CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Blue Green Algae continues to ravage Lee County with several reports in many of the canals along the Caloosahatchee. The City of Cape Coral announced Thursday the new steps they are taking to battle these algae blooms.
One of those canals that has been experiencing blooms, is the Rubicon Canal System. To combat this bloom, the city contracted crews to treat nearly 70 acres of the canal with a hydrogen-peroxide-based algicide. This is environmentally friendly, as the byproducts are water and oxygen. The city says they will be monitoring the rubicon to ensure this treatment is working as expected.
“City staff took water samples before and after the treatment in order to evaluate its effectiveness,” said Kaitlyn Mullen, Senior Public Information Specialist for the City of Cape Coral. “And we hope to have the results of those water samples in the next two weeks.”
City officials are also asking residents to do their part including following the seasonal fertilizer ban as well as properly disposing of yard waste.
“If there are grass clippings or even dog droppings that go into our stormwater system, that can be something that causes blue-green algae,” said Mullen. “We urge our residents to take part in caring for our environment and helping keep our waterways clean.”
Fertilizers and yard waste can add additional nutrients to our waterways, feeding the existing algae blooms and even sparking new blooms in the future.
Cape Coral also tells Fox 4 that they are still working to fix the 3 bubble curtains that are currently not functioning. That includes the curtain along Coral Point Drive, which the city says they did order a replacement part.
Fox 4's Meteorologist Andrew Shipley asked Cape Coral's City Manger's Office some important questions regarding the blue-green algae treatments. Kaitlyn Mullen, the Senior Public Information Specialist, provided the answers.
[AS] Will this be an ongoing method of treating algae? How often will it be done?
[KM] The City only utilizes this technique when harmful cyanobacteria algae blooms pose a human or environmental health concern and when the bloom does not rapidly resolve naturally.
[AS] Has the city used this method before? If so, how long was it effective?
[KM] The City has used hydrogen peroxide to treat cyanobacteria blooms in its freshwater system twice in the past four years.
[AS] What is the status of the three damaged bubble curtains?
[KM] We are waiting on replacement parts for these curtains.
[AS] What goes into the testing in terms of how the treatment is deemed successful?
[KM] City staff uses a visual ranking system combined with physical water quality measurements and algae-specific parameters. The City hopes to continue implementing nutrient management plans to avoid performing mitigation treatments.
[AS] If this is proven to be effective, will this be used on other canal systems?
[KM] Yes, based on the outcome of this treatment in the Rubican Canal System, the City will consider treating areas closer to the river.
