by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 13, 2021 | Featured, Press
Originally published in Florida Weekly by Roger Williams on January 13, 2021 It’s almost like the good-old-days, back in 2018. FWC maps — that’s the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which pays attention to things that decimate the environment — are...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 8, 2021 | Featured, Press
Originally published by WLRN 91.3 FM by Jenny Staletovich on January 8, 2021 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to cut back on discharges from Lake Okeechobee beginning this weekend, ending months of polluted releases to the St. Lucie Estuary and returning to more...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 16, 2020 | Bacteria Monitoring, Water Testing
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 21 This week, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, informs us of Lake Okeechobee and the ongoing releases from the Army Corps of Engineers into the Caloosahatchee. There has also been a recent spike in red tide along the Gulf of...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 13, 2020 | Featured, Press, Stormwater
Originally published by NBC-2 News on November 13, 2020 There is brown water working its way into the Caloosahatchee River. It’s happening next to two construction sites off West First Street in Downtown Fort Myers. James Douglass with Florida Gulf Coast University’s...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 12, 2020 | Press, Stormwater
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on November 12, 2020 Once again, two construction sites have dumped polluted stormwater into the Caloosahatchee in downtown Fort Myers. Barriers around the work sites failed to contain the dirty runoff...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 4, 2020 | Press, Stormwater
What Impacts Could Tropical Storm Eta have on Lake Okeechobee and Water Releases? Originally published by WINK News on November 4, 2020 As we continue to watch Tropical Storm Eta’s track, we’re looking at the impact it could have on Southwest Florida water. If Eta...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 2, 2020 | Featured, Press, Stormwater
Dramatic Images Show Lake Okeechobee Releases Meeting Gulf near Sanibel Originally published by WINK News on November 2, 2020 There are new concerns for Southwest Florida water quality. New aerial images show the Lake Okeechobee water discharges reaching the Gulf of...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 29, 2020 | Press
Judge Orders Engineers Study Lake O Water Release Effects on Algal Blooms and Endangered Species Originally published by WINK News on October 29, 2020 Lake Okeechobee is going under the microscope to protect Florida’s endangered species and its habitat from toxic...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 23, 2020 | Lake Okeechobee, Litigation
Conservation groups filed a proposal in federal court today to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ discharges from Lake Okeechobee don’t harm protected wildlife. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Fort Pierce ordered the parties...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 20, 2020 | Press, Stormwater
Originally published in The News-Press by Bill Smith on October 20, 2020 The city of Cape Coral stands ready to rally the public in the next legal battle to dismantle the Chiquita Lock, hiring lawyers who promise to use public involvement to convince regulators to get...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 9, 2020 | Press
Water Releases from Lake Okeechobee to Begin Originally published by WINK News on October 9, 2020 The water level right now in Lake O is over 16 feet. Col. Andrew Kelly with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said releases from the lake will resume on Tuesday or...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 7, 2020 | Featured, Press
As seen in a News-Press Op-Ed submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Florida has always had problems with water pollution during the modern era. This is not surprising considering the historic rate of population growth and landscape conversion to more intensive...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 28, 2020 | Lake Okeechobee
A partial ruling was recently reached by a federal judge on our lawsuit involving the Army Corps’ failure to assess Lake Okeechobee discharges’ impacts on downstream endangered species. In the wake of this recent decision, we received the following letter...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 25, 2020 | Featured, Planning
For many years, Calusa Waterkeeper has been advocating about alarmingly high levels of fecal indicator bacteria in Billy’s Creeks in Fort Myers. Recently our Billy’s Creek committee has engaged in a number of meetings with City of Fort Myers Council and...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 22, 2020 | Featured
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 19 This week, John Cassani informs us that the Army Corps of Engineers recently announced they may have to start discharging Lake Okeechobee water into the Caloosahatchee. Plus, there has been a recent fish kill in Bonita Springs...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 19, 2020 | Press
Lake O Releases to Caloosahatchee Expected soon due to Water Level Originally published by WINK News on Septtember 18, 2020 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is worried about how quickly the level of Lake Okeechobee is rising, and a way to fix that is to release the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 14, 2020 | Press
Originally published in Water and Wastes Digest by Cristina Tuser on September 14, 2020 Fort Myers, Florida officials are countering claims that bacteria is flowing from the Billy’s Creek watershed to the nearby Caloosahatchee River. The city public works...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 10, 2020 | Featured
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 18 This week, John Cassani addresses the ongoing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Lake Okeechobee and separate build-ups of nutrients causing Microcystis and Phormidium blooms in Cape Coral freshwater canals. Stay tuned, as we...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 9, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on September 9, 2020 Water pollution from two downtown Fort Myers construction sites has halted work for the third time in as many months. A heavy rainstorm Monday sent sheets of silty water into the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 9, 2020 | Featured, Press
Fort Myers Construction Sites Under Investigation Originally published by FOX4 News on Septtember 8, 2020 Two construction sites in downtown Fort Myers are facing scrutiny from the state Department of Environmental Protection and local leaders, after photos and...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 8, 2020 | Bacteria Monitoring, Press
Calusa Waterkeeper and City of Fort Myers find Differing Fecal Bacteria Data Originally published by WINK News on Septtember 8, 2020 Efforts to clean up Billy’s Creek are getting a boost. The City of Fort Myers and Calusa Waterkeeper are working together...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 8, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Bill Smith on September 8, 2020 Fort Myers officials went on the offensive Tuesday in an effort to counter claims that bacteria, including fecal material, is flowing from the Billy’s Creek watershed to the Caloosahatchee...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 27, 2020 | Press
Fort Myers Construction Sites Investigated for Caloosahatchee Runoff Originally published by WINK News on August 27, 2020 The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is investigating new reports of stormwater runoff from the City Walk and Silver Hills projects...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 26, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on August 26, 2020 Two downtown Fort Myers developments have been shut down again for water pollution violations. Construction has been stopped at the Silver Hills and City Walk projects after weekend...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 25, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 25, 2020 The Caloosahatchee River and estuary are in pretty good shape this summer, although algae blooms loom inland and along the coast. Lake Okeechobee has been plagued by a blue-green algae bloom this...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 12, 2020 | Press
Blue-Green Algae Found in Cape Coral Canal Originally published by WINK News on August 12, 2020 Going beneath the surface to figure out what’s going on with our water. “People are now seeing it in abundance in their canals,” said Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 23, 2020 | Featured
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 16 Catch up with John Cassani and all things water quality in this episode of Words from the Waterkeeper. Updates on the significant Lake Okeechobee algae bloom along with fecal bacteria contamination in local waterways and...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 16, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 16, 2020 An environmental network in Florida says Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Health are not doing their jobs when it comes to informing the public about the health risks of toxic algae...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 10, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on July 10, 2020 Over the past several months, the agency that protects Florida’s environment has juggled several major pollution incidents in Fort Myers, plus a few smaller ones. The troubles have come...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 9, 2020 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 9, 2020 Recent satellite imagery shows a shrinking blue-green algae bloom on Lake Okeechobee, but it’s still too early in the summer to know whether or not a major bloom will manifest this year....
