Increased rain form Gordon could have an impact on algae

A welcome relief or a sign of worse things to come? Rain continues to fall thanks to tropical storm gordon and it has many people wondering how it will affect our water quality crisis?

Blue-green algae keeps Lyn Sisti-Sommer inside lately. The green gunk has been so bad on her canal in North Fort Myers, she says she’s had to go to the doctor because of it, “It burns the throat … It burns the passages.”

There’s no algae on the surface Monday, but Sisti-Sommer said just days ago there were lilypad-sized clumps of it in her canal.

While stronger winds from Tropical Storm Gordon seem to be helping break it up, experts say long-term rains could make matters worse.

Marine science professors at FGCU say if there’s a lot of rainfall it will increase run-off into the Caloosahatchee and Lake Okeechobee carrying additional nutrients for algae to grow.

Fortunately, Weather Authority Meteorologist Matt Devitt says Gordon’s not “A significant rain-event, “With rainfall, the widespread totals and that basically encompasses all of Southwest Florida about a half of an inch to an inch and a half. However, in a few spots you’ll see the stronger storms embedded within Gordon, they could see 2-4 inches of rain.”

As for our other water worry, researchers say if the winds and the waves get strong enough Gordon could help break up the red tide, “Because our wind pattern is from the east and it’s going to be stronger than normal and it’s going to be coming from the land, that’s going to try to push portions of the red tide more offshore..” Devitt added.

Welcome news all along our beaches.