Originally published on WINK News by Claire Galt on June 12, 2025 Lee County is experiencing rapid growth, which raises concerns about infrastructure and environmental impacts. Commissioners recently approved Neal Communities’ plan to build nearly 1,100 homes on...
In an effort to keep children and families informed of troubled waters in Manuel’s Branch and other local waterbodies, Calusa Waterkeeper is hosting a Water Quality & Human Health Public Meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The event will...
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on August 22, 2024 Water is so important to us in Southwest Florida. Water not only feeds our economy, but it also gives us recreation. But what is in our water? Every month the Calusa Waterkeeper tests our water for...
Originally published on NBC-2 by Rachel Whelan on August 15, 2024 New images from a local environmental organization are showing shocking water quality conditions off our coast. Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce is documenting our water conditions in the wake of...
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on August 14, 2024 A little over a week ago, Hurricane Debby dumped millions of gallons of water across Southwest Florida. Now question is what is in that water and what is it doing to our environment as it pushes out...
Originally published on Fox4 by Domingo Murray on August 13, 2024 “We’ve had dead fish at the shoreline, many times, not a whole lot… about a dozen times in 30 years,” he said. Tuesday morning Talbott called FOX4 about the issue, so we reached...
Originally published on WINK-TV by Camila Pereira on June 11, 2024 WINK News reporter Camila Pereira met with the Calusa Waterkeeper Cody Pierce to discuss how the recent rainfall could affect the water quality in Southwest Florida. Pierce said that while the rain is...
Originally published on Fox4 by Bella Line on May 29, 2024 Heat that affects more than just the air and land. Codty Pierce, the Calusa Waterkeeper, says his organization has recorded water temps in the low 90s which is rare this time of year. “We’ve seen...
Originally published on NBC-2 by Muhammad Abdul Qawee on May 3, 2024 Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce responded to a fish kill report at the preserve, he saw a school of fish at least 30 to 40. The smell is still in the air, despite the fish being removed from the...
Originally released by Captiva Community Panel in association with Protect Captiva Representing the Protect Captiva coalition, the Captiva Civic Association (CCA) filed a petition with Lee County on Jan. 8 challenging the new land development regulations that increase...
Originally published by The News-Press on September 29, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams Don’t go in the water warns Lee County’s health department: There’s too much fecal bacteria and it might make you sick. According to routine tests Thursday, Bowditch...
Originally published by The News-Press on March 17, 2023 by Chad Gillis The latest red tide to blanket Southwest Florida seems to be losing strength in Lee and Collier counties as higher brevetoxin counts have been reported in the Tampa Bay area in recent days....
Originally published by The News-Press on February 3, 2023 by Chad Gillis Some tributaries flowing into the Caloosahatchee River and Estero Bay are polluted with fecal coliform bacteria, with counts going well above criteria used to determine whether or not a beach is...
Red Tide Lurking in Southwest Florida Originally published by FOX4 News on January 27, 2023 The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 69 samples collected from and offshore of Southwest Florida over the past week. Bloom concentrations (>100,000...
Originally published by WINK News on November 21, 2022 Red tide is appearing up and down the Southwest Florida coastline, but is it an issue you should be concerned with? These are pictures of where the cleaner water ends and the red tide begins. The Calusa...
Originally published by The News-Press on November 15, 2022 by Chad Gillis A red tide bloom that’s been lingering off the coast of Sarasota and Charlotte counties has made it to Lee County waters, where fish kills are being reported at some local beaches. Red...
Originally published by FOX4 News on July 20, 2022 Last week, Fox 4 told you about high fecal bacteria found at Bonita Beach which led to the Florida Department of Health to advise against swimming in the water. The Calusa Waterkeepers, a local conservation group,...
The Board and staff of Calusa Waterkeeper wish to extend our sincerest condolences for the recent passing of Frank Mann. In honor of the important work that Mr. Mann did while he served as a Lee County Commissioner and other public offices, and after receiving...
Manatees Flock to Warmer Waters During Cool Spells Originally published by WINK News on November 24, 2021 As the temperature in Southwest Florida drops, visitors head to Lee County’s Manatee Park in hopes of running into sea cows. The mammals migrate toward warm...
Health Alert and Warning of Blue-Green Algae Issued for Alva Boat Ramp in Lee County Originally published by WINK News on April 22, 2021 The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is issuing a health alert for the Alva Boat Ramp based on reports of algae toxins...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 11, 2019 Jevontae Jones knows Billy’s Creek isn’t clean, but on a June afternoon, that’s not enough to stop him from tossing a shrimp-baited line into its dark waters in hopes of hooking dinner....
The ill-conceived Eden Oaks development moves forward with a Lee County zoning hearing scheduled for April 23rd. Calusa Waterkeeper (CWK) has opposed this development located in mangrove wetlands along Shell Point Boulevard in South Fort Myers. This is the type of...
As reported by Amy Bennett Williams of The News-Press on Mar 27, 2019. Chainsaws growling, workers have started taking big bites out of the tangle of exotic plants that have all but choked off Mullock Creek in south Lee County. With headwaters just east of U.S. 41...
Bacteria sampling results from Billy’s Creek in Fort Myers on 3-15-19. Serious contamination occurs, especially in the upper reaches. The result from station BC-9, near Ortiz Avenue is the highest we have seen since sampling began: 172 times the EPA Beach Action...
Originally published in The News-Press by Sarah Jarvis on February 19, 2019. Lee County approved an agreement with Cape Coral on Tuesday in an attempt to help restore water flow into Matlacha Pass and the Caloosahatchee River. The agreement establishes the...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on December 1, 2018 Southwest Florida’s recent toxic algae blooms were unprecedented in scope, persistence and sheer nastiness. Also unprecedented was how Lee County disposed of some of the crud, shown by...
