October 17, 2025

Water Conditions Tracker

Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts

On 10/15/25 Lake Okeechobee was at 13.85 feet, increasing by 0.22 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,711 cfs (cubic feet per second) primarily due to watershed runoff while flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 2 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-77 was 0 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,535 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750- 2,100 cfs; RECOVER 2020) for 6 days after 36 days in the damaging flow envelope (>2,600 cfs).

For more information on Lake Okeechobee and estuary conditions go to the latest Caloosahatchee Conditions Report.

Water Surface Temperature

Weekly Rainfall Totals

WP Franklin (S-79): 0.22" Ortona (S-78): 0.51" Julian Keen Jr. (S-77): 1.21"

Virtual Water Quality Tour from Lighthouse Beach Park

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. Photo was taken on 10/14/25 at 1:38 PM on a falling tide (0.2 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,616 cfs.

Red Tide

On 10/10/25, the FWC reported that the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed in 12 samples collected along Florida’s coasts. In Southwest Florida, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Manatee County. In Northwest Florida, K. brevis was observed at low concentrations in one sample from Bay County and background to medium concentrations in nine samples from Gulf County. Along the East Coast, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample from St. Johns County.

Wildlife Impacts

In the past week, the CROW wildlife hospital on Sanibel admitted 6 patients for suspected red tide/toxicosis: 1 adult sandwich term (deceased), 1 juvenile brown pelican (deceased), 1 adult royal tern (deceased), 1 adult laughing gull (deceased), 1 adult ruddy turnstone (deceased) and 1 adult lesser black-backed gull (still in care). SCCF documented 1 sea turtle stranding, a deceased loggerhead on Sanibel. 

Blue-Green Algae

On 10/13/25, sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported no visible cyanobacteria across all sites.

On 10/15/25 satellite imagery of Lake Okeechobee showed the presence of an algal bloom but cloud cover and winds prevented an area from being determined. The previous area of the bloom measured on 10/5/25 was about 140 square miles, or 30% of the lake.

Become a Citizen Scientist and Get the Algae Reporting App Today!

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.

Click on and bookmark this link to report an algal bloom sighting.

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

Water Quality Dashboard

Water Quality FAQ

Find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions regarding water quality and more.

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

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