Calusa Waterkeeper, a leading voice for clean water in Southwest Florida, is proud to announce its 30th Anniversary Celebration, set for Friday, January 24, 2025, from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers. This milestone event will...
Originally published in USA Today by Mary Kay Robbins-Kralapp and Howard Simon on December 14, 2024 In southwestern Florida, where the Caloosahatchee River empties into Pine Island Sound and Gulf of Mexico, three citizen advocates for clean water face crippling...
Originally published on Fox 4 by Anvar Ruziev on November 23, 2024 A recent report from the Calusa Waterkeeper highlights alarming levels of fecal bacteria in many Lee County waterways. Among the locations tested, Manuel Branch, a canal that runs near Cleveland Avenue...
Originally published by Bob Moro in the Nautical Mile on November 18, 2024 I know I speak for everyone at The Nautical Mile when I express my heartfelt sympathy for all in our community who have been battered by a succession of storms unprecedented in our history. I...
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on October 31, 2024 It’s a water quality double whammy. Southwest Florida waters are stained and potentially toxic as a red tide bloom rages offshore while freshwater bacteria levels are well above what the...
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on October 7, 2024 Chuck Avery grabbed a small glass jar and lid, attached it to the end of a pole and walked down the boat ramp at Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero. He scoops up water, three times, and dumps...
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 Boca Beacon by Garland Pollard on September 6, 2024 A half-million gallons of rainy sewage leaked onto the Gasparilla Island Water Authority plant grounds after Hurricane Debby. The spill was at 2:05 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5. It did not go into...
Recently, I was asked to speak on The Chamber of Southwest Florida’s water quality panel. The host, Peter Busch of NBC-2, asked each panelist to rate the current state of our water quality on a scale of 1-10. The responses from those directly responsible for...
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 in the Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on August 22, 2024 Once a taken-for-granted bankable asset, Southwest Florida’s degraded water quality is now a critical, contentious topic.. Water issues here have people scrambling for...
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 in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 13, 2024 Tropical Storm Debby played out similar to National Weather Service forecasts for Southwest Florida with impacts to homes, businesses, roads and cars. And although nature has evolved...
Originally published on NBC-2 by Rachel Whelan on July 26, 2024 Participants who complete the academy will graduate as Rangers, equipped to conduct water and air quality testing as certified citizen scientists. They will also serve as ambassadors of Calusa...
Ordered by Florida to clean up its act, Fort Myers works to fix its water pollution problem Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on July 21, 2024 With swelling demand straining its antique wastewater infrastructure, it’s no wonder...
Creek runs along Fort Myers landmarks where children, families gather and play Op-Ed originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Codty Pierce on July 7, 2024 As the Calusa Waterkeeper, it is my duty and that of our organization to protect and restore our...
Originally published in the Invading Sea by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Emeritus on July 1, 2024 Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the Safe Waterways Act, which was passed unanimously by the Florida Legislature Florida public health policy took a blow recently when Gov....
Originally published in Florida Weekly by Roger Williams on June 26, 2024 “The sheer amount of vessels on the water today directly impacts the habits and behaviors of our fishery, whether they are fishing or not,” says Capt. Codty Pierce, a career fishing guide and...
Originally published in the News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 17, 2024 Last year, several prominent environmental nonprofits withdrew from the case, after the city hired a law firm known for what Hannon calls “scorched earth” tactics designed to...
Originally published by Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on May 30, 2024 Bloom conditions and the presence of fecal coliform is only reported by the Florida Department of Health in Lee County when it occurs at places like Bonita Beach or Fort Myers Beach....
Calusa Waterkeeper is among five conservation organizations and the City of Stuart, Florida to petition the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on the dangerous algae bloom toxins that now routinely threaten the health of Floridians and wildlife. It has now...
Originally published on Beach Talk Radio on May 3, 2024 Calusa Waterkeeper has announced the start of the “Eyes on Seagrass” pilot program in Lee County, a program developed and managed by Florida Sea Grant in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of...
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on April 17, 2024 Sea grass is such an important part of our environment here in Southwest Florida. It provides habitat for our fish and food for our manatees. But unfortunately, that sea grass is going away and is being...
Originally published by Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on March 24, 2024 Codty Pierce pulls on one black glove (waste not, want not) then dips a lightbulb changing pole-turned-water sampler into the mangrove-lined canal. Once the small glass jar in its...
(Fort Myers, FL– March 19, 2024) – Calusa Waterkeeper, a leading environmental nonprofit organization committed to preserving and restoring the waterways in Southwest Florida, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Connie Ramos-Williams as its new Executive...
We’re excited to share that the Safe Waterways Act has been added to the Florida Senate’s Special Order Calendar for tomorrow, March 7, 2024! Background: Persistence in Tallahassee In 2021, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani started working with Florida...
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on March 4, 2024 Lake Okeechobee waters continue to blast out of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, and coastal Southwest Florida waters are starting to look like chocolate milk. Aerial images from...
Guest speaker is TV host, conservationist, and fishing guide Captain Benny Blanco. Cape Coral, FL – February 22, 2024 – Calusa Waterkeeper, a prominent environmental advocacy organization committed to preserving and protecting the water resources of the...
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on February 16, 2024 A district court judge ruled Friday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acted illegally when it gave Clean Water Act permitting over to the state of Florida. “After...
Originally published by The News-Press and written by Chad Gillis on February 14, 2024 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Saturday will begin large-scale Lake Okeechobee releases to the Caloosahatchee River due to high lake levels and continued El Nino conditions....
