Monthly News & Updates

March/April 2024

Recognizing Champions for Clean Water

On Sunday March 24, Calusa Waterkeeper held our annual meeting, ‘Our Water, Our Future, Ours to Protect.’ The featured guest speaker was award-winning conservationist and fishing guide, Captain Benny Blanco, who spoke on the state of the water and our fight to protect and restore it.

The gathering brought community leaders, environmentalists, and supporters together to celebrate the organization's achievements over the past year and discuss upcoming initiatives to safeguard the region's vital waterways.

We also proudly presented annual awards to individuals who have worked tirelessly in the fight for clean water:

Volunteer(s) of the Year: Mary Kay Kralapp & Dan Carney

Advocate of the Year: Mike Hannon

Friend of Calusa Waterkeeper: Holly Schwartz

In case you missed it, the Safe Waterways Act PASSED the Florida Senate and was transmitted to the Governor's desk earlier this month. This 3rd attempt to codify improved rules surrounding bacteria monitoring and notification is not as strong as originally intended but it is a good start at addressing the problems. Unless it is vetoed, it will become law!

Thank you to all who helped support our Right to Know and Safe to Swim campaigns to make this legislation win a reality!

We're breaking up with PFAS.

The Waterkeeper Alliance is leading the charge in protecting our waters from forever chemicals by endorsing the new PFAS Accountability Act that promises to hold manufacturers responsible for their pollution.

We need your support to urge Congress to pass the PFAS Act and advocate that the EPA adopt the strongest regulations possible to end our toxic relationship with forever chemicals.

Your financial support enables our advocacy initiatives!

Donate Today

About 120 people attended the Protect Captiva Coalition's video premiere and legal update March 27 at the Captiva Civic Association. The video chronicles the historical context of development decisions on Sanibel and Captiva and features comments made by the Lee County Commissioners during hearings and meetings in 2023 as they discussed the approval of land use changes on Captiva.

Please watch and share with friends and neighbors who may want to join the cause.

Fix the Rigged System of South Florida Water Management

Our colleagues at Friends of the Everglades have spearheaded a campaign to ask the SFWMD Board of Governors to implement a more equitable use of our public stormwater treatment areas as an immediate way to reduce the need for harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers.

Learn more and take action.

Congratulations Recent Ranger Graduates!

Our all new Ranger training series wrapped up on Saturday March 9th. Thank you to all the super-engaged participants, volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly to bring it to reality. What a great looking bunch! The next Ranger training sessions are planned for the Fall of 2024.

Upcoming Events

Everglades West Coast Public Workshop

In addition to BMAP annual report meetings for the Caloosahatchee, St. Lucie and Lake Okeechobee scheduled between April 2-4, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will also be hosting a public meeting on April 4 to present and receive public comments on the revised draft fecal indicator bacterial TMDL for the Everglades West Coast Basin, which includes Estero Bay.

Public Workshop on Revised Fecal Indicator Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the Everglades West Coast Basin

April 4, 2024 at 2pm

Collaboratory

2031 Jackson Street

Fort Myers, Florida 33901

Or via webinar

Vertical Oyster Gardening Seminar

Join the St. James City Civic Association and volunteers from Calusa Waterkeeper to assist in creating strings of oyster shells that have been collected and cured. This is a nature-based solution to encourage new oyster reef growth and let them go to work filtering water.

April 8, 2024 at 1pm

St. James City Civic Association

3300 Fourth Avenue

St. James City, FL 33956

March Fecal Bacteria Indicator Results

CWK conducts Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) sampling at up to 32 sites in Southwest Florida each month. Enterococci bacteria can cause gastrointestinal illness, infections, and rashes.

Results over 70 MPN would trigger an advisory from the Florida Department of Health if these sites were classified as "public bathing places." View the full results. (Please note conditions can change daily)

Welcome to the Calusa Waterkeeper Board of Directors

We recently presented our 2024 slate of nominations at the CWK annual meeting and are excited to announce two exceptional new board members joining our team.

Daniel Carney

Dan is currently retired after a long career with a major global transportation company. He traveled between Chicago and Cape Coral for several years before becoming a full time Florida resident in 2020. He is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman, and reversing the deterioration of local waterways is his passion.

“I believe with science, vigilance and accountability that we can all enjoy a healthy ecosystem in southwest Florida.”

James Douglass, PhD

James is an ecologist interested in describing, protecting, and teaching about the biological diversity and beneficial functions of coastal watersheds and marine habitats. He addresses the interactive effects of these threats through research and teaching at Florida Gulf Coast University, and increasingly through outreach in the community.

“These systems are simultaneously threatened by decreasing water quality, changing physical conditions, and overharvest of important species.”

In the Press & Around the Watershed

It's easy to find fecal pollution in SWFL waters; what's hard is finding how to stop it

Is it safe to paddle, wade or ski in Lee County waters?

Nonprofit Calusa Waterkeeper samples, tracks fecal bacteria

The News-Press cover story - March 24, 2024

Read Full Story

OpEd: The Florida Legislature needs help understanding the root cause of declining water quality

The Invading Sea - March 27, 2024

Concerns over Lake Okeechobee discharges underscore need for Everglades restoration

Local10 Miami - March 27, 2024

A Champion Emerges: Connie Ramos Williams Assumes Executive Director Role at Calusa Waterkeeper

Sanibel Barometer - March 21, 2024

Lake Okeechobee water is heading to Florida’s coasts. What that means for red tide.

Tampa Bay Times - March 26, 2024

Calusa Waterkeeper group meets to discuss the future of our waterways

Fox4 - March 24, 2024

Florida Poised to issue Public Water Quality Warnings in 24 Hours

Florida News - March 15, 2024

Wetlands permitting battle continues, state expected to appeal federal ruling

Fort Myers News-Press - March 8, 2024

Brown water near the coast: Lake O releases ongoing, could last until May

Fort Myers News-Press - March 4, 2024

Calusa Waterkeeper - P.O Box 1165, Fort Myers, FL (239) 899-1440 | info@calusawaterkeeper.org