February 17, 2023

On 2/15/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.80 feet, decreasing by 0.15 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 2,153 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,827 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,079 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 1 day after 2 days in the stress flow envelope.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has detected patchy, low to medium chlorophyll off the coast of Southwest Florida.

On 2/15/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, as detected in 135 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and one from Northwest Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 58 samples from Southwest Florida: four in Manatee County, 12 in Sarasota County, five in Charlotte County, and 37 in and offshore of Lee County.

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

On 2/10 – 2/13 SCCF reported that Karenia sp. were found in medium concentrations in 14 samples around Sanibel Island.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (currently displaced off island) received 4 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 2/7/23 - 2/13/23.

Beach Conditions

On 2/13/23 SCCF staff reported finding a dead laughing gull at the Shell Island Beach Club and fresh fish kills and shells (gastropod kills) from the Colony Inn to the Shell Island Beach Club. On 2/15/23 they reported hundreds of small dead fish at Gulfside City Park.

On 2/8/23 the City of Sanibel reported finding a dead juvenile brown pelican near the Sundial resort, on 2/12/23 they captured a tern with suspected red tide symptoms and dropped it off at BluePearl Pet Hospital, and mild respiratory issues were reported along the west end beaches. On 2/14/23 they reported sporadic mullet washed up along Periwinkle beaches and small dead baitfish washed up near Algiers Beach.

Pen shells, cockles, Dosinia, and mullet at Tarpon Bay Beach on 2/14/23. SCCF.

Blue crabs, pen shells, Dosinia, cockles, and Atlantic fig shells at Lighthouse Beach Park on 2/13/23. SCCF.

Hundreds of small dead fish on 2/15/23 at Gulfside City Park.

Blue-Green Algae

On 2/13/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported the presence of Dolichospermum, Microcystis, and Aphanizomenon upstream of the Franklin Locks as some wind-driven tan/green scum along the lock and shore. 

On 2/15/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed scattered low bloom potential on the lake.