Calusa Waterkeeper
In the News
Health Department and Advocates Monitor Lake O and Caloosahatchee Cyanobacteria
A month into the summer rainy season, the signs have begun appearing at popular Southwest Florida waterways. Sporting red or yellow tops depending on the threat level, they warn would-be recreators about cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae.
Innovative Air Monitoring Device to be Presented at the Waterkeeper Alliance Global Conference in Washington
After pioneering a new monitoring device and releasing initial results, Calusa Waterkeeper board member Manuel Aparicio IV, PhD, will be presenting a workshop, “Airborne HAB Monitoring” about this ground-breaking research at the Waterkeeper Alliance Global Conference in Washington D.C.
A Win for Water: SB 2508 Vetoed
SB 2508 was easily one of the worst water related bills we’ve seen since 2016, and we should all be very grateful it will not become law.
Gov. DeSantis Announces $1.2 Billion Water Protection Plan from Fort Myers Beach
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a $1.2 billion budget approval for Everglades restoration and protection of water resources from Fort Myers Beach inside Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille on Fisherman’s Wharf.
Words from the Waterkeeper Episode 34
Join Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani for recent water quality updates in the region from Lake Okeechobee to the coastal estuaries.
Blue-Green Algae in a Southwest Florida Canal
Pictures of blue-green algae get exposed in a Southwest Florida canal. The cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, had lingering effects on the water after washing away the next day. Effects such as the water not being very clear and leaving an earthy smell behind.
Matlacha Pass Water Quality Observations – May 2022
Calusa Waterkeeper Ranger, Sue Dahod lends her time and educational background to keep an eye on water conditions throughout Matlacha Pass from both Pine Island and the shores of Matlacha. Calusa Waterkeeper brings you these updates from her observations.
John Cassani Named Best Clean-Water Champion by Florida Weekly
Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani has won the Florida Weekly’s Best Clean-Water Champion award before, and if we’re lucky he’ll win it again in the future rather than retiring.
Research Finds Airborne Toxins in Southwest Florida
There’s new information about airborne toxins in Southwest Florida as research expands. Concerns are growing about the impact on the community and the air we breathe. The Calusa Waterkeeper set up air samplers in various locations around Lee County last year after the red tide and blue-green algae outbreak in 2018.
Initial SWFL Study Finds Water & Air Pollutants could cause grave Brain Disease
A first-of-its-kind field study of Southwest Florida air and water didn’t find widespread cyanobacteria toxins however, it did find several neurotoxins as well as three forms of BMAA, a neurotoxin linked to grave brain diseases.
Collaborative Research on Airborne Toxins from Harmful Algal Blooms in Southwest Florida
Calusa Waterkeeper and Wyoming-based Brain Chemistry Labs collaborate on a groundbreaking device to research airborne toxins from harmful algal blooms utilizing the most sensitive technology available for detecting harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins,
Advocates Push for Fixes as Critically Important Seagrass Continues to Vanish
When legislation that would have let developers destroy seagrass in exchange for mitigation credits died with Florida’s 2022 session last month, many environmental advocates were relieved. What Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani wants to know; “If water quality decline underlies seagrass loss, then why would continual planting change anything?”