Originally published by The News-Press on April 15, 2022 by Amy Bennett Williams Just as it took decades before smoking was recognized as a cancer trigger, it’s taken until recently for science to firmly link nitrogen pollution to the persistence of red tide. But a...
Originally published by The News-Press on March 10, 2022 by Amy Bennett Williams The fliers started showing up in Southwest Florida mailboxes this week. “Are toxic harmful algal blooms affecting your health? The University of Miami wants to know and needs your help.”...
Who We Are. What We Do. What We Have Accomplished. And, Calusa Waterkeeper’s Plans for the Future. WHO WE ARE: Calusa Waterkeeper and its supporters LOVE our waters and are fighting to protect human health, aquatic life, our local economy, and our piece of...
Originally published by The News-Press on November 26, 2021 by Chad Gillis Caloosahatchee River flows are looking good at a time when algae is absent from the entire system, and other health indicators seem promising as the region transitions into the brunt of the dry...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on August 23, 2021 New images from the Calusa Waterkeeper taken from an airplane show large plumes of discolored water coming from Estero Bay at Big Carlos Pass. They said the images show runoff from recent rains and are indicative...
Red Tide Leading to Fish Kills off Coast of Southwest Florida Originally published by FOX4 News on August 23, 2021 Calusa Waterkeeper posted pictureS on Facebook showing a line of dead fish from red tide. The pictures taken by Ralph Arwood show the white lines of dead...
Red Tide Sticking Around Longer Could Cause More Damage Originally published by WINK News on August 22, 2021 A Facebook post from the Calusa Waterkeeper shows that areas from Sarasota to Sanibel are being impacted by red tide toxins. The photos were taken between Boca...
Red Tide Bloom Apparent off of Placida in Charlotte County Originally published by WINK News on August 19, 2021 A red tide bloom is affecting Placida in Charlotte County. The area has lots of dead fish and the water is dark and murky. “We’re seeing an increase of...
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...
Originally published by The News-Press on May 24, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams As Lee County commissioners plead with the feds to protect the Caloosahatchee and its estuary from excessive Lake Okeechobee releases, health officials are cautioning people to stay away...
Red Tide Reported at Multiple Lee County Beaches Originally published by WINK News on May 14, 2021 Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) reported Friday red tide blooms near Tarpon Bay Road Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Lynn Hall Beach Park, Lover’s Key...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 28 Water quality updated from Barron Park in LaBelle. Calusa Waterkeeper, along with several environmental groups asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a State of Emergency for communities impacted by a growing blue-green algae...
Originally published in The News-Press on May 12, 2021 by Adam Regan Facing a significant threat growing toxic blue-green algae outbreak in the Lake Okeechobee system and a red tide in the Gulf of Mexico, Gov. Ron DeSantis stopped in Fort Myers. Here, he met with...
Originally published in The News-Press on May 10, 2021 by Chad Gillis Several environmental groups have asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency for communities impacted by what appears to be a growing toxic blue-green algae outbreak in the Lake...
Originally published by Naples Daily News on February 12, 2021 by Chad Gillis Lake Okeechobee levels are peaking at nearly 15.5 feet above sea level, but the Caloosahatchee River and its estuary are in a sweet spot when it comes to freshwater flows and proper salinity...
Originally published in Florida Insider by William P. on January 15, 2021 It’s back and smellier than ever. Dead fish are washing up along southwest Florida beaches bringing up major concerns for scientists, residents, and tourists along the Gulf Coast waters. As...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 23 This week, John discusses the red tide that we are still encountering in the Gulf and how it is impacting our wildlife and beaches. If you encounter a fish kill please report it to FWC fish kill hotline: 800-636-0511 If you...
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...
Red Tide Still Plaguing Southwest Florida Shores Originally published by WINK News on January 12, 2021 Dozens of vultures gathered on Bunche Beach on Tuesday feasting on dead fish that washed up on shore thanks to red tide. But further up the beach, Jerry Lightner, of...
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...
Studying How Highest Levels of Red Tide Affect People Along SWFL Coast Originally published by WINK News on January 1, 2021 A recent map shows the highest levels of red tide along Southwest Florida’s coast. But more research needs to be done to know just how it...
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...
Possible Red Tide Exposure Warning Prompted for Bonita Beach Park Originally published by WINK News on December 14, 2020 Monday, Florida Department of Health in Lee County sent a health alert advising red tide blooms could be present along the coast near Bonita Beach...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on December 11, 2020 It may not be killing fish or burning human throats yet, but red tide is lurking along Southwest Florida’s shoreline. Scientists sampling water for Karenia brevis, the microscopic...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on December 4, 2020 A non-profit organization dedicated to protecting waterways in Lee County took pictures of shorelines yesterday, Dec. 2 to show the effect of recent water releases from Lake Okeechobee. Earlier this week,...
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...
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...
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 Amy Bennett Williams on July 21, 2020 Those who lived through 2018’s summer knew Southwest Florida’s water was bad, but a new peer-reviewed scientific study helps clarify how bad. Just published in the journal Neurotoxicity...
Originally published by EurekAlert! on July 20, 2020 In 2018, cyanobacteria from nutrient-rich waters in Lake Okeechobee were released down the Caloosahatchee river at the same time that red tides were gathering along the Florida west coast, potentially exposing...
