Originally published in Pine Island Eagle on March 31, 2021 by Paulette LeBlanc First Officer Peter Karas of the St. James City Boat Club wants everyone to be aware of the second annual Clean Water Week, which kicked off Saturday, March 20. According to Karas, about...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 26 This week’s report talks about water levels of Lake Okeechobee, ongoing red tide blooms and cyanobacteria in the Caloosahatchee. Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani, also updates us on the manatee mortality rate, mentioned in...
Originally published in The News-Press on March 23, 2021 by Chad Gillis Coastal urbanization is the top factor driving pollution from the Tampa Bay area south to Collier County, and the water quality in many of those counties declined over a recent three-year period....
An Op-Ed written by John Cassani and originally published in The News-Press on March 10, 2021 For generations, Floridians have worshiped Florida’s iconic waters. They are likely the reason many people came to Florida, to swim, fish, paddle, ski, dive and enjoy all...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 25 This week, John Cassani brings on local advocate, Cat Chase, to talk about phosphate mining and radioactive phosphogypsum toxic waste. Calusa Waterkeeper, among many other groups locally and across the nation, legally petitioned...
Originally published by The News-Press on February 13, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams. For decades, the city of Fort Myers has polluted its surrounding waters, often with raw sewage. Now, a reckoning is at hand. After months of investigation and negotiation with the...
Fort Myers City Leaders Seek Answers in DEP Fine Originally published by FOX4 News on February 11, 2021 “I’m tired of kicking this can down the road,” Fort Myers City Councilman Johnny Streets tells FOX 4. The “can” he’s referring to is getting...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on February 10, 2021 The City Of Fort Myers is allegedly facing a fine of more than $500,000 for the “repeated discharge of wastewater” into Billy’s Creek and Caloosahatchee River. Fort Myers Mayor, Kevin Anderson, said that the City...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on February 9, 2021 What can grow up to 10 feet long, weigh 200 pounds and is armored like a tank? The Amazonian river monster, the Arapaima. Over the weekend, a woman walking through Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park came across an enormous...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 24 Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani updates us on manatee mortality rates and how these local creatures are being impacted in our area. Manatee mortality for January 2021 (1-1-21 to 1-29-21) is 176. This equals a rate of 6.1 per...
Group Calls for More Signs to Indicate What’s in Local Waterways Originally published by FOX4 News on January 29, 2021 One benefit to living in Southwest Florida is the opportunity to enjoy life on or near the water. While we often think of beaches when we think...
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...
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...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 22 For the final episode of 2020, Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani takes the time to thank all those that help make Calusa Waterkeeper possible. This couldn’t happen without the generous support from all of you. Thank...
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...
Fort Myers Leaders & Environmental Groups Collaborate for Billy’s Creek Clean-up Originally published by FOX4 News on Decemeber 14, 2020 The contaminated water in Billy’s Creek today, is not the same water Councilman Johnny Streets remembers seeing as a...
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 November 13, 2020 There is brown water working its way into the Caloosahatchee River. It’s happening next to two construction sites off West First Street in Downtown Fort Myers. James Douglass with Florida Gulf Coast University’s...
As seen in a News-Press Op-Ed submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper The importance and overwhelming support for the “Right To Clean Water” Charter Amendment passed by Orange County voters on November 3, should not be underestimated. The ballot question, linked...
Dramatic Images Show Lake Okeechobee Releases Meeting Gulf near Sanibel Originally published by WINK News on November 2, 2020 There are new concerns for Southwest Florida water quality. New aerial images show the Lake Okeechobee water discharges reaching the Gulf of...
Federal Judge orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider toxic algae when releasing water from Lake Okeechobee FORT MYERS, FL. (Oct. 29, 2020) – Calusa Waterkeeper is proud to be involved with a recent win in federal court regarding the management of Lake...
Originally published in The News-Press October 27, 2020 The Cape Coral Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 12 Award Recipients for the fourth annual Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly Awards, also known as the ENPYs. The finest nonprofit...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 20 This week, John Cassani reminds us of the importance to get out and VOTE! Review our candidate questionnaires for both City of Fort Myers and City of Cape Coral...
As seen in a Naples Daily News Guest Opinion submitted by KC Schulberg, Executitve Director of Calusa Waterkeeper It’s boom time again in Southwest Florida. Home sales have shot up as folks fled the close-quartered Covid-ridden cities up North for the promise of...
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...
For many years, Calusa Waterkeeper has been advocating about alarmingly high levels of fecal indicator bacteria in Billy’s Creeks in Fort Myers. Recently our Billy’s Creek committee has engaged in a number of meetings with City of Fort Myers Council and...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 19 This week, John Cassani informs us that the Army Corps of Engineers recently announced they may have to start discharging Lake Okeechobee water into the Caloosahatchee. Plus, there has been a recent fish kill in Bonita Springs...
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the designation of the Estero Bay tributaries as Outstanding Florida Waters. To commemorate the occasion, Calusa Waterkeeper will present “Saving Estero Bay,” an online benefit to restore Estero Bay’s tributaries. The evening...
Expert Sends Cape Coral Water Sample to be Tested for Blue-Green Algae Originally published by WINK News on Septtember 11, 2020 Neighbors who live nearby the Shaughnessey canal in Cape Coral are concerned now that it might have fallen victim to a blue-green algae...
