Discharges to the Caloosahatchee: Good or bad?

After last week’s newsletter asking if our discharge crisis was over, we got lots of feedback from readers along the Gulf coast who said the answer was “no.”

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted discharges from Lake Okeechobee east to the St. Lucie River, the Corps resumed discharges west to the Caloosahatchee, and as of April 13 these flows are to average 2,000 cubic feet of water per second (cfs) for the foreseeable future.

That’s bad, right?

Well, it's complicated. The Caloosahatchee needs some water from the lake — but not too much. Corps officials say renewed flows can help alleviate stagnant conditions that are allowing blue-green algae to grow. But as the annual algae bloom on Lake O intensifies, will toxins be discharged into the estuary — and will the Corps have the flexibility to close the floodgates if that happens?

For a more detailed look, follow the link below.

VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart will be part of a livestream discussion on renewed efforts to get a Right to Clean Water Constitutional Amendment on the 2026 Florida ballot. The livestream starts at noon today, Thursday, April 18, and is hosted by our friends at Friends of the Everglades. Also joining the discussion: Eve Samples, Friends' Executive Director; Joe Bonasia of Florida Right to Clean Water, Matt DePaolis of Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce.

Register for the event at the link below. And if you haven't yet printed out a petition, signed it and returned it — click here.