In July 2011, Lemon Bay Conservancy volunteers began collecting water samples at Lemon Creek Wildflower Preserve in order to understand water conditions in the freshwater ponds and in the Lemon Creek estuary. Since then, our LBC volunteers have been collecting water samples as part of the LakeWatch citizen-science program run by the University of Florida’s IFAS organization.
Early on, the LakeWatch data confirmed our concerns that some of the old golf course ponds were higher in nutrient levels than would be expected in natural ponds. Excess nutrients have negative impacts on water quality. In the years since LBC acquired this former gold course, we have worked to improve water quality in the ponds with the objective of sending lower nutrient water flows into Lemon Creek and from there into Lemon Bay.
As discussed in this report, we have made substantial progress in lowering the nutrient levels in three of the six ponds that we monitor, while the other three have shown limited change. Notably, we have reduced the nutrient levels in Moorhen Pond, which is the pond into which our other freshwater ponds feed and is the exit point from the pond system into Lemon Creek.
The report includes discussions of: the LakeWatch sampling process, the LakeWatch reports and data we receive, the interconnections of our ponds and creeks, actions we have taken to improve water quality, and findings from the data.
Click on the link below to view or download a copy of the report.
There are three report appendices. Click on each appendix name below to view or download that appendix.
- Appendix A: Example of a Full LakeWatch Report, “Florida LAKEWATCH Report fo WF-1 in Charlotte 2024”
- Appendix B: LakeWatch Trend Plots for Six Ponds at Lemon Creek Wildflower Preserve
- Appendix C: LakeWatch Trend Plots for Three Locations in Lemon Creek
