The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers began discharging water from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries in mid-February. These annual discharges are intended to manage lake levels ahead of Florida’s rainy season, and they often result in blue-green algae growth in coastal estuaries.
Related news:
- Health alert issued for blue-green algal toxins in Lake Okeechobee, WPTV, March 16, 2024
- Health Officials Issue Blue-Green Algae Bloom Alert for Dowling Lake North: Pasco County, FL – The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County has issued a Health Alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in Dowling Lake-North. This is in response to a water sample taken on March 4, 2024. The public should exercise caution in and around Dowling Lake-North. Florida Department of Health, March 11
Latest blue-green algae sampling
Update from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
March 15 – March 21, 2024 – There were eight reported site visits in the past seven days with eight samples collected. Algal bloom conditions were observed by samplers at five of the sites.
Satellite imagery for Lake Okeechobee from 3/21 is partially obscured by cloud cover, but shows low to moderate bloom potential on approximately 15% – 20% of the lake, predominantly in the northwest quadrant of the lake, with more scattered bloom potential along the western, southern and eastern shorelines of the lake.
Satellite imagery for the Caloosahatchee Estuary from 3/21 shows scattered low to moderate bloom potential in the upper estuary.
Satellite imagery for the St. Lucie Estuary from 3/21 shows no bloom potential on visible portions of the estuary.
Satellite imagery for the St. Johns River from 3/21 shows scattered low to moderate bloom potential on Lake George and throughout the mainstem of the river from Lake George downstream to the city of Jacksonville.
Please keep in mind that bloom potential is subject to change due to rapidly changing environmental conditions or satellite inconsistencies (i.e., wind, rain, temperature or stage.)
On 3/20 – 3/21, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) staff collected five Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) response samples. Dominant algal taxa and cyanotoxin results follow each waterbody name.
Cherry Lake: Oedogonium sp.; no cyanotoxins detected.
Lake Pearl – Park Dock: Microcystis aeruginosa and Pseudanabaena mucicola; trace level [0.89 parts per billion (ppb)] microcystins detected.
Lake Minnehaha – East Dock: Microcystis aeruginosa; 0.80 ppb microcystins detected.
Blanton Lake – South Lobe: Results pending.
Lake Dowling – Off Dock: Results pending.
On 3/18, St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) collected one routine HAB monitoring sample at Lake Washington – Center: No dominant algal taxon; no cyanotoxins detected.
On 3/18, Highlands County staff collected two HAB response samples. Dominant algal taxa and cyanotoxin results follow each waterbody name.
Lake Placid – Boat Ramp: Microcystis wesenbergii and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii; no cyanotoxins detected.
Lake Glenada – Boat Ramp: Microcystis aeruginosa and Microcystis wesenbergii; trace level (0.68 ppb) microcystins detected.
Last Week
On 3/14, DEP staff collected a HAB response sample from Lake Clarke Inflow – East Congress Avenue: No dominant algal taxon; no cyanotoxins detected.
On 3/13, South Florida Water Management District staff collected routine HAB monitoring samples at four locations on Lake Okeechobee. Dominant algal taxa and cyanotoxin results follow each waterbody name.
CLV10A: No dominant algal taxon; no cyanotoxins detected.
PALMOUT: Microcystis aeruginosa; trace level (0.26 ppb) microcystins detected.
LZ30: Microcystis aeruginosa; no cyanotoxins detected.
RITTAE2: Microcystis aeruginosa; no cyanotoxins detected.
On 3/14, SJRWMD staff collected a routine HAB monitoring sample at Crescent Lake – Mouth of Dunns Creek: No dominant algal taxon; no cyanotoxins detected.
Results for completed analyses are available at FloridaDEP.gov/AlgalBloom.
Maps of blue-green algae test sites
The blue dots in the maps below represent positive samples within the past 30 days. The green dots represent tests over the past 90 days. For an interactive version of this map, which allows you to zoom in and read test results for specific test sites for the past 90 days, go to floridadep.gov/AlgalBloom
These maps were posted on March 22, 2024.
Caloosahatchee Estuary
Lake Okeechobee & St. Lucie Estuary
St. Johns River
Blue-Green Algae statewide dashboard — LIVE map prepared by the Florida Dept of Environmental Protection
More from Florida Rambler: The Florida Red Tide Report
Contributing factors to both red tide and blue-green algae.
Bob Rountree is a beach bum, angler and camper who has explored Florida for decades. No adventure is complete without a scenic paddle trail or unpaved road to nowhere. Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross 14 years ago.