cultural eutrophication in the estuary 

 (Livingston unpubl.). l^ost of the 

 construction activity in the Apalachicola 

 Bay system has occurred in Apalachicola 

 and East Point and on St. George Island 

 (Figure 47). While there is considerable 

 pressure for construction on the island, 

 population density is still relatively 

 low. The outlook for future growth, 

 however, remains uncertain, as portions of 

 the estuarv have already been contaminated 

 with municipal and agricultural runoff and 

 waste (Livingston l'383d). 



Coastal development is often 

 accompanied by the loss of natural 

 vegetation, increased levels of solid 

 waste, and enhanced effluent discharge. 

 These activities often lead to increased 

 runoff, erosion, physical alterations, 

 changes in water circulation, increased 

 deposition of sediments, and the 

 introduction of various pollutants into 

 the river-bay system. Such changes can 

 have an adverse effect on the natural 

 resources of the area. According to Bell 

 and Canterbery (1'574, 1^75), "The ma.ior 

 cause of closing of commercial shellfish 

 areas is bacterial pollution at sublethal 

 contamination levels." Closings of 

 Louisiana's shellfish beds went from 5, POO 

 acres in 1%5 to lciR,812 acres in 1^71, a 

 S^OO"-^ increase. In Florida, considerable 

 areas of shellfish grounds are closed each 

 year because of pollution. Of over ? 

 million acres of available shellfish areas 

 in Florida, only 27% are approved for 

 harvesting; 13% are prohibited, ^t are 

 conditionally approved, and about 60% are 

 unclassified. The national figures show 

 over 3 million acres of clam and oyster 

 beds closed, at a loss of over $3R.4 

 million (Bell and Canterbery, 1975). 

 Septic tank effluents, sewage waters, and 

 municipal and industrial runoff account 

 for most of these problems. Since 

 commercial fisheries account for 65% of 

 the Franklin County income, there is cause 

 for concern (Florida Department of 

 Administration 1P77). 



St. George Island (Figure 47) forms 

 the gulfward perimeter of Apalachicola Bay 

 and is of critical importance to bay 

 productivity because its orientation 

 determines the distribution of salinity 

 and other water-quality features of the 

 estuary. In 1965, a bridge was completed 



Figure 47. Portions of St. George Island 

 showing housing development and other 

 human activities. 



from the mainland to St. George Island at 

 public expense. The bridge caused the 

 island's value as real estate to escalate 

 tremendously. Today, portions of St. 

 George Island are currently under consi- 

 derable pressure for municipal development 

 (Livingston 1976a). Based on past 

 experience in Florida and other coastal 

 states, the outlook for St. George Island 

 is to be the center of the growth for 

 Franklin County. On St. George Island, as 

 elsewhere in the drainage area, there is a 

 real need for planned development if the 

 natural resources of the estuary are to be 

 maintained. 



Recently, there have been a number of 

 incidents in which oyster ing in the bay 

 has been closed down because of high 

 coliform bacteria counts (Livingston et 

 al. 1978). This situation has caused 

 local economic problems and represents a 

 continuing threat to the oyster industry 

 in the Apalachicola estuary. The 

 combination of dredging and municipal 

 development has led to localized pollution 

 of portions of the estuary (Livingston 

 1983d). Dredged channels south of 

 Apalachicola and East Point have acted as 

 sinks for nutrients (nitrogen and 

 phosphorus compounds), oils and greases, 

 and heavy metals (Livington 1983b). Such 

 substances have been associated with the 

 silt (i.e., fine) fractions of the 

 sediments and have led to conditions of 

 high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The 

 degree of urban development, the heavy 



106 



