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[Bayslammer]

Wanted to ask the experts on this site a question about Brown Tide. What weather or other factors will help to clear Baffin of Brown Tide? I would think colder water temps. would be helping but it has not yet cleared. I also thought inflows of green water from Packery would make its way to Baffin. Any suggestions? Fishing stained water in Baffin has been a challenge for most. I hope it clears up soon.
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J.D

[Mike S]

Bayslammer....Everyone has a different opinion about what causes Brown Tide and what it takes to clear it up. I understand there are still studies being done. Back in the '80's it developed after a very hard freeze and stayed with us for a number of years. This time it seemed to have developed after our snow and cold weather last year and affected the areas from Bird Island to south of Port Mansfield. The Port Mansfield area has cleared up because of the fresher water flow from the Mansfield cut.

I think it may take a big bull spring tide or a storm to clear up Baffin Bay.
The Packery Channel should take care of the Laguna Madre.

Mike Singleterry

[Bluffer]

No rain since Oct is my opinion.
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Fish hard, fish the Bluff. Surrounded by water!
-A quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem-

[Mike S]

Bluffer....I think that is a big part of it also.

Mike S

[Bayslammer]

Thank You Mike S. and "Bluffer". Your answers are appreciated.
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J.D

[RPool]

Capt. Singleterry's observations linking freezes to the appearance of brown tide are supported by the fact that the causative agent, Aureoumbra lagunensis, cannot use nitrate as a nitrogen source but can use ammonia, very commonly generated from decaying fish after fish kills - and freezes generate fish kills. A significant fish kill followed by no "flushing event", like low tides and no rain, sets up conditions that favor the brown tide. I sincerely hope the Packery helps to keep the upper lagoon in check.
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Royal and Ancient Rod, Gun, Lager and Liar Society
Padre Island, Texas
Home of "Team Double Haul"

[rabbit]

It didnt last year.
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Fishing and Kayaking its a rough life but somebody has to do it.

[fred]

The Packery nor the Port Mansfield channel will ever clear the waters of the middle or lower reaches of Baffin Bay. They can certainly help the main "Laguna Madre" and the entrance of Baffin, but only large amounts of FRESH water influx from three creeks (I think) will ever flush the basicaly stagnant water from the back side of Baffin. The last major hurricane to produce enough fushing material to do any good was Hurricane Allan in 1980 (26 years ago) although Hurricane Bret (1999) did result in a minor creek rise on the Los Olmos creek. I was born and raised on a small ranch near Falfurrias that Los Olmos runs thru and I can assure you that other than Brett it has been well over 10 years since any creek rise has gone much past my ranch. All in all it seems that Baffin still does pretty well with what Mother Nature has given it to work with.

[fish dreamer]

I can't wait until the water clears up. I am sure it will, it's just a cycle.

[BeachBum]

Packery will have no effect on the Laguna south of the JFK. Until they rid us of the dam called the JFK, there will not be enough water exchange to effect laguna south of JFK.

10% of the water changes every two years from the laguna south of the JFK to the laguna north. The only change is on the west side of the laguna where the area left open for water flow. This is far away from the influence of Packery.

RE: Nitrate uptake....Ammonia is only the first step in the nitrogen cycle. Bacterial breaks down ammonia to form nitrite and another group of bacteria converts it to nitrate. IT IS ALL FORMS OF NITROGEN. All will fuel algae growth.
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FISH ON!!,

BUM

Coastal Shark Fishing

[Big John]

Here is an excellent link to understanding the nitrogen cycle in aquias environments. It describes it in terms of an aquarium, but the exact same cycle takes place in the bays, oceans, lakes, rivers, etc, just on a much grander scale.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=102
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Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

John Sullivan
Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio

[RPool]

Good discussion of nitrogen uptake and metabolism. LAst two posts raise excellent points. Here is a quote and a link to the specifics I cited regarding the causative agent of Texas Brown Tide:
http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/nationplan/ECOHAB/4.RegionalHABPhenomena.html

For over 5 years, regions of the South Texas coast centered around the Laguna Madre have experienced a continuous, dense algal bloom referred to as the "brown tide." The nearly monospecific bloom has been caused by high densities (1-5 x 10 9 cells/L) of a small (4-5 µm diameter) chrysophyte similar to Aureococcus anophagefferens that causes brown tides on the U.S. northeast coast. Brown tide blooms occur in shallow (1-2 m depth) embayments and lagoons that have minimal advective transport and/or dispersion. The onset of the bloom was preceded by a drought (that increased the salinity) and severe freezes during periods of extremely low tides (Whitledge, 1993). Declines in invertebrate populations and widespread fish kills were associated with these conditions. High ambient concentrations of nutrients, especially nitrogen in the form of ammonium, resulted from the decaying fish. Ammonium is important because the Texas brown tide species cannot utilize nitrate (DeYoe and Suttle, 1994). Although bloom initiation depended on the increased ammonium, its persistence was facilitated by severe declines in grazer populations and continued low rates of advection and physical dispersion (Buskey and Stockwell, 1993). However, generalizations about nutrient effects, flushing, and trophic antagonism are not sufficient to predict the occurrence, persistence, or long term effects of the brown tide.
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Royal and Ancient Rod, Gun, Lager and Liar Society
Padre Island, Texas
Home of "Team Double Haul"

[Mike S]

Well I guess I'm stupid...but for whatever reason the Upper Laguna has cleared up very well in the past two weeks despite the JFK dam and the lack of rain. I've spent the past 10 days fishing off and on from 15 to 18 miles south of the JFK all the way to the Laguna Shores flats and the water conditions are great even in a 25 to 30 mph wind. Wouldn't want to think that the Packery had anything to do with it.

Mike S

[Big John]

[Bayslammer]

I have no doubt that the Packery channel has helped clear the water in the ULM. You can clearly see with your own eyes the effects on an incoming tide when you drive over the JFK and look down. Arial footage shows green water pouring into the Laguna. Tides are stronger, especially around the boat hole where that was not present before. The bridge over the Humble channel has also helped keep water flowing with tides. I see less grass piling up and rotting in that area like it had in the past. Our fishery will benefit. Baffin on the other hand may need help from other factors. Mike is correct. Trust a person who sees the changes on a daily basis and has spent countless days on the water. I appreciate all of the scientific data and knowledge from all of you that have responded. I have gained valuable knowledge myself. I am thankful for the Channel, I think it will help out in many ways. It is just to bad to see so many great fishing venues in Baffin bay not being utilized due to stained water. I will be there regardless this spring.
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J.D