and some microorganisms. Mucilage is a polymer composed of sugar residues and secreted by a microorganism into the surrounding environment.

Results of Lakewatch Grass and Alga Samples taken September 2006:

1) Closterium sp. See link for example: http://silicasecchidisk.conncoll.edu/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/Closterium_Main.html

2) Pleurotaenium sp. See link for example: http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Images/Chlorophyta/Pleurotaenium/index.html

3) Cosmarium sp. See link for example: http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/images/Chlorophyta/Cosmarium/index.html

4) Microspora sp. See link for example: http://silicasecchidisk.conncoll.edu/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/Microspora_Main.html

Stations 2 and 3: Debris and filamentous algae.

1) Mougeotia sp. See link for example: http://silicasecchidisk.conncoll.edu/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/Mougeotia_Main.html

Station 4: The small plant growing on the bottom was Utricularia respinata, known to inhabit low nutrient lakes. We also observed Eleocharis baldwinii in other portions of the lake.

The long spider web-like strands we observed may be mucilage or a combination of bacteria feeding on the decaying algae/mucilage the algae are releasing.