Originally published in The News-Press on April 21, 2021 by Chad Gillis State health officials released a public advisory Wednesday for the upper portion of the Caloosahatchee River estuary, saying the public should not swim there or touch the water. The Florida...
Originally published in The News-Press on April 17, 2021 by Chad Gillis Environmental groups and water quality experts are paying more attention to Lake Okeechobee as blue-green algae levels continue to spike in some areas of the system. The Florida Department of...
Water Quality Tested After Midge Flies Invade Areas of Lee County Originally published by WINK News on April 12, 2021 After swarms of midge flies invaded areas of Lee County, water quality was cited as a possible reason. The bugs covered walls and lanai screens,...
Originally published in The News-Press on April 7, 2021 by Chad Gillis Federal water managers slowed releases to both the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers over the weekend in an effort to slow Lake Okeechobee’s recession rate. Average flows to the...
Originally published in USA Today on April 6, 2021 by Chad Gillis and Zac Anderson Environmental groups worry that releases from the Piney Point wastewater treatment facility near Tampa Bay will eventually fuel an algae bloom that could harm areas of coastal Florida....
Officials Announce a Second Breach Concern in Florida Phosphate Reservoir Originally published by WINK News on April 5, 2021 A wastewater reservoir in Manatee County is on the verge of collapse. If the Piney Point reservoir collapses, a 20-foot wall of water is...
Hazardous Water Leaking from Retention Pond in Manatee County Might Impact Southwest Florida Originally published by WINK News on April 4, 2021 At the end of last week, hazardous water began leaking from a retention pond at a former phosphate processing plant in...
Originally published in The News-Press on April 4, 2021 by Chad Gillis Water quality throughout the historic Everglades has become more concerning for many scientists and environmental advocates in recent years as many of Florida’s ailing waterways continue to...
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...
Originally published in The News-Press on March 29, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams Fair is fair. That’s the message Lee County’s commission and all of its mayors hope the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes to heart as it makes future decisions about releasing polluted...
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....
Boaters Volunteer to Clean SWFL Waterways During Clean Water Week Originally published by WINK News on March 20, 2021 It is Clean Water Week and the St. James City Boat Club is joining the Calusa Waterkeeper to help clear debris and test the quality of the water in...
Originally released by the Center for Biological Diversity on March 19, 2021 A scientific study published this week concludes that Florida manatees are chronically exposed to glyphosate because of application of the pesticide to sugarcane and aquatic weeds. The study...
Originally published in The News-Press on March 19, 2021 by Chad Gillis Lake Okeechobee is at the center of the historic Everglades, and releases are conducted to the Caloosahatchee River regularly to help lower lake levels. Historically, the Caloosahatchee River was...
Congressman Byron Donalds Files Bill to Keep Federal Government Monitoring Algal Blooms Originally published by WINK News on March 18, 2021 Even during a possible government shutdown, Congressman Byron Donalds wants the federal government to continue monitoring...
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...
