March 17, 2023

On 3/15/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.00 feet, decreasing by 0.26 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,851 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,759 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,970 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 29 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has detected small patches of low chlorophyll concentrations off the coast of Bonita Beach and Naples and in Gasparilla Sound.

On 3/15/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 172 samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 62 samples: three in and offshore of Pasco County, 24 in and offshore of Pinellas County, three offshore of Hillsborough County, two in Manatee County, 17 in and offshore of Sarasota County, three in Charlotte County, six in Lee County, and four in Collier County.

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

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 3/7/23 - 3/13/23.

Red Tide Alerts

On 3/8/23 the Lee County Department of Health issued a red tide alert: An alert level of red tide was found near Turner Beach (Captiva), Blind Pass Beach (Sanibel), Buck Key near Blind Pass, Bonita Beach Causeway (Dog Beach), Bonita Beach Park, Little Hickory Island Park, and Boca Grande Beach. This is in response to water samples taken on February 24, February 27, March 1, and March 6. A caution level of red tide was found near Bowman’s Beach, Tarpon Bay Road Beach, Lighthouse Beach (Sanibel), and Dixie Beach (Sanibel). A cautionary notice indicates low levels (>10,000-100,000 Karenia brevis cells per liter) of red tide detected in sampling. This is in response to water samples taken on February 27 and March 6.

Fish Kills

In the past week, the FWC has received reports of fish kills from Collier County (6 reports), Lee County (9 reports), Manatee County (9 reports), Pinellas County (52 reports), and Sarasota County (19 reports).

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

Blue-Green Algae

The Lee County Environmental Lab did not collect cyanobacteria samples in the Caloosahatchee Estuary during the week of 3/7/23.  

On 3/12/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed approximately 20 square miles of scattered low bloom potential with areas of accumulation along the western and southern shoreline and near Fisheating Bay.

To learn more about our current water conditions, click on the following links:

*NEW* 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.