Water management, use and protection floats an annual U.S. industry with revenue of $92 billion, according to a report from the Environmental and Business Journal. In many cases utilities have been cash cows for local governments. [News Journal]

Ralf Brookes Environmental Legal Services won a Comp Plan consistency challenge. The order is helpful to support citizens for both standing and actual consistency with comp plan policies including Future Land Use Map densities. [Details] [Final Order]

A joint meeting between Hendry County and the Cities of Clewiston and Labelle on the South Florida Inland Port Project will be held on Oct 2 to discuss merits of the proposed AirGlades & Hilliard sites. [Details] [Sites Map] [Panther Areas]

Deciding how best to make land use decisions is a key question. Professors Tom Tyler and David Markell have launched this study in an effort to examine views about how land use decisions should be made and the role that citizens should play. [Details]

The Everglades Foundation says that placing the proposed inland port facilities in Hendry & Glades Counties is a better alternative to Okeelanta (below South Bay) where it would negatively affect Everglades Restoration. [Caloosa Belle]

With the changing administration in Washington, all eyes are on who will be appointed to run the Environmental Protection Agency and many other environmental and energy posts. [Details]

The November 2008 CRCA newsletter is available online. The archives provides an index to many of the newsletters dating back to 1995. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email. [November Newsletter] [Newsletter Archive]

It could be the state's fourth year in a row for drought and the eighth this decade. Sparse rainfall will persist across much of the Southeast until late spring. State officials are standing by with response plans & strict restrictions on water use [Orlando Sentinel] [Map]

CRCA Board of Directors will meet on January 7 at 6:30 pm in Ft. Myers at Perkins Family Restaurant, Morse Shores Shopping Center on Palm Beach Blvd. For more information contact Marti Daltry. [Map]

In a 4-3 vote, SFWMD Governing Members voted to approve the $1.34 billion purchase of 185,000 acres of sugar cane and other farm land from U.S. Sugar Corporation, while leasing the same land back to U.S. Sugar for $50/acre/year for 7 years. [Palm Beach Post]

As a newly emerging field of law, the Center for Earth Jurisprudence is working to usher future Earth jurisdiction. Such change is not so far-fetched, Ecuador has already revised its constitution to include, ‘inter alia’, a chapter of rights for nature. [CEJ]

U.S. Sugar is unsure if the SFWMD approval of the purchase deal will result in follow-through by the state. It says that it will therefore entertain legitimate, bona fide offers from other potential buyers. So, the drama continues.
[SW Florida Online]

The failing economy and subsequent budget crunch could slow the implementation of an initiative to cleanse the Caloosahatchee River, despite unanimous support for the plan Monday from state water managers.
[News Press]

According to PEER, Obama's nominee to head the EPA embraced policies at DEP echoing the very practices at the Bush EPA...suppression of scientific information, issuance of gag orders and threats against professional staff who dared to voice concerns. [PEER]

Florida Crystal's subsidiaries New Hope Sugar Co. and Okeelanta Corp. filed a motion opposing the financing that would let the SFWMD buy the 180,000-acre expanse south of Lake Okeechobee. Tey claim unfair competition. [Palm Beach Post] [Surprise, surprise]

Dec 16 was the deadline for SFWMD to make a decision on the U.S. Sugar purchase. Opinions varied widely with the Evergaldes Coalition, Audubon, Conservancy, and PURRE are in support. The Palm Beach Post and Riverwatch had concerns. [Palm Beach Post] [CRCA EvCo] [CRCA Discussion] [PURRE]

SFWMD cannot request funds to construct the C-43 West Reservoir system on the Caloosahatchee in its Congressional stimulus package wish list because the project has still not been authorized through WRDA legislation in DC. [SFWMD Stimulus Package]

The Mangrove Action Group and the Conservancy of SW Florida invite you on Saturday, Feb 7, 2009 to come and learn the importance of preserving mangroves and associated benefits to wildlife and coastal areas. [Invitation]

