by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 17, 2024 | Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published on Fox4 by Andrew Shipley on April 17, 2024 Sea grass is such an important part of our environment here in Southwest Florida. It provides habitat for our fish and food for our manatees. But unfortunately, that sea grass is going away and is being...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 24, 2024 | Featured, Press, Water Testing
Originally published by Fort Myers News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on March 24, 2024 Codty Pierce pulls on one black glove (waste not, want not) then dips a lightbulb changing pole-turned-water sampler into the mangrove-lined canal. Once the small glass jar in its...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 10, 2021 | Featured, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 27, 2021 | Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 16, 2020 | Bacteria Monitoring, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 8, 2020 | Featured, Science, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jan 22, 2020 | Bacteria Monitoring, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 19, 2019 | Bacteria Monitoring, Water Testing
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.
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Dec 6, 2019 | Press, Water Testing
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....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Oct 5, 2019 | Press, Uncategorized, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jul 9, 2019 | Featured, Press, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Jun 25, 2019 | Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 28, 2019 | Bacteria Monitoring, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 21, 2019 | Press, Water Testing
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....
by Calusa Waterkeeper | May 2, 2019 | Press, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 23, 2019 | Featured, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 22, 2019 | Water Testing
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,...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Apr 10, 2019 | Harmful Algal Blooms, Policy, Press, Water Testing
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...
by Calusa Waterkeeper | Mar 18, 2019 | Water Testing
Enterococci bacteria results from additional inland Lee County sites taken on 3-16-19.