May 22, 2026

Water Conditions Tracker

Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts

On 5/20/26 Lake Okeechobee was at 11.37 feet, decreasing by 0.04 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 376 cfs (cubic feet per second) while flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 484 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-77 was 567 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 260 cfs and has been below the optimum flow envelope (<750 cfs; RECOVER 2020) for 28 consecutive days and for 185 of the past 200 days.

For more information on Lake Okeechobee and estuary conditions go to the latest Caloosahatchee Conditions Report.

Water Surface Temperature

Weekly Rainfall Totals

WP Franklin (S-79): 0.45" Ortona (S-78): 0.96" Julian Keen Jr. (S-77): 0.26"

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 5/20/26 at 12:27 PM on a rising tide (3.2 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 260 cfs.

Red Tide

On 5/15/26, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at background concentrations in two samples from Northwest Florida. In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Wildlife Impacts

 In the past week, the CROW wildlife hospital on Sanibel admitted 1 patient for suspected red tide/toxicosis: 1 juvenile double-crested cormorant (deceased).

Blue-Green Algae

On 5/18/26, sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported abundant concentrations of Microcystis, Aphanocapsa and Dolichospermum upstream of the Franklin Locks, appearing as streaks with accumulation. Moderately abundant concentrations of Microcystis were reported at the Alva Boat Ramp, appearing as streaks.

Lake Okeechobee Cyanobacteria

On 5/17/26 satellite imagery of Lake Okeechobee showed the presence of an algal bloom but cloud cover and winds prevented an area from being determined. The previous area of the bloom on 5/10/26 was about 100 square miles or 21% of the lake.

Become a Citizen Scientist and Get the Algae Reporting App Today!

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 Quality Dashboard

Water Quality FAQ

Find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions regarding water quality and more.

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 (RECON) is a network of water quality sensors deployed throughout the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary to provide real-time, water quality data to scientists, policy makers, and the general public.

Caloosahatchee River Virtual Tour



Red Tide Resources

NOAA HAB Monitoring System - Lake Okeechobee

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