by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 18, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on February 18, 2026 The algae stretches for miles along the Caloosahatchee: clouding the shoreline, murking up canals and choking oxbows, a dull avocado taint that signals nothing good. Despite a health...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 10, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on February 13, 2026 With drought and coldburn browning most of Southwest Florida, the upriver Caloosahatchee is one of the few green places around. The culprit? Cyanobacteria, AKA blue-green algae, a...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 26, 2026 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on January 26, 2026 Health officials are warning of a toxin-producing algae bloom in the Caloosahatchee. The cyanobacteria – also called blue-green algae – appeared in an upriver Alva canal. Alva resident...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 30, 2025 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by VoteWater on October 30, 2025 According to a story in the June 16, 2021, Fort Myers News Press under the headline “$750,000 and six tons of algaecide later, toxin warning signs are still up along the Caloosahatchee in Olga,” cyanobacteria...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 4, 2025 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 4, 2024 Already, cyanobacteria is blooming upriver, streaking shorelines from the rural community of Alva east of I-75 to Fort Myers Shores, some five miles from downtown. Despite the sliming,...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 26, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 26, 2024 Heavy rains bring nutrient inputs from Lake Okeechobee, the upper Caloosahatchee watershed (which is largely agriculture) and urbanized areas like Fort Myers and Cape Coral. The nutrients can feed...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 21, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published on Fox-4 by Bella Line on June 21, 2024 The temperature is heating up in the air, and the water. We know that blue-green algae is something we deal with in the summer, but Calusa Waterkeeper volunteers tell me it’s early in the season for...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 13, 2022 | Press
Blue-Green Algae in a Southwest Florida Canal Originally published by WINK News on May 13, 2022 Pictures of blue-green algae get exposed in a Southwest Florida canal. The cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, had lingering effects on the water after washing...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 6, 2021 | Featured, Press
Health Alert Issued in Fort Myers Shores for Blue-Green Algae Outbreak in Caloosahatchee Originally published by WINK News on December 6, 2021 The Florida Department of Health has issued a health alert after finding harmful blue-green algae toxins in the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 6, 2021 | Press
Originally published in The Island Sun Publication on August 6, 2021 People visit Sanibel because of the warm weather, beautiful, crystal clear waters and beaches strewn with collectible shells. At least that is how Sanibel and the surrounding regions look some part...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 16, 2021 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on June 16, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams After a governor’s visit, the hoisting of the Israeli flag and multiple treatments with six tons of algaecide, the water at the W.P. Franklin Lock is still not safe. Cyanobacteria toxins...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 19, 2021 | Press
Exclusive photo gallery published by The News-Press on May 19, 2021 by photographer Andrew West John Cassani, the Calusa Waterkeeper takes a sample of algae from the east side of the Franklin Lock and Dam on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The samples will be tested to...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 17, 2021 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press on April 17, 2021 by Chad Gillis Environmental groups and water quality experts are paying more attention to Lake Okeechobee as blue-green algae levels continue to spike in some areas of the system. The Florida Department of...
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....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 23, 2020 | Press
As seen in a TC Palm Op-Ed submitted by Dr. Walter Bradely and Calusa Waterkeeper Board Member, Howard Simon Floridians are well-aware of the acute environmental and health problems of harmful algal blooms and they are looking to their political representatives to...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 8, 2019 | Press
Originally published in The Tampa Bay Times by Craig Pittman on July 08, 2019 Blue-green algae is popping up all over Florida this summer. It’s in the canals of Gulfport and the Intracoastal Waterway in Treasure Island. In Bradenton, the Manatee River has turned...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 4, 2019 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on April 4, 2019 Water quality scientists and environmental groups are worried the seeds could be planted for another crippling bloom, as cyanobacteria is still being found in the Everglades system. Besides being...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 12, 2019 | Lake Okeechobee, Policy, Press
Public Comment Still Needed on Lake Okeechobee As reported by FOX4 News on February 12, 2019 John Cassani with Calusa Waterkeepers spoke to the League of Women Voters’ Environmental Committee at the Cape Coral Public Library. He spoke about water quality issues in our...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 26, 2018 | Featured, Lake Okeechobee, Litigation, Press
As seen in a News-Press OpEd submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper, December 25, 2018 Calusa Waterkeeper, Center for Biodiversity, and the Waterkeeper Alliance are Suing the ACOE, USDEP and others for Violations of the Endangered Species Act The popular...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 5, 2018 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Science
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on December 5, 2018 A federal report suggests that the presence of salt causes blue-green algae cells to burst and release all toxins into the water. The United States Geological Survey report shows that while...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 29, 2018 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Science
First featured in a News-Press article written by Amy Bennett Williams and published on November 29, 2018 Anyone breathing near the dense blue-green algae blooms that plagued the region last summer likely inhaled some toxins deep into their lungs, FGCU research...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 10, 2018 | Press
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on November 10, 2018 After a brief reprieve (to the naked eye, at least) from the toxic algae that had tainted the Caloosahatchee River since June, cyanobacteria appears to once again be clinging to the...
