SCCF Weekly Water Conditions Update

This Week's Water Conditions Update

March 31, 2023

Water Conditions Tracker

Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts

On 3/30/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 14.59 feet, decreasing by 0.11 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 2,075 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,887 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,011 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 44 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 3/27/23 at 1:29 PM on a high tide (2.3 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,948 cfs.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has no detected significant concentrations of chlorophyll in Southwest Florida.

On 3/29/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 83 samples in and offshore of Southwest Florida, three samples from Northwest Florida, and one sample from Florida’s East Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in three samples: two in Manatee County and one in Lee County.

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

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (back on island) received 2 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 3/21/23 - 3/27/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 3/27/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Dolichospermum and Microcystis at the Alva Boat Ramp as sparse specks. Dolichospermum and Microcystis were moderately abundant upstream of the Franklin Locks as wind-driven green scum along the lock.

On 3/29/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee has shown scattered low to medium bloom potential, primarily alone the norther and western shorelines.

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.

Download the algae reporting app on your phone by clicking here or by searching for the ArcGIS Survey123 app in the app store. Once installed, give the app permission to access your phone’s location to receive GPS coordinates of your sighting and camera/media to capture and attach pictures. When you open the app, click “Continue Without Signing In.”

Next, download the algae reporting survey by scanning the QR code above or clicking here on your phone. Once the survey is downloaded, fill out the required fields and click the check mark in the lower right corner to submit your sighting. Note: If you do not have cellular coverage, you can still fill out the survey and save it in the outbox to be sent later.

Click here to download instructions.

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

Algae Reporting App.

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