The New Year should be an exciting time for the Rivers Coalition as the campaign continues to bring back and nurture the St. Lucie estuary and neighboring Indian River Lagoon and nearshore reefs. [RiversCoalition.org]

For Friends of Billy’s Creek Saturday morning was the maiden voyage for a new fleet of kayaks. Purchased with a $9,000 grant the fleet allows more volunteers to sweep the six-mile creek for trash as part an ongoing clean up effort. [News Press]

Take a walk on the wet side! Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc. (CHEC) will be conducting free Seagrass Adventure Wading Trips at Cedar Point Environmental Park from now until March. [Details]

Save Our Creeks will hold its last meeting of the year at 10am on Dec 20 to discuss the Fort Center opening celebration, new development of Bluehead Ranch, the Cypress Knee Museum project, and the opening of the creek canoe trail to Lake Okeechobee. [Details]

SFWMD will hold a community meeting in Clewiston on Wed, Dec 10th from 6.30pm–8.30pm. The meeting will provide the public an update on the proposed purchase of US Sugar Corporation assets. [Meeting Details]

Reports to the new administration recommend that counties and local governments take lead on restoration efforts since their actions & inactions are major influences on the environment.
[Press Release]

The Florida DEP in coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers has expanded the existing online self-certification process for certain small, private single-family docks. You can apply and get approval online. [Press Release] [Apply Online]

Astronauts drink fully recycled water and now the concept is coming down to earth. Los Angeles and San Diego which both rejected potable reuse, have raised the idea once again, as have, for the first time, DeKalb County, Ga. and Miami-Dade Co., Fla. [Article]

Albert Walton of DEP in Punta Gorda answers an inquiry about an odd die-off in Matlacha Pass after the runoff of Tropical Storm Fay. Rapid salinity changes after a prolonged drought followed by heavy rains is the likely cause. [Photo] [Explanation] [Gray Blob] [News Press]

Removing Ceitus Boat Lift may have caused the recent die-off. When the spreader canal was properly maintained, runoff flowed through the mangroves & dumped somewhat evenly throughout Matlacha Pass. Not now. [Question] [Lock]

In response to a Christian Science Monitor article about the U.S. Sugar buyout, Riverwatch director John Capece argues that moving agriculture out of state does not solve ecosystem problems locally or globally. [Response Letter] [CSM Article]

USGS reports that fishes that once were abundant are now disappearing, with nearly 40 percent of all species in jeopardy, according to the most detailed assessment of the conservation status of freshwater fishes in the last 20 years. [USGS] [Press Release]

Congress needs to move quickly to approve the Clean Water Restoration Act — a bill that would reaffirm the broad federal protections that it intended more than 30 years ago. Both chambers have held hearings, and a lot is at stake.
[The New York Times]

If phosphorus is the greatest pollutant of concern in SW FL then an evaluation of landscaping soil ability to trap P is an essential screening tool for buffer design. Such methods developed decades ago are still not widely used. [Details]

This photo taken at the confluence of Hickeys Creek and the Caloosahatchee river clearly highlights the difference between the dark tea colored water common in the upper river system and the turbid (muddy) water washing into the river from the creek. [Details]

The $1.7 billion buyout, scheduled to be completed in early 2009, may also prove to be a financial boon to the state’s remaining sugar superpower, Okeelanta/Florida Crystals owned by the Fanjul family. [TheNewYorkTimes] [Graphic]

Faculty, graduate students and an undergrad from Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of South Florida were looking for areas where juvenile fish feed and move with inflow of fresh water.
[new-press.com]

Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. FL lawmakers should consider this when reading the Florida Trend article about beach renourishment in era of sea level rise.
[The Florida Trend]

The enormous power of the sea has long been a source of awe. Now serious efforts are under way - led by British engineers - to harness some of the energy surging around our shores. Currents like the Gulf Stream can provide electrical power. [TimesOnlain]

The National Research Council Committee on Independent Review of Everglades Restoration Progress (CISRERP) released a report titled Progress Toward Restoring the Everglades: The Second Biennial Review, 2008. It is critical of the pace of progress. [Report]

