May 12, 2023

On 5/10/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 14.06 feet, decreasing by 0.18 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,527 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,649 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,620 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 28 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week did not detect chlorophyll off the coast of Southwest Florida.

On 5/10/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 50 samples collected from Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in one sample from Sarasota County.

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

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received 3 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 5/2/23 - 5/8/23.

Blue-Green Algae

On 5/8/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported moderately abundant Dolichospermum and Microcystis at the Alva Boat Ramp as visible specks on the surface and in the water column. Dolichospermum and Microcystis were moderately abundant upstream of the Franklin Locks as some streaks with accumulation along the shore and Lock. Dolichospermum was present at the Davis Boat Ramp as light streaks. 

On 5/10/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed medium to high bloom potential on the eastern and southern shorelines of the lake and in Fisheating creek, covering about 60 square miles.

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 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.