February 24, 2023

On 2/22/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.68 feet, decreasing by 0.12 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,744 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,596 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1940 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 8 days after 2 days in the stress flow envelope.

Red Tide

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

On 2/17/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 96 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and one sample each from Northwest Florida and Florida’s East Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 47 samples: four in Manatee County, 13 in Sarasota County, eight in Charlotte County, and 22 in and offshore of Lee County.

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

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (currently displaced off island) received 2 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 2/14/23 - 2/20/23.

On 2/21 – 2/23 SCCF reported that Karenia sp. were found in medium and high around Sanibel Island.

Red Tide Alerts

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) has issued health alerts for the presence of a red tide bloom. An alert level of red tide was found near Lynn Hall Park (Fort Myers Beach), Gasparilla Island State Park (Boca Grande Pass), Turner Beach (Captiva), Blind Pass Beach (Sanibel) and Lighthouse Beach (Sanibel). This is in response to water samples taken on February 13, 14, and 15, 2023.

Beach Conditions

On 2/14/23 the City of Sanibel reported sporadic mullet washed up along Periwinkle beaches and small dead baitfish washed up near Algiers Beach, moderate to severe respiratory irritation in sporadic locations was reported on beach patrols on 2/17/23, and the following dead birds were reported by staff on the beach in the past week: 1 double crested cormorant, 2 laughing gulls, and 1 royal tern. On 2/14/23 SCCF reported dead pen shells, cockles, Dosinia, and mullet at Tarpon Bay Beach and hundreds of small dead fish at Gulfside City Park on 2/15/23. On 2/21/23 a Sanibel resident reported an abundance of dead mullet at Blind Pass as well as respiratory irritation.

Click here to report a fish kill to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Pen shells and Dosinia in the wrack line at Lighthouse Beach Park on 2/19/23. SCCF.

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

Blue-Green Algae

The Lee County Environmental Lab did not collect cyanobacteria samples in the Caloosahatchee Estuary during the week of 2/14/23.  

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