Calusa Waterkeeper
In the News
Lake O Water Levels Down Following Driest March in Several Decades
Lake Okeechobee’s water levels are down following the driest March in the past several decades. “We get way too much water in the summer, we don’t get enough in the dry season and it really damages this ecosystem,” said Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani. He says the freshwater drives down salinity in the Caloosahatchee.
Lake Okeechobee Levels Continue to Drop as Corps Slows Flows to Caloosahatchee River
Lake Okeechobee levels are falling, the Caloosahatchee River is running salty and there is a looming drought that may stay in place for another six weeks. Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani said water should be cut back to all users including agriculture, not just natural systems like the Caloosahatchee and its estuary.
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 10
Words From the Waterkeeper is back! John reports on algal bloom activity in the area, SFWMD governing board meeting, reduced minimum flow threshold for the Caloosahatchee estuary, local sewage spills, and recent federal enforcement rollbacks.
A Week After Fort Myers Sewage Spill: Why Weren’t Citizens Warned? Is there Coronavirus in Sewage?
More than a week after a broken lift station sent 183,000 gallons of raw sewage down Manuels Branch toward the Caloosahatchee, neither Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson nor City Manager Saeed Kazemi have publicly acknowledged the spill, which is likely the biggest in the city’s history.
183,000 Gallons of Raw Sewage Spilled and now Winding Through the Caloosahatchee
A whopping 183,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into your water and now it’s winding its way through the Caloosahatchee. Crews are working on testing to try and find out why this happened and how you are affected. “The smell is pretty bad,” says Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani.
Massive Raw Sewage Spill in Fort Myers Flows through McGregor Boulevard Neighborhood
For about a year, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani has been wondering why fecal bacteria readings in water samples he’s taken from the Caloosahatchee tributary have been “off the charts.” Now he thinks he knows why. What appears to be a chronic slow leak in Fort Myers sewage lines turned into a gusher at the city’s lift station No. 5 at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Canal Street.
CWK Ranger Profile – Curtis Orvis
Curtis developed a passion for rivers starting as a 5-year old, fishing on the Middlebury River in East Middlebury, Vermont. His love of nature and quest for knowledge in natural resources was ingrained through years of scout camp, hiking, canoeing, sailing, swimming, and boating.
Calusa Palooza and Concert for Clean Water Postponed
Calusa Palooza, originally scheduled for March 22, was intended as a good time gathering of volunteers, vendors, sponsors and the general public, anchored by some great Eagles music. It was also intended to bring awareness to an issue we face all year long – the critical role CLEAN WATER plays in our livelihood and enjoyment of Southwest Florida.
Denial of Chiquita Lock Removal Permit Upheld in Final Order by FDEP Secretary
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein rejected the permit that the agency previously said it would approve. The order issued from Valenstein represents the DEP’s final decision on the matter and supersedes a November 2018 announcement that it would issue the permit.
‘Clean Waterways Act’ Passes Florida Senate; What Does it Mean for the State?
A new Senate Bill aims to make our waterways cleaner and keep them that way. Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani supports parts of the bill, saying, “I think what it boils down to is… does the state of Florida have the political will to effectively implement the legislation so that it’s something more than words on paper?”
CWK Ranger Profile – Louise Kowitch
As a child, Louise sailed and swam in the Chesapeake Bay, and it’s where she got her first paid job as a reporter/photographer fresh out of college. This experience exposed Louise to the Save the Bay movement, which at the time was pioneering local efforts to prevent non-point source pollution.
Time-Traveling River Excursions Featured at Swamp Cabbage Festival
A plethora of festival-goers boarded the M/V River Queen for some exciting Caloosahatchee River Excursions that were again featured at this year’s Swamp Cabbage Festival thanks to the LaBelle Heritage Museum. The tour was led by CWK Rangers John & Kathy Cookman who own and operate Manatee & Eco River Tours.