Armstrong and Harvey (19$0) reported the same condition in the English 

 Channel. Cooper (19I48) suggested that the particulate inorganic phosphorus 

 in the Channel is ferric phosphate. 



RESULTS 



Influence of Rivers 



One of the purposes of the investigation was to determine whether the 

 outflow of the Peace River causes any enrichment of the local Gulf waters. 

 The concentrations of phosphorus at a depth f about one meter at the two 

 river stations (Stations 1 and 2), Charlotte Harbor (Station 3) and the 

 three Gulf stations closest inshore (Stations h-6) for the 16 surveys are 

 shown graphically in figure 2. The mean phosphorus values at a depth of 

 about one meter for the 16 months of observations at all stations in the 

 first series are shown in table 1. Figures 3 to $ present graphically the 

 individual data and means for surface values (about 1 meter) for stations 3 

 to 8 (Charlotte Harbor to a distance of 120 miles offshore) . 



Table 1.— Mean phosphorus values at surface (approximately 1 meter) for 

 16-month period (jig-at/L) . 



It will be noted that the concentrations in the Peace River are 

 extremely high as compared with those in the Caloosahatchee River, Charlotte 

 Harbor or in the open Gulf. This river drains an area of phosphatic rock, 

 phosphate mines and processing plants which no doubt accounts for the high 

 values. The concentrations in the Caloosahatchee River which is one of the 

 drainage channels for Lake Okeechobee and surrounding agricultural area are 

 only about one-fifth as great as in the Peace River. 



The effects of the outflow from the Peace River on Charlotte Harbor 

 are difficult to assess from the present data. The fluctuations in con- 



