Frequently Asked Questions

Aren’t these “problems” simply natural parts of the Florida water system?  Haven’t there always been nutrients in the lakes and algal blooms in the estuaries?
 
While excess nutrients in water bodies (eutrophication) is natural in some parts of Florida, man has greatly exacerbated and accelerated the process, far beyond the natural systems ability to adapt to or recover from these changes in the short term – thus the dramatic die-off and reduction of fish populations in the estuaries.  The frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms has increased.  As with Global Warming, eventually those denying the evidence will be overwhelmed by the reality of the current tragic situation and those people will recognize the problem as being real and undeniable.  Denial is a natural first reaction to an abstract problem, but as people learn more, they will understand and want to become part of the solution.

How do we know that the algal blooms are the result of the water releases and nutrients?

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.  The systems are complex, but regardless  if the causes are pollution from the Caloosahatchee or migrating pollution from elsewhere, or if the blooms are encouraged by hurricanes, or warmer water temperatures, we can still trace most of these back to human impacts on the natural system.  These causes may be more regional or global, but they are still largely by us.  The only thing this uncertainty tells us is that it will not be enough to simply clean up locally or regionally, we must make our efforts part of the larger state, national, and global effort to become better stewards of our natural resources and of our planet in general.

Won’t the system just fix itself?

Perhaps…if we stopped creating the problems and stopped kicking mother nature while she was down.  But if we continue to stress every part of the natural system (habitat reduction, water quality degradation, climate change, invasive species, etc.) at some point we will overwhelm the natural system’s ability to cope and recover.  We may have already reached that threshold.

Is this a case of coastal urban residents trying to blame all the water quality problems on the rural counties and farmers?

Absolutely not!  We all share in the responsibility.  After all, we all eat the food produced on our farms and we all generally seek the lowest price possible for the food we buy.   The current sources of the problem simply reflect who got here first, but they don’t necessarily reflect what may be the most serious long-term threats to water quality.  Long before Southwest Florida’s population began to grow significantly, there were already extensive agricultural lands along the Kissimmee River, around Lake Okeechobee and in the Caloosahatchee watershed.  All these contributed pollution to the Caloosahatchee.  Thus, the clean-up problem in Lake Okeechobee is primarily an agricultural legacy issue from our long history of cattle ranches, dairy farms and sugarcane fields.  However, at the same time we clean up after our agricultural mistakes, we must make sure that we are giving equal attention to urban & residential sources of pollution.  That is why Riverwatch is insisting that all counties and municipalities create stormwater utilities to improve the water quality of runoff from our towns and neighborhoods.  This is equally important as addressing the Lake Okeechobee discharges problem.

Is this a problem only in the Caloosahatchee River?

No, the Caloosahatchee is simply this year’s poster child for the crisis that extends from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee and into the St. Lucie River and Caloosahatchee River.  Also affected are the Big Cypress region, the Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands and Florida Bay.  All Floridians should be alarmed by the collective crisis of South Florida water quality.

Can federal and state funding assistance fix the problems?

Unless Congress insists that serious measures like urban stormwater utilities and real enforcement of stormwater water quality regulations be established as a precondition for federal funding of the agricultural clean-up projects, the investment of more government funds will largely be a waste of taxpayer dollars.  Without dramatic changes in our urbanization practices, we will simply replace every gallon of cleaned agricultural runoff water with a gallon of polluted urban runoff water.  In 20 years we will be back in DC asking for more money to clean up our urban pollution problem.  We know that now, so let’s fix it now!  How can we ask other states to send money to help us clean up after our past mistakes if we aren’t doing the things we know are required to prevent repeating those mistakes?

Are the currently planned clean up projects sufficient to address the problems of Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee River?

Many believe the measures being proposed are too little, too late.  For example, the wastes from a single cow is equal to that of 12 humans.  Yet even today, 25 years after first knowing we had severe water quality problems in the Okeechobee watershed, cows are still permitted to wade and deposit wastes directly into the ditches, canals, and rivers that flow directly to our estuaries.  How serious are the programs if they don’t address the most basic requirements?  While sugarcane growers have demonstrated significant reductions in pollution from their farms, the same cannot be said of cattle ranches.  As a result, many believe more drastic steps are required including a large flow-way treatment system from the southernmost end of Lake Okeechobee to the Water Conservation Areas and Everglades.  Because we have waited so many decades to get truly serious about reducing agricultural pollution, we may be faced with the prospect of having to dredge Lake Okeechobee to remove the nutrients contained in its bottom sediments.  The costs would be staggering.

