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...
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...
Judge Orders Engineers Study Lake O Water Release Effects on Algal Blooms and Endangered Species Originally published by WINK News on October 29, 2020 Lake Okeechobee is going under the microscope to protect Florida’s endangered species and its habitat from toxic...
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 Pine Island Eagle by Paulette LeBlanc on October 28, 2020 Island resident and GPICA President Scott Wilkinson often finds himself running back and forth to Fort Myers to test the waters from Tropical Point Park in St. James City. After...
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...
Cape Coral seeks $2M in State Funding to Push for Chiquita Lock Removal Originally published by WINK News on October 26, 2020 The City of Cape Coral is moving forward with hopes to remove the controversial Chiquita Lock. The fight over whether the lock should be...
Originally published in The News-Press by Bill Smith on October 20, 2020 The city of Cape Coral stands ready to rally the public in the next legal battle to dismantle the Chiquita Lock, hiring lawyers who promise to use public involvement to convince regulators to get...
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...
Fecal Indicator Bacteria Found in Water at Pine Island Park Originally published by WINK News on October 13, 2020 Swimmers, beware: What’s in the water would not only make your stomach turn – it could make you sick. The water at a Pine Island park has tested positive...
Originally published in Fort Myers Beach Observer and Beach Bulletin on October 09, 2020 A great blue heron was “very lucky to be found” after he was discovered last week at Bowditch Point Park covered in oil, said Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)...
Water Releases from Lake Okeechobee to Begin Originally published by WINK News on October 9, 2020 The water level right now in Lake O is over 16 feet. Col. Andrew Kelly with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said releases from the lake will resume on Tuesday or...
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...
Researchers Take More Samples from Billy Creek in Fort Myers Originally published by WINK News on Septtember 30, 2020 The saga continues over water quality in a Fort Myers waterway. People are concerned about what’s in Billy Creek, so once again, researchers went out...
Originally published in Florida Weekly on September 23, 2020 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...
Originally published in The News-Press by Michael Chatman on September 21, 2020 On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Cape Coral Community Foundation will host the 4th annual ENPY Awards – Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly awards ceremony. Too often the ones doing the...
Lake O Releases to Caloosahatchee Expected soon due to Water Level Originally published by WINK News on Septtember 18, 2020 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is worried about how quickly the level of Lake Okeechobee is rising, and a way to fix that is to release the...
Originally published in Water and Wastes Digest by Cristina Tuser on September 14, 2020 Fort Myers, Florida officials are countering claims that bacteria is flowing from the Billy’s Creek watershed to the nearby Caloosahatchee River. The city public works...
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...
Originally published in WGCU Media on September 10, 2020 Back in 2018 this part of the state suffered two serious harmful algal blooms at the same time. The red tide bloom offshore met the blue-green algae bloom which stretched from the Caloosahatchee River estuary...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on September 9, 2020 Water pollution from two downtown Fort Myers construction sites has halted work for the third time in as many months. A heavy rainstorm Monday sent sheets of silty water into the...
Fort Myers Construction Sites Under Investigation Originally published by FOX4 News on Septtember 8, 2020 Two construction sites in downtown Fort Myers are facing scrutiny from the state Department of Environmental Protection and local leaders, after photos and...
