by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 14, 2024 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Featured, Press
Originally published in USA Today by Mary Kay Robbins-Kralapp and Howard Simon on December 14, 2024 In southwestern Florida, where the Caloosahatchee River empties into Pine Island Sound and Gulf of Mexico, three citizen advocates for clean water face crippling...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 28, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published on Boca Beacon by Anna Ridilla on November 28, 2024 Experts are still watching red tide, but with winds, and cooler weather, the area may escape a bad season. The Calusa Waterkeeper has been seeing fluctuating results for red tide amounts, said...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 27, 2024 | Lake Okeechobee, Policy, Press
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on November 27, 2024 River advocates are concerned that too much fresh water could spoil the delicate estuary, which depends on the lake for fresh water during the dry season. The overall measurement for flows in...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 23, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox 4 by Anvar Ruziev on November 23, 2024 A recent report from the Calusa Waterkeeper highlights alarming levels of fecal bacteria in many Lee County waterways. Among the locations tested, Manuel Branch, a canal that runs near Cleveland Avenue...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 18, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by Ocean Grants on November 18, 2024 Harmful algal blooms have been at the center of Calusa Waterkeeper’s science-based advocacy initiatives exploring the impacts of water quality on human health, our economy, and quality of life. Originally...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 18, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press
Originally published by Bob Moro in the Nautical Mile on November 18, 2024 I know I speak for everyone at The Nautical Mile when I express my heartfelt sympathy for all in our community who have been battered by a succession of storms unprecedented in our history. I...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 4, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published on WINK News by Elizabeth Biro on November 4, 2024 A storm is churning and on track to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission red tide map shows background to low concentrations of it offshore...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 1, 2024 | Press
Fort Myers, FL – November 1, 2024 – Calusa Waterkeeper, a passionate champion for clean water in Southwest Florida for nearly three decades, is honored to be recognized as the 2024 Cox Conserves Heroes 2nd Place Nonprofit of the Year Winner. This award...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 31, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on October 31, 2024 It’s a water quality double whammy. Southwest Florida waters are stained and potentially toxic as a red tide bloom rages offshore while freshwater bacteria levels are well above what the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 29, 2024 | Press
Exciting Environmental Nonprofit Collaboration Brings Water to Life at the Nature Center. Fort Myers, FL – October 29, 2024 – Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium and Calusa Waterkeeper are excited to announce a new partnership that will enrich the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 7, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on October 7, 2024 Chuck Avery grabbed a small glass jar and lid, attached it to the end of a pole and walked down the boat ramp at Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero. He scoops up water, three times, and dumps...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 11, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on WGCU by Tom Bayles on September 11, 2024 “We test water bodies throughout our jurisdiction and that has been one area that routinely comes back extremely high,” said Connie Ramos-Williams, the director of Calusa Waterkeeper. “When we see things...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 9, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published in Gulfshore Business by John Guerra on September 9, 2024 Under LOSOM, if there’s an active red tide in the Gulf and blue-green algae in the lake, the Army Corps can decide against releasing water from the 730-square-mile freshwater lake until...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Sep 6, 2024 | Featured, Press, Stormwater
Originally published on Boca Beacon by Garland Pollard on September 6, 2024 A half-million gallons of rainy sewage leaked onto the Gasparilla Island Water Authority plant grounds after Hurricane Debby. The spill was at 2:05 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5. It did not go into...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 30, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Stormwater
Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 30, 2024 The waters in Matlacha Pass have cleared after post-Debby conditions caused a fish kill there. Tropical Storm Debby dropped several inches of rain across the region, and a lot of that...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 26, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 26, 2024 Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce said only time will tell how well LOSOM works for the Caloosahatchee River. “We have yet to see how things are going to react,” Pierce said....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 23, 2024 | Planning, Policy, Press
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on August 23, 2024 “If it starts to go into one place, even if this is on the opposite end of the coast from us, we have to really start thinking about the big picture,” said Codty Pierce, Calusa Waterkeeper...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 22, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on August 22, 2024 Water is so important to us in Southwest Florida. Water not only feeds our economy, but it also gives us recreation. But what is in our water? Every month the Calusa Waterkeeper tests our water for...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 22, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on August 22, 2024 Once a taken-for-granted bankable asset, Southwest Florida’s degraded water quality is now a critical, contentious topic.. Water issues here have people scrambling for...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 22, 2024 | Cape Coral Spreader Canals, Litigation, Press, Stormwater
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 22, 2024 Some environmental groups and residents fought the city over the issue, saying removing the lock will impact endangered species like the smalltooth sawfish, which breed and live near the lock....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 15, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Stormwater
Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 15, 2024 There’s a fish kill going on in Matlacha Pass, and some water experts think it’s due to a lack of oxygen in the water. Warm waters, the idea goes, have lowered oxygen...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 15, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Stormwater
Originally published on NBC-2 by Rachel Whelan on August 15, 2024 New images from a local environmental organization are showing shocking water quality conditions off our coast. Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce is documenting our water conditions in the wake of...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 14, 2024 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Stormwater
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on August 14, 2024 A little over a week ago, Hurricane Debby dumped millions of gallons of water across Southwest Florida. Now question is what is in that water and what is it doing to our environment as it pushes out...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 14, 2024 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Stormwater
Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on August 13, 2024 Tropical Storm Debby played out similar to National Weather Service forecasts for Southwest Florida with impacts to homes, businesses, roads and cars. And although nature has evolved...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Aug 13, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox4 by Domingo Murray on August 13, 2024 “We’ve had dead fish at the shoreline, many times, not a whole lot… about a dozen times in 30 years,” he said. Tuesday morning Talbott called FOX4 about the issue, so we reached...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 27, 2024 | Featured, Press
Originally published on NBC-2 by Rachel Whelan on July 26, 2024 Participants who complete the academy will graduate as Rangers, equipped to conduct water and air quality testing as certified citizen scientists. They will also serve as ambassadors of Calusa...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 26, 2024 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published in the News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 26, 2024 Heavy rains bring nutrient inputs from Lake Okeechobee, the upper Caloosahatchee watershed (which is largely agriculture) and urbanized areas like Fort Myers and Cape Coral. The nutrients can feed...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 26, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Press, Water Testing
‘Levels this high usually indicate sewage.’ Estero neighborhood grabbles with water problem Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Chad Gillis on July 25, 2024 The Estero River is a designated Outstanding Florida Waterway with the highest...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 25, 2024 | Events, Press
With more than 1,000 sq. miles of waterways to protect and restore in its work area, Calusa Waterkeeper is excited to announce open enrollment in August for its Fall Ranger Training Academy with Calusa Waterkeeper Captain Codty Pierce. Citizens are invited to become...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 21, 2024 | Bacteria Monitoring, Featured, Press, Water Testing
Ordered by Florida to clean up its act, Fort Myers works to fix its water pollution problem Originally published in the Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on July 21, 2024 With swelling demand straining its antique wastewater infrastructure, it’s no wonder...