Two additional wildlife refuges, Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Island, are indirectly affected by the Caloosahatchee.  What does it mean that they are affected?

In addition to directly affecting the Refuges that are directly on the River or the Estuary, the flows from the Caloosahatchee also affect coastal waters that are taken by the near shore currents down past these two refuges in Collier County.  The water from the River is believed to eventually enter Florida Bay, which is between the Everglades and the Florida Keys.

The Caloosahatchee supplies drinking water for Lee County.  How much, or what percent of the County s river comes from the river?

5mgd, enough for 40,000 persons, or about 6% of the County total.  Due to water quantity and quality problems, the utilities have been shifting to groundwater sources.

 During drought situations, there may not be enough (minimum) flow in the River for both the water supply and the environment.  In fact a minimum flow level (MFL) rulemaking was undertaken a few years ago.  By state law, MFLs are the flow or level of ground or surface water at which further withdrawals of water would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area. They are often specified in agency rules and regulations as numbers representing flows or levels, but can also be the procedure used to calculate a flow or level.

 Also, Lee County has also attempted to establish a “Water Reservation” for the River to protect the water source for the environment, but this effort has stalled with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).  For more information on water reservations for the River, please see www.swfwc.org  under “Topics”.

The river is naturally tannic.  What is tannic?

Tea-colored, brought about by decomposing leaves and other organic matter staining the water due to our relatively warm water conditions.

As Lee reaches a saturation point, large-scale developments are planned inland in Hendry and Glades. There is also unprecedented development along the riverfront.  In downtown Fort Myers alone, urban revitalization projects are submitted without water quality components, and may drain directly into the river.   How will these affect the river?

There are too many new residential developments to even keep a list!  The area is among the fastest growing in the US and our Watershed is under great stress from development. The City of Ft Myer has recently approved 27 high-rises and some are stalled in the permit process due to stormwater concerns. Many citrus groves in rural counties are in the process of conversion to subdivisions. Others in the watershed include the Babcock Ranch (50,000 units on 17,000 acres) and Paradise Preserve, two developments that propose dredging canals through mangroves in prime manatee habitat along a two mile stretch of riverfront.

Lake Okeechobee activities create conditions of drought and out of season flooding in the Caloosahatchee, resulting in total flow volumes that more than doubled in 2004 and 2005 due to lake discharges.  What does this mean?

River flows are more than double natural conditions due to Lake artificially connecting to the River through a canal, and high lake levels lead to unusual discharges, totaling double the natural basin flow.

The abnormal silt in the water from hurricanes has created light conditions.  Does this mean there was not enough sunlight for the vegetation?

Correct, the water is laden with silt.  Light penetration is poor due to silt, light penetration distance more than halved over normal conditions even in the developed watershed.

Damage done to marine, estuarine, and aquatic species, including some that are threatened and endangered, is approaching total elimination along the length of the river What is total elimination? Are species dying off in all parts of the river?

This past year the River has had red tide, toxic blue-green algae blooms and hypoxic conditions, resulting in the death of everything from inshore to offshore species.   There are documented fish kill reports throughout the River and Estuary.  The published reports are available.  Both scientists and fishermen report decimation of most of our game and commercial species – blue crabs, oysters, redfish, snook, goliath grouper, mullet, and catfish. Approximately 40% of the state's endangered and threatened species are found within this area. The estuary also indirectly supports a variety of commercial and sport fisheries by providing nursery area, which substantially adds to the local economy. The estuary is also an important home for bird nesting colonies and a valuable stopover area for migrating birds.

The West Indian Manatee, the signature species in this river, has lost all of its submerged foraging habitat along the length of the river. Does this mean the manatee does not have any source of food in the river?

Yes, except for low-lying terrestrial vegetation (leaf branches from trees and bushes) that are not normally eaten by manatees.  Loss of food source for the manatee is nearly total from the mouth to the S-79 headwaters of the Caloosahatchee estuary.  Reports are that we have lost 99% of our seagrass habitat, the main source of food for the manatee.  We have no idea how this year’s extreme conditions will affect the species until they migrate upriver to the FPL power plant (warm water outfall) this winter.

The River is listed as “Critical Habitat” for the species, see http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/a/saa0c.html

The Caloosahatchee is threatened by channelization of the river that occurred.  When, exactly did this occur?  However, the C-43 Reservoir, part of the Everglades Restoration Project, has not yet been implemented.  Which reservoir is this and why is it important?

