Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 15 Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani talks water temperatures in the mid to high 90s in back bays which is creating hypoxic conditions. Plus, an update on the Lake Okeechobee cyanobacteria bloom, and a massive trichodesmium bloom...
Florida Waterkeepers Urge State Task Force to Take Action After massive and recurring blue-green algae blooms in Florida waters that resulted in multiple “states of emergency” issued by then-Governor Rick Scott in 2016 and 2018, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH)...
The entire Calusa Waterkeeper team is proud to present this special Commemorative Anniversary Issue magazine, recognizing our 25-year history, starting as Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association – Riverwatch (CRCA) in 1995. This expanded souvenir newsletter is...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 14 An update from Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani regarding the cyanobacteria bloom on Lake Okeechobee and other local water quality issues. Thank you to pilots Ralph Arwood and Roy Plackis of LightHawk Conservation...
SB 712: A Watered-Down Bill that Will Not Fix our Water Quality Issues Governor DeSantis just signed into law SB 712 – the self-proclaimed “Clean Waterways Act” – an ambitious misnomer for a bill that claims to be the solution to our mounting water quality...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 19, 2020 A blue-green algae bloom has taken over more than half of Lake Okeechobee, the liquid heart of the historic Everglades. Satellite photos show the 720-square-mile lake as being mostly covered with a...
‘Staggering’ Amount of Fecal Bacteria Found in Billy’s Creek in Fort Myers Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 10, 2020 “What’s in the water? That’s the question members of Calusa Waterkeeper set out to answer Wednesday...
In lieu of holding a general membership meeting in April 2020 and doing our part to avoid large group gatherings, the Calusa Waterkeeper board proceeded with filling open board positions at our directors meeting in May. We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you...
SWFL clean water non-profit takes stock and looks to the future Springing from humble origins, spawned by a handful of grassroots working men and women stepping up to adopt an orphaned river, Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association – the predecessor to today’s...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 13 In this episode, John updates us on cyanobacteria blooms that have been detected in Lake O and in the Caloosahatchee. The area is seeing macro algae becoming more abundant. Elevated levels of fecal bacteria are responsible for...
Originally published in Florida Weekly on June 3, 2020 Water. From the grand rivers, coastal sounds and bays throughout the region, to the creeks and canals that meander through our neighborhoods, to the glistening Gulf of Mexico, water is in so many ways a crucial...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 30, 2020 On any given day, Calusa Waterkeeper members might be flying over the Caloosahatchee scanning for algae, sampling its urban tributary creeks for fecal bacteria, crunching water quality...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 12 On this Words From the Waterkeeper, John updates us on the uptick of cyanobacteria in Lake Okeechobee and surrounding areas along with a lot of macro algae building up. Plus, we’re still seeing high salinity levels in the...
Blue Green Algae Spotted Along SWFL Beaches Originally published by FOX4 News on May 5, 2020 A form of blue-green algae is appearing along Southwest Florida beaches. While it’s not red-tide, some researches have concerns. This week, patches of Trichodesmium blooms...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 11 On this Words From the Waterkeeper, John updates us on cyanobacteria in the Caloosahatchee and the impacts the Caloosahatchee & estuaries are experiencing due to below minimum flow level needed from Lake...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on April 20, 2020 Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection is investigating the city of Fort Myers a month after a massive spill sent more than 180,000 gallons of raw sewage down a neighborhood...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on April 9, 2020 Lake Okeechobee levels are falling, the Caloosahatchee River is running salty and there is a looming drought that may stay in place for another six weeks. The surface of Lake Okeechobee has...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 10 Words From the Waterkeeper is back! John reports on algal bloom activity in the area, SFWMD governing board meeting, reduced minimum flow threshold for the Caloosahatchee estuary, local sewage spills, and recent federal...
183,000 Gallons of Raw Sewage Spilled and now Winding Through the Caloosahatchee Originally published by WINK News on March 19, 2020 A whopping 183,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into your water and now it’s winding its way through the Caloosahatchee. Crews are...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on March 19, 2020 With its historic homes and royal palm-lined streets, the McGregor Boulevard neighborhood through which Manuels Branch meanders typifies old Fort Myers graciousness. That is, until you...
Calusa Palooza and Concert for Clean Water Postponed Dear Friends – As the Executive Director of Calusa Waterkeeper, I am making a personal appeal to you in these challenging times. Calusa Palooza, originally scheduled for March 22, was intended as a good time...
Originally published in The News-Press by Bill Smith on March 12, 2020 The state Department of Environmental Protection has given final denial to an application from the city of Cape Coral for a permit to tear down the Chiquita Lock near Cape Harbour in the southwest...
Local non-profit will continue to spotlight human health and safety impacts of declining water quality. Calusa Waterkeeper (CWK) is pleased to have received a substantial grant from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation for health & safety initiatives. As...
As seen in a News-Press Op-Ed submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper Ineffective water quality legislation is the source of the age-old adage “the solution to pollution is dilution.” Apparently the dilution part it isn’t out of vogue with the Florida...
Calusa Waterkeeper Event Focuses on Fun & Water Quality Water quality takes center stage as Calusa Waterkeeper presents Calusa Palooza 2020, a day-long, family-friendly, water-themed festival culminating with a double-header rock show. The festival and “Concert...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on February 07, 2020 The federal government set aside $200 million for Everglades restoration for 2020, but some South Florida environmental groups say it’s not enough to fix the ailing World Heritage Site....
Now that we number 82 volunteer Rangers (covering 1000 square miles of water in our watershed), it is not feasible for us all to meet on a monthly basis. So, the various Ranger Zones meet monthly, and every three months we gather members of our entire Ranger program...
Originally published in The News-Press by Bill Smith on December 16, 2019 A state administrative law judge has recommended that the state environmental agency reverse its decision and deny Cape Coral a permit needed to remove the Chiquita Lock. The lock, at Cape...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett-Williams on November 21, 2019 Aside from a few lawyers, it’d be hard to find anyone to disagree that Maggy Hurchalla is the real deal: real Floridian, real environmentalist, real storyteller, real character. As the...
Conservation Groups Send a Letter Urging Florida Officials to Set Water-quality Standards for the Harmful Toxins in Algal Blooms. The groups are calling on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to establish legal limits for cyanotoxins that pose severe...
