May 5, 2023

On 5/3/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 14.24 feet, decreasing by 0.07 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,764 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,238 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,790 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 21 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week did not detect chlorophyll off the coast of Southwest Florida

On 5/3/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 47 samples collected from Southwest Florida. Bloom levels (>100,000 cells per liter) were not observed.

In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at very low concentrations in Pinellas County, background concentrations in Hillsborough County, background to very low concentrations in Manatee County, background to low concentrations in Sarasota County, background to very low concentrations in Charlotte County, background to very low concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, and background to very low concentrations in Collier County.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (back on island) received 1 bird with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 4/25/23 - 5/1/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 5/1/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported

moderately abundant Dolichospermum and Microcystis at the Alva Boat Ramp as visible specks on the surface and in the water column. Dolichospermum was moderately abundant upstream of the Franklin Locks as visible specks. Dolichospermum was present at the Davis Boat Ramp with some wind driven accumulation along the ramp.

On 5/3/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed low bloom potential on the western shoreline of the lake and in Fisheating creek, covering about 20 square miles.

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

Algae Reporting App.