October 6, 2023

On 10/4/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.96 feet, increasing by 0.35 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 5,765 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 10 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 5,045 cfs and has been in the damaging flow envelope (> 2,600 cfs) for 11 days.

Water Surface Temperature

Weekly Rainfall Totals

WP Franklin (S-79): 3.21” Ortona (S-78): 3.96” Moore Haven (S-77): 1.54”

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 10/4/23 at 12:56 PM on a low tide (0.4 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 5,045 cfs.

Red Tide

On 9/29/23, the FWC reported that the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was not observed in samples collected statewide over the past week. 

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received 3 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 9/26/23 - 10/2/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 10/2/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported moderately abundant Microcystis at the Davis Boat Ramp as specks with some streaks and slight wind driven accumulation

On 10/4/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed the moderate algal bloom potential on the western half of the Lake.

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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