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The Equivalent of 5750 bags of Scott’s Turf Builder were dumped on Gulf Stream Reef during December 2003 - 11/22/05 - Courtesy of www.reef-rescue.org

Based on public records obtained from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), 2532 pounds of Nitrogen were discharged per day from the Delray Ocean Outfall during the month December 2003. According to directions on the Scott’s Turf Builder bag this amount of fertilizer will treat an area 4 miles long and 3/4 of a mile wide for a two month period.

December 2003 was not unusual; on average the Delray Ocean Outfall discharges 400 million gallons of treated sewage per month directly up-current of the Gulf Stream Reef. However, the FDEP remains unconvinced that there is a connection between the outfall and the red algae bloom, which is killing one of the last healthy coral reef tracts in South Florida

THE DELRAY OCEAN OUTFALL DISCHARGES 13 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY OF TREATED SEWAGE UP-CURRENT OF GULF STREAM REEF.

FED BY EXCESS NUTRIENTS RED ALGAE (CYANOBACTERIA) IS DESTROYING THE CORAL REEF HABITAT ON GULF STREAM REEF.

IN PALM BEACH COUNTY THE RED ALGAE BLOOM IS FOUND ONLY DOWN CURRENT OF THE SEWAGE OUTFALL OFFSHORE OF BOYNTON BEACH.

DO YOU THINK THERE MIGHT BE A CONNECTION?

Article by www.reef-rescue.org