Calusa Waterkeeper
In the News
A Dry Spell in SWFL Leads to Lower Enterococci Bacteria Levels around Lee County
With the exception of Billy’s Creek, it’s good to see fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) decline to low levels. Some residents have contacted CWK recently to indicate improving water clarity as well. These sample results are from May 21, 2019 ahead of the Memorial Day Weekend.
Rooney Roundtable on Water Quality: A View from the Outside
A recap of the Rooney Roundtable with federal, state and local officials about the public health consequences of Harmful Algae Blooms: “What is most disappointing about the participation of CDC officials is that their silence about HABs contrasts with what appears on their website.”
Blue-Green Algae Still Being Found in Caloosahatchee River & Lake Okeechobee
The seeds are planted for another blue-green algae outbreak in the historic Everglades system. Algae has been found in Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee for the past few weeks, although toxin levels are low to non-existent, according to FDEP records.
Environmental Protection Agency Sets New Water Quality Standards for Swimming
The EPA released new water quality standards setting guidelines for cyanotoxin levels in the water: 8 mg/l for microcystins and 15 mg/l for cylindrospermopsin. These recommendations are protective measures to warn people before swimming or doing any recreational water activity.
Florida Petitioned to Protect People From Harmful Algae Blooms
The Center for Biological Diversity, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Calusa Waterkeeper petitioned the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to protect the public from toxins in the harmful algal blooms that keep reoccurring in the state.
How Much Algae Toxin is too Much? Environmental Groups Urge EPA to Adopt Stricter Guidelines for Recreational Exposure
Amid rising concern about the potential health effects of toxic algae, the EPA released official safety advice that advocates say falls far short of protecting the public. Three environmental nonprofits are petitioning the FDEP to adopt the EPA’s 2016 recommendations instead.
W.P. Franklin Lock Beach on the Caloosahatchee River Quietly Closed – This Time, for Good
With no fanfare, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quietly closed a well-loved Caloosahatchee beach. This week, staff will start sodding over the sand that slopes to the river at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam. That hasn’t stopped determined swimmers, however.
Toxic Algae Found in Caloosahatchee River Near Franklin Lock
The weather is heating up and so is the water, and if last years summer was any indication, that’s not a good mix for water quality. Large amounts of algae were spotted near Franklin Lock and Dam this weekend, the Calusa Waterkeepers posted a few pictures of the algae build up through their Facebook page.
CDC Plans to Uncover the Health Effects of Blue-Green Algae
It is dangerous. But what can it do to your health? That is the question at the center of the water quality crisis. Now, researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are trying to get you answers. They are focusing on the people exposed to the algae blooms.
CDC to Study How Inhaled Algae Toxins Affect Lake Okeechobee Fishing Guides
Federal scientists plan a first-ever study of Lake Okeechobee fishing guides to help understand the long-term health effects of the lake’s cyanobacteria blooms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to recruit 50 volunteers for the research.
Algae Bloom Appears at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers
A floating layer of algae has appeared at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers. John Cassani points out, “There’s some huge developments across the street and there’s also some development in the headwaters, so I’m guessing whatever algae bloom it is, it’s responding to the additional nutrient enrichment.”
Blue-Green Algae Spotted in North Fort Myers
Calusa Waterkeeper found algae appearing on the river all the way from Labelle to North Fort Myers. Cassani says this could be an early start to a long season of harmful algal blooms. “It’s a little bit early, and water temperatures are still getting warmer.