Pictured from left to right: Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper Justin Tramble, and Waterkeeper Alliance representative Patience Burke The Calusa Waterkeeper organization wishes to thank our friends and partners at Tampa Bay Waterkeeper for...
Originally published by WINK News on July 26, 2023 Water infested with blue-green algae is not safe to swim in, play in or drink because of harmful toxins. Although, far less is known about what’s in the air regarding those same algae outbreaks. Nevertheless, one...
We thank You for being a part of the Calusa Waterkeeper family, following our accomplishments and investing in our work. On this Giving Thanks Thursday, we need to raise $50,000 to continue our prioritized water and air testing, especially now as dangerous Red Tide...
All of us in Southwest Florida have been impacted to some degree by Hurricane Ian. The catastrophic damage left in its wake has been life changing. Calusa Waterkeeper is committed to keeping our residents informed about water quality. With that in mind, we are...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on October 12, 2022 There’s no debate that Hurricane Ian was a disaster for Southwest Florida, leaving many homeless and thousands without power. But for right now, an ecological disaster is still unfolding, as pollution pouring into...
Originally published by ABC-7 News on September 26, 2022 Fecal bacteria is back in Lee County waters, and it’s worse than you think. Over the weekend, the Calusa Waterkeeper, an environmental watchdog in Lee County, surveyed recreational waterways around Lee County...
Originally published by Pine Island Eagle on July 21, 2022 The Harmful Algae Bloom Task Force met Wednesday, July 13, to discuss possible pertinent information on local water quality, in case it affects public health on Pine Island. The group is made up of a...
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,...
Calusa Waterkeeper Finds High Levels of Bacteria in Billy’s Creek Originally published by WINK News on April 20, 2022 A creek isn’t clearing up after years of problems. The Calusa Waterkeeper says there’s a high level of contamination in Billy Creek. The place...
Cousins Ava Spencer and Aydin Khan-Bridgers love the outdoors and spending time on the water in Southwest Florida. They’ve created the Paddle Project to raise awareness of degrading water quality in Pine Island Sound. The pair will be making multiple day trips,...
Billy’s Creek Enterococci Sampling Results, January 2021 Calusa Waterkeeper sampling results for enterococci bacteria on 1-23-21. Levels above 70 MPN represent a threshold for poor conditions that could cause FDOH to close a coastal beach. Unfortunately, FDOH...
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...
Originally published in The Pine Island Eagle by Paulette LeBlanc on February 12, 2020 The Greater Pine Island Civic Association held its monthly meeting Feb. 4 at the Elks Club, and the group covered a number of topics from board candidates, to the Calusa...
CWK Ranger Profile – Maggie Stevens Professional and personal background: I was a School District of Lee County employee for over 30 years, the majority in the Early Childhood Department. In my last four years, I served as principal of Early Childhood and the...
With the exception of Powell Creek in North Fort Myers, it’s good to see fecal indicator bacteria remain at such low levels from our most recent testing of area waterways. The dominating high-pressure system that has brought us hot temperatures and dry...
With the exception of Billy’s Creek, it’s good to see fecal indicator bacteria decline to low levels. A couple of weeks with minimal stormwater runoff and potentially lower groundwater levels are likely responsible for declining bacteria. Some residents...
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...
