September 29, 2023

On 9/27/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.61 feet, increasing by 0.16 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 3,322 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 108 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,960 cfs and has been in the damaging flow envelope (> 2,600 cfs) for 4 days after 5 days in the stress flow envelope.

Water Surface Temperature

Weekly Rainfall Totals

WP Franklin (S-79): 3.75” Ortona (S-78): 2.63” Moore Haven (S-77): ≥0.50”

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 9/25/23 at 1:46 PM on a falling tide (1.5 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,688 cfs.

Red Tide

On 9/22/23, the FWC reported that the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at background concentrations in one sample from Collier County over the past week. Other samples collected statewide did not contain K. brevis.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received 2 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 9/19/23 - 9/25/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 9/25/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Microcystis upstream of the Franklin Locks as specks. Microcystis and dinoflagellates were present at the Davis Boat Ramp as specks with light streaks.

On 9/25/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed the presence of an algal bloom on 80 square miles (17%) of the Lake.

Blue-green algae sampling results for the last 14-days for the 10 county area (Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe). Data from FDEP Blue-green algae dashboard

Of the 55 samples collected, cyanobacteria was dominant in 18 samples, 0 samples had toxins present. ranging from 0 to 0 μg per L (does not include non-detects) which is below the EPA recommended standard for recreational waters (8 µg per L). 

*Data are provisional and subject to change.

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

Click here to subscribe to the Weekly Water Conditions Tracker

Click here to subscribe to Connecting You to SCCF and other SCCF mailing lists.