WATER QUALITY UPDATE FOR JULY 22, 2022

The no-swim advisory at the Bonita Beach Park has been lifted.

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is advising the public it is OK to swim at Bonita Beach Park, which for the last week had been under a no-swim advisory due to high levels of the Enterococcus bacteria. The park is at 27954 Hickory Boulevard in Bonita Springs.

Water quality testing on July 20 showed harmful bacteria amounts under the “beach action” level, which means that the water at the park meets recreational quality standards.

The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed at background concentrations in Southwest Florida offshore of Collier County.

No reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received over the past week. For more details, please visit: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.

Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was not reported in Florida over the past week. For recent and current information at individual beaches, visit https://visitbeaches.org/ and for forecasts that use FWC and partner data, go to https://habforecast.gcoos.org/.

Blue-green algae health alert cancelled

A health alert issued last week due to an outbreak of blue-green algae at the Davis Boat Ramp near the Franklin Locks on the Caloosahatchee River has been lifted. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection gave the all-clear after taking samples of the water and no longer finding high levels of cyanobacteria toxins.

The Davis Boat Ramp and the nearby Alva Boat Ramp both allow the public to launch watercraft into the Caloosahatchee River. The water surrounding the ramps tests positive for high levels of cyanobacteria, which is a toxin at the heart of a blue-green algae bloom, rather frequently during the summer.

While there were no high levels of blue-green algae toxins, water samples taken from the Alva Boat Ramp earlier this week found some components of cyanobacteria in the water. Exposure to high levels of blue-green algae and their toxins can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, as well as skin, eye or throat irritation, and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties

If any type of water quality alert is issued, you can find the details here in WGCU’s Water Quality Report.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission compiles real-time information on red tide, including maps and reports, on the FWRI Red Tide website. The site also provides related links to additional information including satellite images, red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, and contacts at the Florida Poison Information Center, which people can contact if they believe exposure to red tide has made them ill. The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences has current satellite images searching for early signs of red tide off Southwest Florida , and Mote Marine Laboratory's Beach Conditions Report provides up-to-date information about which, if any, beaches in Southwest Florida are being affected by a red tide. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has a dashboard with a plethora of real-time information about harmful algae blooms. Learn more about harmful algae blooms here.

Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health. 

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