The channelization of the River occurred from 1880 to 1960s.  However, the C-43 Reservoir, a proposed reservoir in Hendry County (resulting from the WRDA of 2000), part of the Everglades Restoration Project, has not yet been implemented.  The proposed Reservoir is anticipated to take the artificial high flows off the river discharge and store them for low season flow. Caloosahatchee River is designated as part of the Western Everglades and is therefore eligible for this funding. In addition, eight projects have been fast-tracked as crucial for this restoration and are known as ACCELER8.  The design of C-43 will be determined in the late 2006 or early 2007.  The Federal/ State partnership known as the South Florida Restoration Task Force (aka Everglades Task Force) will decide whether or not the reservoir will have a proactive water quality component with pollution load reduction targets.  The test cell for this reservoir is under construction now.  Riverwatch has been proactive in insisting that this project have a water quality component, as opposed to just a storage component.  In addition, an EPA official sent out a memo stating that if there is no water-quality function, this reservoir may become an incubator for more toxic algae.  More backup documentation available at www.evergladesnow.org.

This year, Lee County, the most populous area, will decide whether to dedicate a standing source of funding for stormwater quality improvements.  When will they decide? Who will decide? Will the public have a chance to weigh-in? When?

This issue has been ongoing for quite a few years, approved twice, but backed down due to public pressure.  This issue remains unresolved.  However, the Basin will fall under TMDLs for 2007 through Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  Riverwatch maintains that this issue is a priority and wants to see this forward in 2006.  Through the County Commission, the public has a chance to weigh in on the enabling ordinance establishing the funding source, mid 2006.

Best Management Practices for urban design have failed for water quality.  New standards are being proposed and going through hearings.  These are being sponsored by the Development Industry.  There are also some startling exceptions to these standards.  Passage of the standards and the degree of loopholes are decisions that will be made this year.  What is likely to happen? Who will make the final decisions?  Does the public get to comment?  If so, when?

The rulemaking process was mandated for the Caloosahatchee Basin due to a negotiated agreement between South Florida Water Management District and the Conservancy of SW Florida over an environmental permitting issue.  During the public rulemaking process, which mandated additional onsite storage and BMPs (selection from a matrix), the development interests have found numerous objections, added loopholes, and the process is currently stalled.  (Documentation of the rulemaking, the objection, and the Conservancy’s responses are available). Final decision is made by the SFWMD and reviewed by the State Environmental Regulatory Commission.

The Lake Okeechobee regulation schedule, Water for Supply and Environment, is being reexamined for improvements.  When will revisions for the plan be finalized? Will the public have a chance to weigh-in? When? What is the likelihood of having this revised for the benefit of the Caloosahatchee?

The current schedule was adjusted to increase harm to the Caloosahatchee at the benefit of South Lake agricultural interests.   The decisions will be finalized in Dec 2006 to go in place by Jan 2007.  Information on this process is available at
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/pao/hotTopics/hot_topics_LO_HHD.htm

Also, in response to local pressure, the Governor of Florida initiated a new plan, Lake Okeechobee & Estuary Recovery (LOER) to provide immediate and future measures to remediate the problems.   http://www.sfwmd.gov/site/index.php?id=727

This approach has led to the dying off of lake littoral from submersion.  What is this?

The littoral zone is where the emergent and submerged vegetation is shallow enough to flourish, with beneficial side effect of taking up nutrients out of the water column from submersion.  The littoral zone in Lake Okeechobee is dying from high lake levels, causing the additional biomass to add to the already muck-laden waters of the lake, which are then discharges into the River.

 The Caloosahatchee River, with a watershed of 4,203 square miles, is part of the Great Calusa Blueway, designated by the National Park System (NPS).  Is this part of the NPS? What does designated by NPS mean?

Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton used National Trails Day (June 5, 2004) to launch the "America's Public Lands Get Fit with US" initiative. Norton also announced the designation of 27 new recreation trails in 15 states, as part of the National Recreation Trails System.  The National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service administer the program.  From the designation: “The Great Calusa Blueway - Located in one of the fastest growing areas of the country, this 30-plus-mile water trail acts as an ecological corridor that connects federal, state and local preserves, as well as historic sites, within Lee County. Home of Florida's first "aquatic preserve," the trail allow visitors the opportunity to observe dolphins, manatees, and over 300 species of birds in their natural habitat. In addition to its scenic features, the trail allows for recreational opportunities, including kayaking, fishing and swimming.”