January 27, 2023

On 1/24/23 Lake Okeechobee was at 16.11 feet, decreasing by 0.02 feet in the past week. The weekly average flow at S-79 was 1,849 cfs (cubic feet per second) and flow from the Lake at S-77 was an average of 1,078 cfs. The 14-day average flow at S-79 was 1,980 cfs and has been in the optimum flow envelope (750 - 2,100 cfs) for 26 days.

Red Tide

Satellite imagery over the past week has detected no chlorophyll off the coast of Southwest Florida.

On 1/25/23, the FWC reported that over the past week the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 102 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida over the past week. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 9 samples: five in Manatee County and four in Lee County. 

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

SCCF observed K. brevis at background concentrations in Tarpon Bay, medium to high concentrations in Pine Island Sound, and high concentrations on coastal beaches and the Causeway.

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (currently displaced off island) received 2 birds with toxicosis symptoms (from red tide or blue-green algae) from 1/17/23 - 1/23/23.

Beach Conditions

On 1/20/23 the Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) issued health alerts for the presence of a red tide bloom near Alison Hagerup Beach Park (Captiva) and Lighthouse Beach (Sanibel). The City of Sanibel reported respiratory irritation 1 mile east of Lighthouse Beach Park near Nerita St. as well as fresh fish kills with the predominant species being mullet. The City of Sanibel also reported reddish, discolored water in the Gulf of Mexico of the coast of Gulfside City Park (top left) and Nerita St. (top right) on Sanibel Island and on Captiva Island (bottom left) on 1/20/23. SCCF reported respiratory irritation at Lighthouse Beach Park on 1/24/23. The City of Cape Coral reported high turbidity and patches of sulfur precipitation in Matlacha Pass south of the bridge.

Blue-Green Algae

On 1/23/23 sampling for cyanobacteria by the Lee County Environmental Lab reported no cyanobacteria in the Caloosahatchee River.

On 1/24/23, satellite imagery from Lake Okeechobee showed no bloom potential in the lake, however cloud coverage obscured the view leading to a potential underestimate of algal bloom status.