Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on March 10, 2021 A state agency charged with managing the region’s waters spent millions of dollars on the Caloosahatchee and other reservoirs as well as smaller projects expected to improve water quality in...
One Million Gallons of Untreated Wastewater Spilled in Charlotte County Originally published by WINK News on March 2, 2021 A million gallons of untreated wastewater spilled in a Southwest Florida county, in the middle of crews working to improve the area’s sewage...
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...
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...
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 in The News-Press by Bill Smith on February 9, 2021 Fort Myers is facing more than $500,000 in civil penalties for repeated discharge of untreated wastewater into waterways, including Billy’s Creek and the Caloosahatchee River, and for other...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on February 9, 2021 Septic tank leakage is one of the top causes of damaging nutrients flowing to Florida’s ailing waterways, but the state is looking to cut down on that pollution through a $100 million...
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...
Lake O Releases Being Sent to Caloosahatchee to Avoid Wet Season Problems Originally published by WINK News on February 1, 2021 More water from Lake Okeechobee is scheduled to be sent to the Caloosahatchee River, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to increase...
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...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett-Williams on January 28, 2021 A car crash spilled 1,000 gallons of wastewater at the gated Magnolia Landing community Wednesday night in North Fort Myers, but the area has been cleaned and disinfected, officials...
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...
Originally published in The News-Press by Craig Handel on January 14, 2021 When boat owners from across the country make a seasonal visit to Lee County docks, they’ll receive bling bags. The idea comes from America’s Boating Club of Fort Myers, which has been around...
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...
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 in The Gainesville Sun by Guest Columnist, Jim Carroll on December 7, 2020 Florida’s waterways have been choked by blue-green algae and red tide for years, and are now on life support. On July 2, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Clean Waterways Act”...
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,...
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...
Originally published in Fort Myers Beach Observer & Bulletin by Nathan Mayberg on November 13, 2020 In a way, K.C. Schulberg was born to play this part. He calls it “coming full circle.” The executive director of the Calusa Waterkeeper has enjoyed some successes...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on November 12, 2020 Once again, two construction sites have dumped polluted stormwater into the Caloosahatchee in downtown Fort Myers. Barriers around the work sites failed to contain the dirty runoff...
Originally published in Keys News by Theresa Java on November 12, 2020 A federal judge ruled recently that water discharges from Lake Okeechobee managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are to be evaluated to make sure they’re not harmful to native and protected...
Originally published in WGCU Media by Valerie Vande Panne on November 9, 2020 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began releasing large discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers ahead of tropical storm Eta. That could be...
What Impacts Could Tropical Storm Eta have on Lake Okeechobee and Water Releases? Originally published by WINK News on November 4, 2020 As we continue to watch Tropical Storm Eta’s track, we’re looking at the impact it could have on Southwest Florida water. If Eta...
