Wakulla Waters Bacteria

[Jumptrout51]

It's just a RUMOR but it do seem coincidental that this occurs around the same time as the work going on at Shell Point

What are you suggesting? Pump it one bay over since nobody is going to build on that Stinkin' State land anyway?

[SHOWBOAT]

So personal opinion, are you going to quit fishing Wakulla Beach for a while? I see the warning posted above; significant health hazard? If you fish it, would you keep trout? No need for disclaimers on opinions or qualifying any opinions, just looking for a general consesous. WB has always treated me well.

[wevans]

Personally, I would fish somewhere else I doubt that the fish are bad or anything like that, but why risk it when there are many other unaffected areas ta fish

[Charles]

Everything I've read on this topic has me wondering where this stuff could have come from if it's so site specific. Another thing I'm wondering about is, is this the only area that has been checked because of easy access, or have other sites been checked by boat?

I was wade fishing on the west side of the bay, south of Wakulla Beach this past weekend and didn't notice anything unusual. The smell was the same marsh muck smell that's always there in the marsh. The water was pretty dark, couldn't see bottom in knee-deep water, but I attribute that to being from the most recent rain.

I highly doubt if the aquifer is involved, but have any of the springs in that area been checked?

Anyway, if this stuff is organic, I don't think it will take long for it to break down or flush away and disperse with the tides as long as no new material is added.

[Atticus]

Just from my point of view (which is jaded forensic because of what I do) I think someone drove down the road and dumped something at WB.

Just a guess.

[Ty one on]

I believe samples should be taken in the Shell Point basin to see if there is any relationship. Maybe the substance moved across the bay bottom with the in coming and out going tides and washed its self on shore at Wakulla Beach.

[weaver brown]

I shudder to think what the hunting and fishing is going to be like when my grandson is my age 50 years from now.

[Tom Keels]

I know one of the DEP folks doing the sampling personally. She said there is nothing for humans to worry about other than the smell. There is nothing harmful to humans at all. From her initial observations it is vegitative matter with sulfer bacteria growing on it thus the smell. The DEP is investigating the possibility of the Shell Point dredging as a possible cause.

[Ty one on]

The DEP is investigating the possibility of the Shell Point dredging as a possible cause.

Just wondering, Have you heard anything else lately?

[Tom Keels]

My source says that it was a completely natural occurance. They could find no evidence to suggest it was a man-made or man assisted incident.

[SHOWBOAT]

went there last thursday for an evening trip to check it out for myself. No scientific conclusions, but here is some first hand experience.

First thing I noticed was the "high bacteria level, swimming not recommended sign" that had been placed by the DEP. Next, I noticed the 6-8" of muck. Didn't smell any worse then normal Wakulla Beach muck, but it was darker, deeper and of a more liquid consistency than normal. I almost got my truck stuck trying to get close enough to the water to get the Gheenoe out (stupid 2 wheel drive!). I could imagine walking out to 98 and looking for someone to pull me out before the tide came in; luckily that didn't happen.

On the way across the bay I noticed a lot of floating clumps (golf ball sized) muck gathered in patches of a couple acres. Almost looked like weedlines, but it wasn't weeds. Water was very dirty as well.

All that said, I ran out to a favorite hole and threw jigs, spoons, and spinnerbaits for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I caught 4 rat reds, one 22" flounder, and a 16" trout. So the fishing isn't hurting. Despite really wanting to keep the flounder I didn't, as I figured if any of the fish would be affected it would probably be the bottom dweller.

Hope the issue is resolved soon.

[Jumptrout51]

I guess it's possible a new sinkhole opened up underwater and burped this stuff to the surface.

[Flats Rascal]

Report: Beach goo is decaying matter

By Bruce Ritchie
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER OCT 11



A sticky goo found along the shoreline at Wakulla Beach last month is decaying organic matter that includes sea grasses, according to a state report issued Tuesday.

The foul-smelling material found in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge doesn't appear to be sewage, as some residents and one water-quality expert suggested, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection report.


"While the size and volume of this event was unusual, we feel it was a natural occurrence," DEP spokeswoman Sally Cooey told the Democrat in an e-mail.

A DEP waste inspector who visited the site Sept. 15 said the material didn't appear to be sewage. A DEP biologist later said the material was a die-off of microscopic algae called diatoms, Cooey said.

But Sean McGlynn, a water-quality specialist from Tallahassee, said the material he collected contained few diatoms. He said it contained high bacteria levels that were more consistent with sewage.

The disagreement led Democrat readers to speculate on various theories including the possibility that a septic-tank service had disposed of waste. DEP scientists visited the site Sept. 28 and Sept. 30 to collect new samples for analysis.

Cooey said Tuesday the new report supports the earlier conclusion by the DEP inspector. The report said the material contained some unidentifiable organic matter and diatoms in addition to decaying sea grasses.

The samples didn't contain metals or a cholesterol byproduct called coprostanol, both of which are present in city of Tallahassee sewage sludge, the report said. The report also said high bacteria levels have been found in coastal sediment elsewhere in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

McGlynn said Tuesday that it may take more time to determine what caused the material to wash up on shore - even if it is a natural phenomenon.

"The fact is nobody has ever seen anything like that or anything that smelled so foul anywhere around here," McGlynn said.

[Flats Rascal]

Advisory lifted at Wakulla Beach

By Bruce Ritchie
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER



Signs advising visitors against swimming at Wakulla Beach are being removed today, said Padraic Juarez, environmental health director at the Wakulla County Health Department.

The signs were put up last month after a foul-smelling, sticky material was discovered along the shoreline and shallow waters of Wakulla Beach in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.


No one really swims at Wakulla Beach, which is basically just a boat ramp at the end of a dirt road. But Juarez said the sign was put up as a precaution. Subsequent testing by the Health Department found low bacteria levels in the water.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection this week reported that the goo consisted of unidentifiable organic material along with decaying sea grass.

In Wakulla County, Shell Point and Mashes Sands remain under an advisory against swimming that was issued last week because of high bacteria levels.

Carrabelle Beach in Franklin County also remains under an advisory.

[Charles]

I don't think this stuff is as site specific as I've been told. I just think either nobody's checked other areas, or somebody's keeping quiet. I know of at least one other place that's quit a bit muckier than it was at this time last year and there was a small, grassy point that was there last year that isn't there now.

Part of the problem could be erosion.

Something else that nobody seems to be mentioning is that one way to look at a marsh is it's all a 100% naturally occurring, open septic system. Of course there's a high bacteria count in a marsh, there's supposed to be.