by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 18, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on February 18, 2026 The algae stretches for miles along the Caloosahatchee: clouding the shoreline, murking up canals and choking oxbows, a dull avocado taint that signals nothing good. Despite a health...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 10, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on February 13, 2026 With drought and coldburn browning most of Southwest Florida, the upriver Caloosahatchee is one of the few green places around. The culprit? Cyanobacteria, AKA blue-green algae, a...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 26, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on January 26, 2026 Health officials are warning of a toxin-producing algae bloom in the Caloosahatchee. The cyanobacteria – also called blue-green algae – appeared in an upriver Alva canal. Alva resident...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 7, 2026 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in Gulfshore Business by Evan Williams on January 7, 2026 Elevated fecal indicator bacteria is a longstanding issue in Fort Myers and in urban waterways across Florida. Manuel’s Branch and Billy’s Creek, another urban tributary, have been...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 6, 2026 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox 4 by Austin Schargorodski on January 6, 2026 Manuel’s Branch had been an issue since at least 2021, when the Department of Environmental Protection found that the city failed to address long-term elevated levels of bacteria. City council...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 29, 2025 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on December 29, 2025 For years, Manuel’s Branch has failed Florida’s most basic test for public waterways: that they be safe for people to touch. There’s too much human poop in the creek, which flows...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 16, 2025 | Featured, Press
Gregg Poulakis, Ph.D. of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will present “The Last Stronghold: Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish in Florida.” Calusa Waterkeeper Joe Cavanaugh will highlight potential development impacts to sawfish habitat in the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 2, 2025 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox 4 by Miyoshi Price on December 2, 2025 Calusa Waterkeeper is calling on the city of Fort Myers to take immediate action after their independent testing revealed persistent human fecal contamination in Manuel’s Branch, a popular...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 21, 2025 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox 4 by Andrew Shipley on November 21, 2025 A two-year investigation by local environmental group Calusa Waterkeeper has found evidence of human-source fecal contamination in Manuel’s Branch, a small urban creek located just south of Lee...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 19, 2025 | Bacteria Monitoring, Events, Featured, Policy, Water Testing
Calusa Waterkeeper volunteers and staff have collected evidence of persistent human sources of fecal contamination to Manuel’s Branch. The full report is available at CalusaWaterkeeper.org and the group will be presenting to the City of Fort Myers Environmental...