We are determining how the estuary bacterioplankton in this system is influenced by artificial water discharges from Lake Okeechobee via a set of locks during various discharge periods. The discharges induce a drastic change in salinity and bring nutrients into the system. Our interest is how are the bacterioplankton changing and reacting to the input of nutrients during the various periods and how the bacterioplankton may be playing a role in the consistent HAB blooms seen downstream.