Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on October 31, 2024
It’s a water quality double whammy.
Southwest Florida waters are stained and potentially toxic as a red tide bloom rages offshore while freshwater bacteria levels are well above what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe.
Red tide has been lingering in the Tampa Bay area for weeks, and the toxic algae has made its way to Lee County waters in recent days, according to satellite imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.
A large fish kill was reported over the weekend in northwestern Lee County.
“I was at Boca Grande a day before the fish kill, and there was nothing that gave me any indication that was going to happen,” said Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce. “The water was nasty, but it didn’t smell.”
Three tropical systems (Debbie, Helene and Milton) caused everything from septic tank backups to water treatment overflows.
Original Story