This Week's Water Conditions Update
October 15, 2021
Water Conditions Tracker
Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts
On 10/13/21 Lake Okeechobee was at 15.86 feet (+0.23 feet in the past week).The weekly average flow at S-79 was 2,809 cfs (cubic feet per second) this week. The 14-day average flow on 10/13/21 was 2,389 cfs and has been in the stress flow envelope for 2 days. Flows have been above the optimum flow envelope for 35 days. We are still not receiving any flows from Lake Okeechobee. High flows from S-79 for prolonged periods can have negative impacts to seagrass and oysters, which are important indicator species in the Caloosahatchee Estuary.
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.

With no flows from Lake Okeechobee, water clarity and quality is only being affected by the watershed and stormwater runoff from rain. Photo was taken on 10/12/21 at 12:23 PM on low tide (low tide @ 1:25 PM (0.14ft)).
Red Tide
Satellite imagery over the past week has shown a patch of medium to high concentrations of chlorophyll off the west coast of Sanibel and Captiva all the way up to Tampa Bay with the highest concentrations offshore from Captiva to Boca Grande and onshore near Venice to Sarasota and offshore from Sarasota to Bradenton. Karenia brevis and/or other algal species may be contributing to the high chlorophyll concentrations.

In Lee County, FWC reported background levels of Karenia brevis in Boca Grande Pass and low levels in Redfish Pass. The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel received 2 patients with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 10/3/21 - 10/11/21.

The FWC fish kill hotline continues to receive reports of red tide related fish kills ranging from Pinellas, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties.
Blue-Green Algae
No cyanobacteria was present in the Caloosahatchee over the past week. On 10/13/21 satellite imagery showed algal blooms covering about 140 square miles of Lake Okeechobee, a decrease from last week, and there is presently a 30-40% bloom-potential on Lake Okeechobee.
Resources To Follow:
To learn more about our current water conditions, click on the following links:

A collaborative, weekly analysis, including recommendations for water managers regarding Lake Okeechobee flows.

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.

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