Issue:
Caloosahatchee Oxbows
Oxbow Preservation
After the Caloosahatchee was channelized by projects beginning in 1880 and ending in 1960, water flowed directly down the straight, deepened river whose vertical shores are without littoral habitat. Today the oxbows of the Caloosahatchee are those historic, remnant meanders of the oiriginal river. They represent the only productive aquatic, habitat left in the riverene system suitable to serve these same critical functions. Since 1996 Calusa Waterkeeper has worked to document and restore the oxbows.
Resources & Presentations
Caloosahatchee Historic Oxbows
Priority Issues
Harmful Algal Blooms
Cyanobacteria & Red Tide
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and Karenia brevis (red tide) have been making major impacts on Southwest Florida.
Lake Okeechobee Discharges
Revise System Operating Manual
The Caloosahatchee River often suffers from too much freshwater in the wet season, and not enough freshwater in the dry season.
Cape Coral Spreader Canals
Nutrient & Sediment Loading
The City of Cape Coral is working to remove large storm-water barriers to make recreational boating more convenient.
Bacteria Monitoring
Fecal Indicator Bacteria
Calusa Waterkeeper has been at the forefront of monitoring this Fort Myers tributary for fecal bacteria indicators.