by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 11, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by WINK News on April 11, 2023 The color of some of the mangroves from above? Grey – like the mood as we note the coastline’s defenses are weakened. The color of the sky this day, also grey. The new Calusa Waterkeeper, Captain Codty Pierce noted...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 17, 2023 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on March 17, 2023 by Chad Gillis The latest red tide to blanket Southwest Florida seems to be losing strength in Lee and Collier counties as higher brevetoxin counts have been reported in the Tampa Bay area in recent days....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 10, 2023 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by TODAY on March 10, 2023. Spring breakers are flocking to Florida in hopes of enjoying clear water and white sand beaches, but many are instead discovering red tide during their vacations. The micro-organism that causes red tide has impacted...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 9, 2023 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on March 9, 2023 by Chad Gillis Gulf of Mexico water temperatures are running on the high side this year, which could trigger anything from afternoon thunderstorms to early animal migrations. Various weather outlets say water...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 20, 2023 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on February 20, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams The name is a bit different but the intent is the same in a bipartisan bill reintroduced by Naples U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds this week: help algal bloom-affected communities get...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 16, 2023 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on February 16, 2023 by Chad Gillis A red tide bloom along the Southwest Florida coast appears to be spreading in size, according to state records, but some experts say toxic conditions may soon wane. The most recent reports from...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 13, 2023 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by WINK News on February 13, 2023 Red tide is a complex water issue, and scientists who study it are surveying the conditions that can trigger blooms—sunlight, water temperature, salinity, wind direction, and speed—to figure out how to mitigate...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 3, 2023 | Bacteria Monitoring, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on February 3, 2023 by Chad Gillis Some tributaries flowing into the Caloosahatchee River and Estero Bay are polluted with fecal coliform bacteria, with counts going well above criteria used to determine whether or not a beach is...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Feb 1, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on February 1, 2023 by Amy Bennett Williams The biggest environmental restoration project in the history of the planet just got a report card. All in all, things are on track. No failing grades, but no raves either. There are...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 27, 2023 | Press
Red Tide Lurking in Southwest Florida Originally published by FOX4 News on January 27, 2023 The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 69 samples collected from and offshore of Southwest Florida over the past week. Bloom concentrations (>100,000...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 27, 2023 | Bacteria Monitoring, Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on January 27, 2023 Southwest Florida water experts are warning beachgoers, boaters, and the like – go in at your own risk. Calusa Waterkeeper and the Department of Health samplings show how even at beaches like Lynn Hall Beach Park,...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 11, 2023 | Featured, Press
Originally published by Florida Weekly on January 11, 2023 Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani steps back from a role in which he has gathered a team of 100 to monitor the Caloosahatchee River. After more than six years Cassani has finished a marathon of sorts – at...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 10, 2023 | Press
Originally published by WINK News on January 10, 2023 Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, a man who has dedicated himself to the preservation of Southwest Florida’s waterways, plans to retire soon. Cassani has been the face of the region’s water for years. Whether you’re...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 5, 2023 | Press
Originally published by ABC-7 News on January 5, 2023 Hundreds of dead fish have been spotted in Cape Coral canals and residents are not sure why this has been happening. Cape Coral resident Francesca Nappi and her neighbors have noticed a strange smell for the past...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 23, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on December 23, 2022 by Chad Gillis Hurricane Ian and a red tide bloom combined to create dangerous conditions in coastal waters in Lee and Collier counties this year, and some water quality experts say they still would avoid...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 15, 2022 | Events, Press
Originally published by Florida Weekly on December 15, 2022 The Public Forum on Water Quality & Environment Issues, previously scheduled for October 2022, has a new date. The Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) is holding a town-hall style Public Forum on...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 12, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on December 12, 2022 by Chad Gillis There was a time when the federal agency that manages Lake Okeechobee levels was concerned that a major hurricane or even a large tropical storm could cause lake waters to rise to the point...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 17, 2022 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Red Tide Continues to Make its way through Southwest Florida Waterways Originally published by FOX4 News on November 17, 2022 Red tide continues to make its way across southwest Florida waterways. Some areas are not feeling the full effect, though many beaches are...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 17, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by WINK News on November 21, 2022 Red tide is appearing up and down the Southwest Florida coastline, but is it an issue you should be concerned with? These are pictures of where the cleaner water ends and the red tide begins. The Calusa...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 17, 2022 | Featured, Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 17, 2022 by Chad Gillis Scientists are saying a red tide bloom that’s lingered along the coast for a few weeks is now being fed by nutrients running off the landscape in the wake of Hurricane Ian. Red tide...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 16, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by WINK News on November 16, 2022 On Sanibel, you can’t escape the smell of dead fish. And on the shore, you can’t escape the dead fish. “People are familiar with the red tide smell. But that’s from decay, what you really smell, the actual toxins...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 15, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on November 15, 2022 Since Hurricane Ian, red tide has been blooming across Southwest Florida. Most beaches in SWFL have been closed due to potential debris threats in the water, but The Calusa Waterkeeper reported that blooms are...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 15, 2022 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 15, 2022 by Chad Gillis A red tide bloom that’s been lingering off the coast of Sarasota and Charlotte counties has made it to Lee County waters, where fish kills are being reported at some local beaches. Red...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 14, 2022 | Press
Originally published by WINK News on November 14, 2022 Red tide lines Southwest Florida’s coast from south Lee County into Sarasota. And the bloom appears to be growing. Health officials in Charlotte County issued an alert for the presence of a red tide bloom near...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 3, 2022 | Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by The News-Press on November 3, 2022 by Chad Gillis The Lake Okeechobee drainage system is more likely to see a blue-green algal bloom next spring as a result of Hurricane Ian. Lt. Col. Todd Polk, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Ian...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Nov 3, 2022 | Featured, Press
As we honor John’s Cassani’s retirement as Calusa Waterkeeper and his career of service, here are but some highlights of his immense commitment to our environment and community. John was a founding member of Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association (CRCA)...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 28, 2022 | Lake Okeechobee, Press
Originally published by WINK News on October 28, 2022 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they will begin releasing Lake Okeechobee discharges into the Caloosahatchee River. This raises concerns in Southwest Florida because the area is still trying to dry out after...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 25, 2022 | Press
Originally published by WGCU News on October 25, 2022 Drone images taken after Hurricane Ian show a crimson tide of nutrient-polluted water flowing from the Caloosahatchee River on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation uses the...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 25, 2022 | Featured, Press
Originally published by NBC-2 News on October 25, 2022 Many beachgoers are starting to make their return, for some, it’s just looking at the damage, while others are ready to get back in the water. “We’ve gone a few times, yea, it’s been a while since we’ve been able...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 17, 2022 | Press
Originally published by The News-Press on October 17, 2022 by Amy Bennett Williams With two months to go, Florida has already smashed a grim record this year: 65 infections of Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly microbe known, though not quite correctly, as...
