Calusa Waterkeeper
In the News
SWFL to Feds: Don’t Make us Bear the Brunt of Dirty Lake O Releases
Fair is fair. That’s the message Lee County’s commission and all of its mayors hope the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes to heart as it makes future decisions about releasing polluted water from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and Estuary.
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 26
Our Calusa Waterkeeper discusses Lake Okeechobee water levels, ongoing red tide blooms and cyanobacteria in the Caloosahatchee. Plus, he updates us on the manatee mortality rate, and the newly-released Southwest Florida Water Quality Report.
Environmental Group Points to Urbanization and Agriculture as Top Reasons for Florida’s Ailing Waterways
Coastal urbanization is the top factor driving pollution from the Tampa Bay area south to Collier County, and the water quality in many of those counties declined over a recent three-year period. Those were some of the findings from a report released last week by Calusa Waterkeeper.
Boaters Volunteer to Clean SWFL Waterways During Clean Water Week
It is Clean Water Week and the St. James City Boat Club is joining the Calusa Waterkeeper to help clear debris and test the quality of the water in certain spots. Members of the boat club headed to Picnic Island and many of the canals throughout St. James City and Flamingo Bay to pick up trash in the water.
Study Finds Glyphosate in More Than Half of All Sampled Florida Manatees
A scientific study concludes that Florida manatees are chronically exposed to glyphosate because of the application of the pesticide to sugarcane and aquatic weeds. The study found glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup and the world’s most-used pesticide, in the plasma of 55.8% of the Florida manatees sampled.
Army Corps Working Toward New Release Schedule for Lake Okeechobee
The Army Corps conducts and regulates releases, and the agency has tried to keep the level of the lake between 12.5 feet and 15.5 feet above sea level to provide flood control, water supply to farms and urbanized areas, and to provide healthy flows to systems like the Caloosahatchee.
Congressman Byron Donalds Files Bill to Keep Federal Government Monitoring Algal Blooms
Even during a possible government shutdown, Congressman Byron Donalds wants the federal government to continue monitoring waterways for harmful algal blooms. That’s the first bill Donalds has introduced during his tenure as the representative for Florida’s 19th congressional district.
Floridians Have the Right to Know if our Waters are Safe
For generations, Floridians have worshiped Florida’s iconic waters. They are likely the reason many people came to Florida, to swim, fish, paddle, ski, dive and enjoy all forms of watery recreation under sunny skies. Florida waters have always instilled some special recognition.
Caloosahatchee and EAA Reservoirs at the Top of Water District Work Last Year
The South Florida Water Management District recently released its annual environment report, which details various projects the agency is working on throughout the 16-county district. One of the most important projects for Southwest Florida coastal water quality, the Caloosahatchee Reservoir…
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 25
John Cassani brings on local advocate, Cat Chase to talk about phosphate mining and radioactive phosphogypsum toxic waste. Calusa Waterkeeper, among many other groups locally and across the nation, legally petitioned the EPA to demand improved federal regulatory oversight of radioactive phosphogypsum waste.
One Million Gallons of Untreated Wastewater Spilled in Charlotte County
A million gallons of untreated wastewater spilled in a Southwest Florida county, in the middle of crews working to improve the area’s sewage system. Although a majority of the spill was vacuumed up, almost 200,000 gallons ended up in the soil.
Fort Myers Forced to Take Responsibility for its Chronic Pollution of Area Waters
For decades, the city of Fort Myers has polluted its surrounding waters, often with raw sewage. Now, a reckoning is at hand. After months of investigation and negotiation with the city, the FDEP has proposed a consent order that encompasses years of slow leaks, gushing spills, equipment failures and oversight lapses.