An analytical debate on the merits of sugar or any farming in the Glades starts with deciding if the food yield is worth the loss of a soil resource (muck subsidence / oxidation) that took tens of thousands of years to create. Both writers miss this.
[Rich Campbell] [Gaston Cantens]

Ralf Brookes held a picnic lunch event to discuss and compare the Presidential Candidates' policies on the environmental and national heritage. Ralf also submitted a letter to CRCA describing Obama's policy on mercury.
[Florida Waters] [Mercury Editorial]

The specter of failure is haunting American environmentalism. James Gustave Speth writes, “what’s needed is a new inclusive green politics that challaenges basic assumptions about consumersism and unlimited growth. [Article]

The Cape Coral Canal technical committee (NS-EMA Stakeholders) met 8:30AM Oct 29 in the RPC Conference Room. The group considered the merits of mitigation projects for removal of the Ceitus Boat Lift. [projects]

St. Lucie Lock was recently drained to install hardware for a new acoustic array manatee protection system. During this time, manatee protection screens and damaged baffles were repaired, and electrical conduits painted. [Details]

Some still don't understand that water conservation isn’t to be practiced on an emergency basis, but is a fundamental change in how we landscape & irrigate our homes. SFWMD seeks a long-term transformation in watering habits. [Palm Beach Post]

The Mangrove Gathering takes place at the Lee County Parks & Recreation Support Services Facility at Rutenberg Park, (the former Rutenberg Library) 6490 South Pointe Blvd., between College Parkway and Cypress Lake Boulevard. [Details]

The Sugar Cane Cooperative is saying that the state buying EAA & then leasing it back to U.S. Sugar for $50/acre (rather than the appraised $220) would constitute unfair market competition by the State of Florida. [Palm Beach Post]

Lee County Management was unable to reach agreeable terms for the purchase of the North Fort Myers Utility. Alternative options for the Waterway Estate Treatment Plant will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their January 5th meeting to begin at 1:00 pm in the Commission Chambers.

The Sugar Cane Cooperative says members would pay three times as much - an offer it argued would help offset taxpayers costs by adding $18m a year for the buy-out deal to acquire Everglades restoration lands. [Miami Herald] [SFWMD Mtg] [Do Something] [Palm Beach Post]

New water samplers are being developed to detect very low levels of pharmaceuticals and other trace contaminants in water by using semi-permeable membranes. [USGS] [SPMD] [Report] [Clu-in] [Passive Samplers]

The Water Strategist Community is a water news website containing pertinent news from the International Boundary and Water Commission, Bureau of Reclamation, EPA, State Departments of Water Resources and many other relevant sources in the water industry. [www.waterchat.com]

NS-EMA participants held a productive Stakeholder Group meeting on Friday Dec, 5 to clarify types of projects for the spreader canal, bank and barrier. Based on the progress made, future scheduled meetings will not be needed. [Meeting Report] [Mgt Report] [Technical Summary] [DEP]

Environmentalists are eager for President-elect Barack Obama to take office so that he can reverse the troubled Bush administration legacy at the Environmental Protection Agency. [US News] [EPA Regulation]

Martha Pierce, director of Riverside Retreat, invites all to attend the dedication ceremony for their new auditorium and classroom complex on the Caloosahatchee River on Dec 13 at 11am between LaBelle and Alva off SR78. [RSVP]

The Fort Myers City Council unanimously approved a $708,675 contract with a development team to create a plan for stores, restaurants and possibly a hotel along the Caloosahatchee River. The plan is for completion in 4 years. [News Press]

The Hendry/LaBelle Recreation Board and Coalition for Eco-Recreation would like to invite community organizations, youth groups, and individuals to a LaBelle Nature Park Trail Clean Up on Sat, Feb 7 from 8-10 am. [Details]

After badgering SFWMD officials to lift water restrictions in Oct on the heels of Aug/Sep rains, east coast residents are now beginning to understand why lawn water schedules need to be in a year-round conservation mode. [Palm Beach Post]

