by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 21, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Originally published by Cape Coral Breeze on December 21, 2023 by CJ Haddad A hearing to determine whether the state should issue a permit allowing the city of Cape Coral to remove the Chiquita Lock concluded Wednesday afternoon. The next steps will be post-hearing...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 18, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Originally published by The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation on December 18, 2023 The hearing to remove the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral resumed on Dec. 18. The hearing was continued after extensive questioning of experts concerning the water pollution generated...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 13, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured
John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus, in testimony at the trial on the removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock, exposed major failings in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection which allow the City of Cape Coral to continue polluting the waters of Matlacha...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 10, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Press
The Fight Over the Chiquita Lock Removal is Heading to Trial Originally published by FOX4 News on November 10, 2023 The fight over the removal of Chiquita Lock is heading to trial, with Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyk ruling that the lawsuit can proceed. This...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 2, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 2, 2023 by Luis Zambrano After a startling dropout by several high-profile Southwest nonprofits, the challenge to keep Cape Coral’s Chiquita Boat Lock, a nearly 50-year-old manmade barrier, in operation moves...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 17, 2023 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
A recent News-Press article (“Well-known FGCU professor accused of downplaying blue-green algae by water advocate”) overlooks the principal barrier to public understanding of Florida’s persistent blue-green algae – the calibration of exposure to risk....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 14, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by Conservancy of Southwest Florida on September 14, 2023. Our nearshore waters are crying for help, but are we listening? In Lee County, many are familiar with the impact that Lake Okeechobee discharges and basin runoff have on the Caloosahatchee...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 17, 2023 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on August 17, 2023 by Chad Gillis A Caloosahatchee River water advocate says a Florida Gulf Coast University professor is endangering public health by downplaying the ongoing blue-green algae outbreak in Lake Okeechobee and the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 7, 2023 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Op-Ed originally published by The News-Press on August 6, 2023 and written by Matt DePaolis, Environmental Policy Director for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Something needs to be done about the Chiquita Lock. The lock was designed to prevent Cape...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 28, 2023 | Featured, Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on July 28, 2023 by Chad Gillis Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce says even small amounts of Lake Okeechobee water will infect the Caloosahatchee River with toxic blue-green algae blooms. Small amounts of water are coming from the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 14, 2023 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on July 14, 2023 by Chad Gillis A toxic blue-green algae bloom appears to be strengthening its grip on the Caloosahatchee River, as green slicks of the organisms are visible in downtown Fort Myers. “I’ve been seeing...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 18, 2023 | Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 18, 2023 Robert Halgrim was in his backyard canal off McGregor Boulevard collecting water from the Caloosahatchee River. He thinks it has been matted with blue green algae. Halgrim said, “I’ve had it bad enough back here that...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 8, 2023 | C43 Reservoir, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on June 8, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams Lawsuits have been flying as the South Florida Water Management District and its fired contractor quarrel over a soured $560-million deal to build the C-43 reservoir. Yet work continues at...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 7, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by TC Palm on June 7, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams A week into hurricane season, as concerns over algae blooms mount, Caloosahatchee river-watchers don’t have to worry about Lake O making things worse – at least for the moment. Calusa Waterkeeper...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 26, 2023 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Blue-Green Algae Blooms Spotted from Lake O to Fort Myers Shores Originally published by FOX4 News on May 26, 2023 Once again, Lake Okeechobee is covered with blue-green algae blooms. According to NOAA, algal blooms covered about 260 square miles on the ake,...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 26, 2023 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on May 26, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams Had they stared into a shaft of sunlight piercing the Caloosahatchee River on Thursday morning, boaters at the Alva dock might have seen spangles, as if the water were dusted with green...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 2, 2023 | C43 Reservoir, Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on May 02, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams Construction of the C-43 reservoir is on hold after the South Florida Water Management District fired the contractor for the half-billion-dollar-plus job. The district announced the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 20, 2023 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on April 20, 2023 by Chad Gillis Experts say high loads of pollution are flowing to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Oceans in the aftermath of a series of storms that brought summer-like rains to the Sunshine State. Several...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 16, 2023 | Featured, Policy
Guest Editorial originally published by The Invading Sea – an arm of Florida Climate Reporting Network on January 16, 2023 and written by John Cassani, retired Calusa Waterkeeper It is becoming obvious that Florida’s water restoration programs cannot keep pace...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 17, 2022 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 17, 2022 by Chad Gillis Scientists are saying a red tide bloom that’s lingered along the coast for a few weeks is now being fed by nutrients running off the landscape in the wake of Hurricane Ian. Red tide...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 3, 2022 | Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 3, 2022 by Chad Gillis The Lake Okeechobee drainage system is more likely to see a blue-green algal bloom next spring as a result of Hurricane Ian. Lt. Col. Todd Polk, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Ian...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 28, 2022 | Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by WINK News on October 28, 2022 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they will begin releasing Lake Okeechobee discharges into the Caloosahatchee River. This raises concerns in Southwest Florida because the area is still trying to dry out after...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 25, 2022 | Press
Originally published by WGCU News on October 25, 2022 Drone images taken after Hurricane Ian show a crimson tide of nutrient-polluted water flowing from the Caloosahatchee River on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation uses the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 15, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on October 15, 2021 by Chad Gillis The Caloosahatchee River got a huge flush of saltwater when Hurricane Ian plowed into the Southwest Florida coast. And then a lot of it roared back, along with plenty of freshwater runoff....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 8, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Blue-Green Algae found in North Fort Myers Canal has Homeowners Feeling Uneasy Originally published by FOX4 News on September 8, 2022 Blue-green algae have been found in a North Fort Myers canal and people are not only seeing it but smelling it as well. It blooms...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 5, 2022 | Featured
Words from the Waterkeeper – Episode 35 Updates on local water quality in the region from Lake Okeechobee through the Caloosahatchee to the coastal waters. Please consider supporting our ongoing air & water sampling by donating at...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 1, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on August 1, 2022 by Chad Gillis A blue-green algae bloom is festering again this summer on Lake Okeechobee, the de facto headwaters of the Caloosahatchee River. But lake levels are low, and experts say there is little to no...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 24, 2022 | Lake Okeechobee, Press
Lake Okeechobee sees 240 Square Miles of Blue-Green Algae Originally published by FOX4 News on June 24, 2022 Lake Okeechobee is seeing about 240 square miles of Blue-Green Algae on the north, west, and south shores. That is about a 30% increase over the last two...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 23, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on June 23, 2022 by Chad Gillis A minor algae bloom is lingering along the western rim of Lake Okeechobee, but the Caloosahatchee River looks relatively healthy and experts don’t expect to see a devastating blue-green algae...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 16, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 16, 2022 Blue-green algae has been found in at least 5 different canals in southeast Cape Coral. The Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani, said stormwater runoff and warmer waters are likely to blame. He advises nearby residents...
