Isaias Killed Thousands

Dead menhaden at Lake Ogleton August 5

of fish: Tropical Storm Isaias spreads dead zones in Severn River, killing thousands of fish

Strong winds from Tropical Storm Isaias caused oxygen-depleted water at the bottom of the Severn River to mix with the rest of the water column, killing at least 10,000 fish Tuesday, the Maryland Department of Environment said in a statement.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Fisheries Scientist Allison Colden said to think of oxygen-depleted bottom water like vinegar, and oxygen-laden surface water like oil. The warmer water is, the faster molecules move and the less dense it becomes. Salt makes water more dense –– it adds molecules.

Cold, salty bottom water is dense and won’t mix with warm, fresh surface water heated by the air temperature, so when oxygen at the bottom is depleted, it doesn’t have a chance to mix with re-oxygenated surface water, Colden said.

Until things get shaken up. That’s what happened Tuesday during high winds brought by Tropical Storm Isaias.

Maryland Department of Environment spokesman Jay Apperson said wind from Tropical Storm Isaias caused a “seiche,” or a wave oscillating in a body of water. The National Ocean Service compares the phenomena to water sloshing back and forth in a swimming pool.

“Strong winds can cause this type of inversion, in which the oxygen-depleted water rises and becomes closer to the surface and causes conditions in which the fish cannot survive,” Apperson said in an email.

Unfortunately, when the dead zone in the river sloshes around, death follows. On Tuesday, the department investigated between 2,000 and 3,000 dead fish, mainly menhaden, found at Sullivan Cove.

I think we've been on the edge of having a "hypoxic" event. I see lots of crabs and a few fish in shallow water and that usually means there's not enough oxygen for them deeper in the water. What ever mixing Isaias did here, it wasn't enough to substantially alter the state of the water.

In Baltimore $#!* Don't Flow Uphill

17 Sanitary Sewer Overflows Reported In Baltimore As Tropical Storm Isaias Moved Through City, DPW Reports

More than a dozen sanitary sewer overflows were reported in Baltimore Tuesday as Tropical Storm Isaias brought heavy rain to the city.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works’ sanitary sewer overflow map shows 17 separate incidents on Tuesday, the largest of which led to 410,000 gallons ending up in the Jones Falls.

So far, just under 530,000 gallons have been confirmed to have overflowed, though of the 17 incidents reported, ten didn’t specify the size of the overflow.
. . .
The city recommends people avoid the affected waterways. Waterways throughout Baltimore are considered impaired and the city advises people shouldn’t swim in any city water source or waterway.

This is my shocked face. But they're not alone, close to home: Public Notification of Sewage Overflow in Prince Frederick

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, due to the excessive rainfall brought about by Tropical Storm Isaias, erosion beneath the Main Street roadway in Prince Frederick damaged a sewer line and caused a sewage force main to rupture. As a result, sewage was discharged 200 yards north of the headwaters of Parkers Creek.

A substantial quantity of effluent was controlled through shutting down pump stations and removal with pump trucks. At no time was there impact to service for water and sewer customers. The Department of Public Works is working to repair the line and roadway.

Because of the temporary sewage discharge, all residents and visitors are strongly cautioned to avoid contact with the waters of Parkers Creek or where the creek meets the Chesapeake Bay until Friday, Aug. 7, at the earliest.

Prince Frederick, and Parker's Creek in Google Maps. You can see the triangular sewage pond near the center of the clip:

Back To Normal at the Beach

The day after Isaias passed, the beach looks pretty much the same as it did before. Pretty nice weather, too, mid 80s and less humid

The storm tides for Isaias, which weren't all that high, didn't even move much around, although some of the logs in the tangle might have been pushed a little closer to the cliffs. Eighteen shark teeth, a crab claw and a Tilly bone.

The Spotted Beebalm in the dunes is starting to bloom, but if you look carefully at the photo, you'll find the true intended target of the photo.

It took about 4 tries to get this picture, a Common Buckeye.

Isaias

When I walked Skye at 11 PM last night it was just starting to rain (again), and the wind starting to rise. According to the news, the eye was just coming ashore near the Georgia/South Carolina line.

The rain woke me up around 6, and a quick look at the rain gauge showed we'd already received 2 inches of rain, and the wind was whipping the branches of the trees around. The eye of the storm was just getting crossing the North Carolina/Virginia line.

A little before 7 PM, all the phones in the house went off, with a warning of a tornado warning. Apparently a radar signature indicated a possible tornado, and one was spotted near Leonardtown. Also, water spouts spotted over Taylors Island, headed generally in our direction. We made the kids take the baby to the basement, and are waiting out the warnings glued to the TV.

Skye is luxuriating in the rain under the back deck.

More later.

UPDATE: Power went out around 10:20 AM.

UPDATE: With the rain over, (4.7 inches since midnight) at least for a while, I decided to drive down and check the boat around 11 ish. The tide was high, above astronomical highest tide, but nothing outrageous, and the water extremely muddy. The boat was fine (my boat is in the picture, but not exactly obvious):

I drove around to the beach to take a look

The storm headed north across the bay and waves breaking in front of the mouth of the harbor

Looking south, toward the gas dock, some kid out in the water trying to surf. The waves looked about 3 ft.

Looking north, lots of waves, and not much beach, with mostly clear skies everywhere but north,

After I got home, we had lunch and Georgia, Skye and I walked back down for exercise. It had calmed down quite a bit more. By the time we got home around 1 PM, the power was back on.

Not exactly the worst tropical storm we've been through here.

Beach Report as the Storm Approaches

An overcast and somewhat cooler, if very humid day, as Tropical Storm Isaias approaches. That band of clouds to the south traces back to Florida and Asias, and, a while after we got home, arrived with a bang, and a pretty good shower.

Best of today's finds; a large lower Snaggletooth that Georgia found, and a complete ray plate with clay still covering most of it.

Holy Cow Beach Report

Back in the low 90s with high humidity, and a west wind that doesn't get the beach too well.

Social distancing not too hard. Georgia and Skye ahead in the distance.

Someone taking the dog out for a paddle. I don't think Skye would approve.

So, I thought I had Georgia beat for the day when I found the 2 cusp piece of Cow Shark. Then she found the more or less complete one. Twenty teeth in total.

Looking south from above the "tangle" at Matoaka. Maybe Isaias will take care of that. Tuesday promises to be "interesting."