August 26, 2022

On 8/24/22 Lake Okeechobee was at 12.62 feet, decreasing by 0.13 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 661 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 114 cfs. The 14-day average flow was 835 cfs and has been in the optimal flow envelope (750 - 2100 cfs) for 10 days.

On 8/13/22 the USACE reduced target flows at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) to a 7-day average pulse release of 457 cfs from the previous target of 650 cfs. Local basin runoff has been exceeding the targets set for the past several months, so little water has left the lake from the Julian Keen Jr. Lock and Dam (S-77).

457 cfs is below the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2100 cfs) for the Caloosahatchee estuary, but local basin runoff combined with Lake Okeechobee releases have resulted in 14-day average flows in the optimum flow envelope for 10 days after being in the low flow (stress) envelope (<750 cfs) for 10 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has not detected any blooms off the coast of Southwest Florida.

On 8/19/22, the FWC reported that the red tide organism, Karenia brevis was observed at background concentrations in and offshore of Collier County.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel received 5 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 8/15/22 - 8/21/22. Additionally, sick sandwich terns, laughing gulls, and royal terns are being reported on Causeway Islands Park, Sanibel Island, and Fort Myers Beach. Several have been collected by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) for testing.

Blue-Green Algae

On 8/22/22 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Microcystis at the Alva Boat Ramp and Davis Boat Ramp as sparse visible specks. Microcystis and Dolichospermum were present upstream of the Franklin Locks as sparse visible specks with slight accumulation along the locks.

Data from the FDEP blue-green algae dashboard reported 82 samples collected over the past 30 days for the 10 county area. 5 sample had toxins present with 0.45 μg per L which is below the EPA recommended standard for recreational waters (8 μg per L).

On 8/24/22, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed medium bloom potential on the northern and northwestern nearshore area of the lake. There was high bloom potential the western edge of the lake. Overall, algal blooms covered about 267 square miles (38%) of the Lake.