This Week's Water Conditions Update

June 30, 2023

Water Conditions Tracker
Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts

On 6/28/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 14.61 feet, increasing by 0.33 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 3,060 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 0 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,567 cfs and has been in the stress flow envelope (2,100 - 2,600 cfs) for 10 days.

For more information on Lake Okeechobee and estuary conditions go to the latest Caloosahatchee Conditions Report
Virtual Water Quality Tour from Lighthouse Beach

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 6/26/23 at 11:55 AM on a falling tide (1.4 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,508 cfs.

Red Tide

On 6/23/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected at background concentrations in two samples from and offshore of Florida’s Gulf Coast. In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample from offshore of Pinellas County. 

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received 2 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 6/20/23 - 6/26/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 6/26/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Microcystis and Dolichospermum at the Alva Boat Ramp as visible specks with no accumulation and at Midpoint Bridge Park as visible specks with slight accumulation along the shore. Microcystis was present upstream of the Franklin Locks and at North Shore Park as visible specks with no accumulation, and at the Davis Boat Ramp as visible specks with a slight accumulation along the seawall. 

On 6/27/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed high bloom potential in Lake Okeechobee covering approximately 480 square miles 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 78 samples collected, cyanobacteria was dominate in 54 samples, 48 samples had toxins present ranging from 0.27 to 233 μg per L (does not include non-detects) which is above the EPA recommended standard for recreational waters (8 µg per L). 


*Data are provisional and subject to change.

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.

Resources To Follow:

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.

LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
DONATE TO SCCF
Stay Connected!
Facebook  Instagram  Youtube