August 28, 2026

Water Conditions Tracker

Lake Okeechobee Levels & Caloosahatchee Flow Impacts

On 8/26/26 Lake Okeechobee was at 10.87 feet, decreasing by 0.08 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 490 cfs (cubic feet per second) while flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 332 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-77 was 257 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 750 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750- 2,100 cfs; RECOVER 2020) for 19 days after 107 consecutive days and 271 of the past 286 days below the optimum flow envelope (<750 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): 0.26" Ortona (S-78): 0.30" Julian Keen Jr. (S-77): 1.30"

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 8/26/26 at 12:22 PM on a falling tide (3.1 ft). The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 750 cfs.

Red Tide

Over the past week, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed in 25 samples from Florida’s East Coast and at background concentrations in two samples from offshore of Southwest Florida in Pinellas County.

Blue-Green Algae

*Data previously utilized in this report from the Caloosahatchee River algae monitoring program is no longer available. Cyanobacteria data will now be sourced from the FDEP Algal Bloom Dashboard.

Wildlife Impacts

In the past week, the CROW wildlife hospital on Sanibel admitted 2 patients for suspected red tide/toxicosis: 1 juvenile double-crested cormorant (still in care) and 1 juvenile royal tern (deceased). SCCF responded to 2 sea turtle strandings in the past week, 1 green sea turtle on Sanibel (deceased) and 1 loggerhead sea turtle on the Causeway (deceased). 

Lake Okeechobee Cyanobacteria

On 8/26/26 satellite imagery of Lake Okeechobee showed the presence of an algal bloom covering about 300 square miles or 64% of open water in the lake.

*Calculation based on apx 467 sq mi of open water area, while total area of lake spans apx 730 sq mi.

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 (RECON) is a network of water quality sensors deployed throughout the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary to provide real-time, water quality data to scientists, policy makers, and the general public.

Caloosahatchee River Virtual Tour



Red Tide Resources

NOAA HAB Monitoring System - Lake Okeechobee

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