An Op-Ed written by John Cassani and originally published in The News-Press on March 10, 2021 For generations, Floridians have worshiped Florida’s iconic waters. They are likely the reason many people came to Florida, to swim, fish, paddle, ski, dive and enjoy all...
Billy’s Creek Enterococci Sampling Results, January 2021 Calusa Waterkeeper sampling results for enterococci bacteria on 1-23-21. Levels above 70 MPN represent a threshold for poor conditions that could cause FDOH to close a coastal beach. Unfortunately, FDOH...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 21 This week, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, informs us of Lake Okeechobee and the ongoing releases from the Army Corps of Engineers into the Caloosahatchee. There has also been a recent spike in red tide along the Gulf of...
Words from the Waterkeeper, Episode 10 Words From the Waterkeeper is back! John reports on algal bloom activity in the area, SFWMD governing board meeting, reduced minimum flow threshold for the Caloosahatchee estuary, local sewage spills, and recent federal...
Poor results at every station on Billy’s Creek this month. Extremely high contamination at the Ortiz and Ortiz Circle stations as is almost always the case. Thanks to retired engineers and CWK Rangers Chris and Ed Shinouskis for their help in collecting and...
Calusa Waterkeeper sampling results for enterococci bacteria at Billy’s Creek in Ft. Myers on 12-15-19. Serious contamination persists. The dredging this year did not mitigate the bacterial contamination.
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on December 6, 2019 A different variety of algae is blooming in parts of the Caloosahatchee River, but unlike other blooms the region has experienced in the past two years, this algae is not toxic to humans....
Originally published by FOX4 News on October 4, 2019 A new report was released about a popular beach spot on Pine Island contains high levels of fecal bacteria. The levels are so high, it’s almost nine times the health department’s threshold for closing a...
Originally published by FOX4 News on July 08, 2019 Holley Rauen, a retired nurse and now volunteer at the Happehatchee Center in Estero warns a man about the contaminated water as he passes by on his kayak. She said she’s been on edge ever since a kids’ summer camp...
With the exception of Powell Creek in North Fort Myers, it’s good to see fecal indicator bacteria remain at such low levels from our most recent testing of area waterways. The dominating high-pressure system that has brought us hot temperatures and dry...
With the exception of Billy’s Creek, it’s good to see fecal indicator bacteria decline to low levels. A couple of weeks with minimal stormwater runoff and potentially lower groundwater levels are likely responsible for declining bacteria. Some residents...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 21, 2019 With no fanfare, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quietly closed a well-loved Caloosahatchee beach. This week, staff will start sodding over the sand that slopes to the river at the W.P....
Originally published by FOX4 News on May 2, 2019 Bacteria are dirtying Southwest Florida waterways, a new study shows. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University presented results of the study to Lee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to show the sources of...
Originally published by WINK News on March 29, 2019 Bacteria is contaminating water all along our coast. There is a new water crisis in Southwest Florida. It is not algae or red tide, but bacteria and fecal matter where we kayak and fish. John Cassani, Calusa...
Originally published by WINK News on April 22, 2019 The Estero River has around 26 times the level of bacteria than the Florida Department of Health said is safe. Lurking beneath the surface is the problem preventing cleaner waters. John Casani, a Calusa waterkeeper,...
As seen in a News-Press OpEd submitted by John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper, April 10, 2019 So far, the Florida legislative session has not adequately addressed the nutrient pollution time bomb that leads to harmful algal blooms (HABs). Great sums of public dollars...
