Each day uses the 4:00 AM reading. Oxygen runs lowest just before dawn, so this is the hardest hour for fish.
Oxygen 5+ mg/L
4–5 caution
under 4 danger
no reading
Plain words
- Dissolved oxygen is the air dissolved in the water, which fish breathe through their gills. Below 4.0 mg/L fish struggle; below 2.0 fish kills become likely.
- Salinity is how salty the water is. This lagoon normally runs about 25–30 (the ocean is about 35). Oysters, clams and seagrass need that salt and can't move away when the water turns fresh.
- CDOM is the tea-colored stain washed in off the land. It blocks the sunlight seagrass needs.
- Chlorophyll measures algae in the water. Nitrate is fertilizer from runoff, which feeds algae.
- Turbidity is cloudiness from mud and particles. The water can be clear but still dark from stain.
If you harvest: this is a watch, not a closure notice. Check the official FDACS shellfish harvesting area status before taking oysters or clams.