Research Reveals how Red Tide and Blue-Green Algal Blooms could Affect your Health Originally published by WINK News on June 22, 2020 The sights and smells of the 2018 red tide and blue-green algae are hard to forget. Two years later, we’re getting more answers as to...
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...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 15 Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani talks water temperatures in the mid to high 90s in back bays which is creating hypoxic conditions. Plus, an update on the Lake Okeechobee cyanobacteria bloom, and a massive trichodesmium bloom...
Florida Waterkeepers Urge State Task Force to Take Action After massive and recurring blue-green algae blooms in Florida waters that resulted in multiple “states of emergency” issued by then-Governor Rick Scott in 2016 and 2018, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH)...
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...
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....
Lack of Oxygen Killing Fish, with Heat Making Matters Worse Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on July 3, 2020 Eels gulping air. Floating mats of bubbly crud. Milky brown tides. As it did a few months ago, foul water again surrounds...
Water Quality a Concern in Matlacha Pass as Eels Surface Originally published by WINK News on July 2, 2020 Concerns are rising over the water quality of Matlacha Pass after cloudy-looking water was spotted, bringing eels and other sea life to the surface for air. The...
The entire Calusa Waterkeeper team is proud to present this special Commemorative Anniversary Issue magazine, recognizing our 25-year history, starting as Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association – Riverwatch (CRCA) in 1995. This expanded souvenir newsletter is...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 14 An update from Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani regarding the cyanobacteria bloom on Lake Okeechobee and other local water quality issues. Thank you to pilots Ralph Arwood and Roy Plackis of LightHawk Conservation...
Saharan Dust may Impact Southwest Florida Coastal Waters Originally published by WINK News on June 23, 2020 A gigantic dust column from Africa’s Sahara Desert has traveled thousands of miles and will eventually settle over the U.S. The dust is so thick it can be seen...
Saharan Dust could Ramp Up Red Tide off our Coast Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 22, 2020 Southwest Florida’s coastline has steered clear from red tide and blue-green algae so far this year. Plus, for the most part, the Caloosahatchee River is nice...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 19, 2020 A blue-green algae bloom has taken over more than half of Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of the historic Everglades. Satellite photos show the 720-square-mile lake as being mostly covered with a...
Originally published in Cape Coral Daily Breeze by Meghan Bradbury on June 12, 2020 While Calusa Waterkeeper is celebrating its silver anniversary, the organization says it has a long way to go to fulfill its mission of protecting and restoring the Caloosahatchee...
Current Administration may be Planning for Offshore Drilling After the Election Originally published by FOX4 News on June 11, 2020 This year marks a decade after the disastrous BP Oil Spill. Now, multiple sources say the president’s administration is preparing to push...
Originally published in The News-Press by Karl Schneider and Amy Bennett Williams on June 11, 2020 Early summer in Southwest Florida means spiking water pollution. Starting in late May, subtropical rains sweep a winter’s worth of discards into area waterways. Near the...
Calusa Waterkeeper Tests for Source of Billy’s Creek Contamination Originally published by WINK News on June 10, 2020 Fecal bacteria contamination in Billy’s Creek has been a concern for years, and a local group, Calusa Waterkeeper, is working to fix the problem. They...
‘Staggering’ Amount of Fecal Bacteria Found in Billy’s Creek in Fort Myers Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 10, 2020 “What’s in the water? That’s the question members of Calusa Waterkeeper set out to answer Wednesday...
Water Quality Testing Aims to Help Protect Community On Wednesday, June 10, Calusa Waterkeeper will conduct the first phase of a study to determine the source of the fecal bacteria contamination of Billy’s Creek. Fecal contamination has been a significant health risk...
SWFL clean water non-profit takes stock and looks to the future Springing from humble origins, spawned by a handful of grassroots working men and women stepping up to adopt an orphaned river, Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association – the predecessor to today’s...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 13 In this episode, John updates us on cyanobacteria blooms that have been detected in Lake O and in the Caloosahatchee. The area is seeing macro algae becoming more abundant. Elevated levels of fecal bacteria are responsible for...
Runoff from Construction Sites Enter Caloosahatchee River Originally published by WINK News on June 4, 2020 Construction runoff has been getting into the Caloosahatchee River recently and residents and professionals alike have noticed murky patches. John Cassani, with...
Originally published in Florida Weekly on June 3, 2020 Water. From the grand rivers, coastal sounds and bays throughout the region, to the creeks and canals that meander through our neighborhoods, to the glistening Gulf of Mexico, water is in so many ways a crucial...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 3, 2020 More than a dozen states and several environmental groups are hoping a California judge will soon stop a move to open half the nation’s wetlands and streams to potential development and...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 30, 2020 On any given day, Calusa Waterkeeper members might be flying over the Caloosahatchee scanning for algae, sampling its urban tributary creeks for fecal bacteria, crunching water quality...
Everglades Restoration Project may be Delayed Originally published by NBC-2 News on May 18, 2020 “Delay is a recurring theme of Everglades restoration,” said Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani. A delay may be on the way after the US Army Corps of Engineers...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 12 On this Words From the Waterkeeper, John updates us on the uptick of cyanobacteria in Lake Okeechobee and surrounding areas along with a lot of macro algae building up. Plus, we’re still seeing high salinity levels in the...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 8, 2020 For more than a month, the Caloosahatchee has been in trouble, after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cut flows to the river from Lake Okeechobee in April, following the driest March on...
Blue Green Algae Spotted Along SWFL Beaches Originally published by FOX4 News on May 5, 2020 A form of blue-green algae is appearing along Southwest Florida beaches. While it’s not red-tide, some researches have concerns. This week, patches of Trichodesmium blooms...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on April 30, 2020 With the height of algae season still months away, warm weather water woes are already starting to make their presence felt in Southwest Florida. From sludgy scum hugging Matlacha pilings...
