Dr. Nancy Gassman, a city environmental scientist, told the Marine Advisory Board on Nov. 8 that Fort Lauderdale’s bacteria monitoring shows stronger compliance at coastal recreation sites and poorer results farther inland, including the North Fork.

Gassman summarized four years of Miami Waterkeeper weekly enterococci sampling and Broward County quarterly chemical monitoring. "The further inland you go, the more likely you are to have challenges with bacteria," she said, explaining that the monitoring program focuses on locations where people enter the water for recreation. The city’s designated water-sport areas generally meet state recreational-bathing standards at higher rates; some inland sites fall below the 75% compliance line for enterococci.

Gassman said county data indicate total nitrogen, chlorophyll and turbidity generally fall in the "good" range at many sites but that total phosphorus is the parameter most frequently exceeding the applicable standards within the city. She listed likely phosphorus sources as lawn fertilizer, pet waste, yard debris, road runoff and airborne particles (including Saharan dust), and said the city uses outreach, seasonal fertilizer restrictions, and street sweeping to reduce inputs.

On tidal influence and sampling logistics, Gassman said Miami Waterkeeper samples every Tuesday and re-samples failing sites on Thursday to track short-term changes; she noted tide stage and recent rainfall affect results and that sampling every site at fixed tide stages would be logistically difficult. She also said that higher tides can push water and debris into right-of-ways and that raising seawalls does not remove backflow or the need to manage stormwater.

Board members pressed for more attention to the North Fork, where public comments and historical data indicate chronic problems. Gassman said historic package-plant discharges were phased out decades ago and that long-term improvements followed, but that redevelopment, added population and stormwater conveyance contribute to contemporary challenges. She told the board an "operational flow" study showing increased west-to-east freshwater flow reduced nitrogen and phosphorus levels and agreed to provide that report for next month’s packet.

Chair Whitton asked staff to put a dedicated North Fork item on next month’s agenda to consider targeted steps. The board requested monthly updates on North Fork conditions and the city’s monitoring and remediation plans.

Provenance: Dr. Gassman’s presentation and back-and-forth with commissioners appear multiple places in the transcript (presentation opening at 00:28:36; discussion and follow-up requests through 01:04:00).