Email from VoteWater Also: A look at our new "WaveMaker" member program for those who want to make waves - and make change   Tell the Army Corps to stop the discharges! TAKE ACTION: Complete this letter to Col. Brandon Bowman with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; or email Bowman at [email protected] Blue-green algae in Port Salerno: Is it connected to Lake O discharges? Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: The first blue-green algal bloom of 2025 (photo courtesy of the Ohana Surf Shop in Stuart). Well, technically, the Florida DEP’s “Algal Bloom Dashboard” flags numerous blooms across the state; but one of those blue dots showed up last week in Martin County — recipient of billions of gallons of polluted Lake Okeechobee water in recent weeks due to discharges. During warmer weather we’ve seen Lake O discharges trigger massive toxic algae blooms in both the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, but theoretically it’s too cold for that now. Nonetheless, the bright green bloom in the Manatee Pocket area of Port Salerno last week was photographed by residents and then sampled by the DEP, which confirmed the presence of Microcystis aeruginosa, which can produce the toxins microcystin and cyanopeptolin, along with Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, which can be toxic or non-toxic. All of which is a complex way of saying: Steer clear of the stuff. We don’t and can’t know if the bloom is directly related to the discharges — but it's likely not a coincidence. Discharges supercharge nutrient loading; and nutrient-laden waters are prime breeding ground for toxic algae. This week’s cold snap may (hopefully) kill off the blooms in the Manatee Pocket. But if and when the weather warms our estuaries and all who rely on them for business or pleasure are at risk. It's time to stop these discharges. Make your voice heard at the links above. READ MORE AT VOTEWATER.ORG Make waves — and make change! When VoteWater was founded in 2013 as Bullsugar.org, our bare-knuckled advocacy reflected the community’s outrage at toxic algae and the political environment that produced it. We built a movement and demanded change; we made waves. But the fight for clean water in Florida is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to be strategic as well as tactical, persistent and insistent. We need to grow our support and reach while retaining the crusading spirit that set us apart. So we’re pleased to introduce WaveMaker, a membership program for those who want to make waves and fuel our push for clean-water leaders and policies. By contributing $1,200 or more per year you can support VoteWater’s political work and advocacy, including our “Dirty Money Project,” our efforts to end discharges from Lake Okeechobee and watchdog the Florida Legislature, our “Deep Dive” investigative reporting and more. As part of the WaveMaker community: You’ll be invited to exclusive virtual briefings by Executive Director Gil Smart on important clean-water topics. You’ll receive invitations to signature events for the clean-water community. You’ll receive our weekly newsletter, with the latest news, opinion, political analysis, “Dirty Money” updates and “action alerts” so you can make your voice heard on clean-water issues. You’ll have the opportunity to help VoteWater assess political candidates in your community. You’ll get insider updates and impact reports showing how your dollars are making a difference You may make your donation in honor or memory of a loved one, friend, or business associate. It makes a wonderful gift and meaningful tribute. All this — plus a cool gift to boot! Your WaveMaker membership can arm Votewater with the tools to identify and elevate clean-water candidates, track “dirty money,” influence officials to vote for clean-water policies — and protect the water we love for generations to come. BECOME A WAVEMAKER! 'Free the Three' — and tell Cape Coral City Council to knock it off! A few weeks back we related the story of the three Cape Coral anglers — Dan Carney, Jim Collier and Kevin Sparks — who’d challenged the city’s attempt to get rid of the Chiquia Lock on the Caloosahatchee because they feared it would impact water quality. They lost that fight; the lock will be removed. And now the city’s going after the three, demanding they pay $2 million in legal fees incurred by the city due to their “frivolous” challenge. The three and their supporters aren’t going down without a fight, and among other things have organized an email-writing campaign urging Cape Coral City Council members to back off. Visit this page to send your own missive; check out the background info and if you like, contribute to the GoFundMe, which as of this writing has raised just under $9k to help the three fishermen pay an attorney to help them out of this jam. A jam which, let’s be crystal clear, the City of Cape Coral should NOT be subjecting them to. Where citizens stand up for cleaner water, and local elected officials seek to punish them for doing so — those elected officials need to get wise, or they need to get voted out. P.S.: Floridians DON'T have the right to clean water; but you can change that VoteWater supports the drive to get a right to clean water amendment on the 2026 Florida ballot, and you can too! Sign the petition, make a donation, volunteer your time and help Floridians secure a future with clean and safe water for all. BECOME A MEMBER DONATE NOW     VoteWater | 3727 SE Ocean Blvd. Suite 200A | Stuart, FL 34996 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice