October 20, 2023

On 10/18/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 16.27 feet, increasing by 0.11 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 2,173 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 499 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,572 cfs and has been in the stress flow envelope (2,100 - 2,600 cfs) for 1 day after 24 days in the damaging flow envelope.

Water Surface Temperature

Weekly Rainfall Totals

WP Franklin (S-79): 0.53” Ortona (S-78): 0.40” Moore Haven (S-77): 0.99”

Virtual Water Quality Tour from Lighthouse Beach Park

Click here or on the image above to take a virtual tour from above Lighthouse Beach Park to see how the water looked this week.

Photo was taken on 10/16/23 at 1:21 PM on a high tide (2.1 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 3,231 cfs.

Red Tide

On 10/13/23, the FWC reported the red tide organism Karenia brevis was observed at background to very low concentrations in 20 samples collected across Southwest Florida over the past week. Other samples collected statewide did not contain K. brevis.

In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations offshore of Manatee County, background to very low concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County, and background concentrations offshore of Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. 

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received 1 bird with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 10/10/23 - 10/16/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 10/16/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Microcystis at the Davis Boat Ramp as a slight wind driven greenish scum. 

On 10/18/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee had winds above 9 mph that prevented the determination of algal bloom potential on the lake. The previous extent was 100 square miles on 10/5/23.

SCCF wants to know when and where all types of algae sightings occur to monitor conditions around the islands and to investigate algae bloom occurrence with patterns in seasonal weather changes and Lake Okeechobee water management practices.

Click on and bookmark this link to report an algal bloom sighting.

To learn more about our current water conditions, click on the following links:

Water Conditions Update Archive

Caloosahatchee Conditions Report

A collaborative, weekly analysis, including recommendations for water managers regarding Lake Okeechobee flows.

RECON

SCCF's River, Estuary, and Coastal Observing Network is a network of eight optical water quality sensors deployed throughout the Caloosahatchee and the Pine Island Sound estuary to provide real-time water quality data.

Caloosahatchee River Virtual Tour



Red Tide Resources

NOAA HAB Monitoring System - Lake Okeechobee

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