Originally published by TC Palm on January 5, 2022. It’s a textbook Florida morning at a ranch just north of Lake Okeechobee. Cattle roam. Herons and egrets hunt for food. Clouds mosey across the sky. But beneath this idyllic scene, a silent byproduct lurks....
What Lies Beneath? Study Aims to Learn What’s in Lake O’s Sediment Originally published by WINK News on December 15, 2021 A study is underway to find out what’s below the surface of Lake Okeechobee. Think of our water quality and the lake as a puzzle. There are many...
Originally published by Florida Weekly on December 15, 2021 This hasn’t happened in years: Floridians are in agreement, a rarity anywhere these days, about any subject. Democrats and Republicans are in agreement, somewhat. People from the state’s east and west...
Originally published by The News-Press on December 6, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams The bad news: Toxic blue-green algae are blooming in the Caloosahatchee near a popular boat ramp. The good news: We’ve been warned. On Monday, Lee County’s health department placed a...
Health Alert Issued in Fort Myers Shores for Blue-Green Algae Outbreak in Caloosahatchee Originally published by WINK News on December 6, 2021 The Florida Department of Health has issued a health alert after finding harmful blue-green algae toxins in the...
Guest Editorial originally published by The News-Press on December 2, 2021 and written by Nicole Johnson, Director of Environmental Policy for Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Marjory Stoneman Douglas famously penned one of the greatest books ever written on the...
Originally published by Naples Daily News on December 2, 2021 by Karl Schneider The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has filed documents supporting its appeal to overturn a court decision rejecting the group’s challenge to the development of Rivergrass, a village in...
Originally published by The News-Press on November 26, 2021 by Chad Gillis Caloosahatchee River flows are looking good at a time when algae is absent from the entire system, and other health indicators seem promising as the region transitions into the brunt of the dry...
Manatees Flock to Warmer Waters During Cool Spells Originally published by WINK News on November 24, 2021 As the temperature in Southwest Florida drops, visitors head to Lee County’s Manatee Park in hopes of running into sea cows. The mammals migrate toward warm...
Guest Editorial originally published by The News-Press on November 3, 2021 and written by John Cassani Florida passed landmark legislation in 1985 titled the Florida Right To Know Law (RTK). The RTK requires employers to provide adequate notice to employees regarding...
Originally published by The News-Press on November 3, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams with contributions by Chad Gillis & Karl Schneider Florida’s soaring population is good for business, but there may be a hidden price: the health of the state’s...
Calusa Waterkeeper Announces Public Premiere of Waterborne Documentary and Expert Panel Discussion Waterborne is a Film that Explores the Contamination and Toxins Found in Regional Waterbodies People have a right to know what is in the water and the potential health...
Florida Bill Wants Signs Posted by Creeks and Waters Contaminated by Fecal Bacteria Originally published by WINK News on October 25, 2021 A new bill is calling for warning signs about what’s lurking underneath the surface of Florida’s waterways. If the Safe Waterways...
Originally published by The News-Press on October 27, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams Are you splashing in poopy water if you roll your kayak in the Imperial River, take a tumble from––— your paddleboard into Whiskey Creek or wade in to untangle a bream snagged around a...
Originally published by The News-Press on October 26, 2021 by Chad Gillis and Amy Bennett Williams Dozens of scientists, environmental groups, elected officials and agency heads met online Tuesday to talk about recent changes to a still controversial plan to govern...
Calusa Waterkeeper Supports SB 604 / HB 393 to Provide Broader and Consistent Public Notification of Fecal Contaminated Waterways Residents and tourists come to Florida’s iconic waters for recreation and enjoyment, but unfortunately many state waterways have become...
Report Shines Spotlight on Southwest Florida’s Water Issues Originally published by WINK News on October 25, 2021 A state report shows trouble in Southwest Florida’s water. Scientists warn that areas of our water are polluted with nutrients and bacteria. While the...
Originally published by The News-Press on October 24, 2021 by Amy Bennett Williams What’s been long suspected now is official: Southwest Florida’s most cherished waters are in trouble. From Charlotte Harbor south to San Carlos Bay, a draft state report shows...
Originally published by The News-Press on October 15, 2021 by Chad Gillis A proposed Lake Okeechobee management plan is still drawing concerns from state water managers and the public as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to finalize what’s called the...
Originally published by The News-Press on October 8, 2021 by Chad Gillis The public will soon get a chance to see models the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been using to formulate a controversial Lake Okeechobee management plan that will be in place for more than a...
Originally published by The News-Press by Chad Gillis and Amy Bennett Williams on October 7, 2021 A new plan to regulate Lake Okeechobee’s water levels and outflows is nearly complete. It’s also a complete mess, or a good plan, or simply flawed, depending...
Originally published by WGCU News on September 29, 2021 The nonprofit Calusa Waterkeeper has a new Executive Director. Trisha Botty most recently served as Head of Social Impact and Connectivity at Collaboratory in Fort Myers. Her background includes positions in...
Originally published by WGCU News on September 27, 2021 Fort Myers is set to spend over $60 million to improve the water quality in the Caloosahatchee River. The city already accepted blame for repeatedly dumping untreated wastewater into waterways after the...
Calusa Waterkeeper Welcomes Trisha Botty as its New Executive Director Community advocate steps up to fight for clean water and protection of our waterways FORT MYERS, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2021) — The Board of Directors of Calusa Waterkeeper is pleased to announce the...
Originally published by Florida Weekly on August 25, 2021 One recent August day, a wandering ecologist named John Cassani found himself bumping up onto Mound Key Archaeological State Park in the middle of the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. There, the Calusa Indians once...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on August 23, 2021 New images from the Calusa Waterkeeper taken from an airplane show large plumes of discolored water coming from Estero Bay at Big Carlos Pass. They said the images show runoff from recent rains and are indicative...
Red Tide Leading to Fish Kills off Coast of Southwest Florida Originally published by FOX4 News on August 23, 2021 Calusa Waterkeeper posted pictureS on Facebook showing a line of dead fish from red tide. The pictures taken by Ralph Arwood show the white lines of dead...
Red Tide Sticking Around Longer Could Cause More Damage Originally published by WINK News on August 22, 2021 A Facebook post from the Calusa Waterkeeper shows that areas from Sarasota to Sanibel are being impacted by red tide toxins. The photos were taken between Boca...
Red Tide Bloom Apparent off of Placida in Charlotte County Originally published by WINK News on August 19, 2021 A red tide bloom is affecting Placida in Charlotte County. The area has lots of dead fish and the water is dark and murky. “We’re seeing an increase of...
Originally published by The News-Press on August 15, 2021 by Chad GIllis Are our wetlands in danger? A former high-ranking Florida Department of Environmental Protection official says more wetlands are being targeted for development now than just nine months ago, when...
