April 7, 2023

On 4/5/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 14.39 feet, decreasing by 0.21 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 2,242 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 2,033 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 2,125 cfs and has been in the stress flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 2 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has detected small, low concentration patches of chlorophyll off the coast of Boca Grande.

On 4/5/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 96 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 16 samples: one offshore of Pasco County, one in Pinellas County, two in Manatee County, one in Sarasota County, six in Charlotte County, four in Lee County, and one in Collier County.

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

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (back on island) received 3 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 3/28/23 - 4/3/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 3/27/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab moderately abundant Microcystis at the Alva Boat Ramp as sparse specks with no accumulation or streaks. Microcystis and Dolichospermum were present upstream of the Franklin Locks and at the Davis Boat Ramp as visible specks with no accumulation or streaks.

On 4/5/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee has shown scattered low to high bloom potential, primarily along the northern and western shorelines.

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.

*NEW* Click on this link to report an algal bloom sighting.

OR 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.

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.