East County Water Control District will hold a Nature Tour on Wed, Dec 3 at 8 am. This 2-mile walking tour will provide an opportunity to explore nature and learn about the importance of Harns Marsh located in Lehigh Acres. [RSVP] [Details]

Favoring urban redevelopment over urban sprawl, Riverwatch endorsed a letter from Alva, Inc. to the Corps of Engineers opposing the proposed North River Communities development inland along the Caloosahatchee River. [Letter]

"This recession is not only going to be bad for us. It's going to be worse than the nation's," said David Denslow, a University of Florida economist. “Florida's residential construction boom grew at twice its normal rate and "we got overbuilt." [Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau]

It's sad that those professionals best educated & able to act in the public interest instead often bias their work in support of exploitative development projects. But should we single out only one company in the sea of "client advocates." [Eye on Miami] [St Pete]

River Spotters are being asked to report changes in the Caloosahatchee River. A location map of SCCF RECON units and an interactive online form have been designed for recordings. Sign up to monitor your stretch of the river. [DataSheet] [Map] [Website]

This is the 12th year that Riverwatch (thanks to Keith Kibbey)has organized the bike ride around the river. There are 15, 30, 40, and 62-mile course distance options. [Register]

The October 2008 CRCA newsletter is available online. The archives provides an index to many of the newsletters dating back to 1995. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email. [October Newsletter] [Newsletter Archive]

The Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival on Nov 22, 10am-3pm, in Port Charlotte is fun and educational for adults and children alike with lectures, live animals, nature walks & more. Riverwatch always has an exhibit at the festival. Come join us! [Details] [map]

A one-page synopsis of the Water Quality Consensus priorities outlines lower cost, community-oriented improvements for Caloosahatchee water quality that if acted upon can enhance water quality and provide jobs.
[Water Quality Priorities 2009]

The 12th annual River Ride was held Sunday, Nov 23. Beginning and ending at Caloosahatchee Regional Park near Alva, the event allowed 120 riders to enjoy the Caloosahatchee scenery...and burn off a few calories before Thanksgiving. [Photos]

There are five applicants for the one empty seat on the South Florida Water Management District governing board, as the board moves toward the single biggest step in the multi-billion dollar Everglades rescue. [Details]

Thinking about holiday gifts? Caloosahatchee Artist, Caroline Krieger Comings, has released for some new original paintings. Contact Caroline to inquire about available or you can buy prints from Riverwatch. [Details]

Purchase of Argo Ranch by Conservation 20/20 program was approved on Nov 18. This will permanently preserve over 1,700 acres of listed species habitat, natural flowway and drinking water supply recharge area west of Babcock Ranch. [Application]

Smack in the middle of a groundwater shortage that had Southwest Florida officials begging people to use as little water as possible, agricultural operations opened their pumps wide and flooded millions of gallons of water wastefully over their fields. [Full Article]

Governor Charlie Crist has announced the details of Florida's revised plans to acquire lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area from the U.S. Sugar Corporation. The deal will be signed in December if approved by U.S. Sugar and the Governing Board of the SFWMD. [Details]

Guided by Rae Ann Wessel, popular Caloosahatchee Oxbow and Riverlore Cruises explore the meanders of the historic upriver Caloosahatchee. Cruises have resumed and will continue one Sunday afternoon a month through to May, 10. [Reservation Details]

Registration now for the 6th Annual River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run to be held Sunday, Jan 11. Suited for experienced trail runners, this will be a great opportunity to experience a challenging trail with a couple hundred fellow dirt enthusiasts. [Register]

Former EPA Administrator Carol Browner has detailed an aggressive agenda for the incoming Obama administration's EPA, which includes developing a broad plan for addressing clean energy, climate change and other emerging challenges. [Details]

The Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association invites you to join our Holiday Potluck dinner to be held at 6:30pm on Wed, Dec 3, at the Hendry House in LaBelle. Turkey will be provided and everyone is encouraged to bring a dish to share. [Hendry House Map] [RSVP]

The Lee County Marine Law Enforcement Task Force is set to hand out special items to kids who attend the Fort Myers Boat Show, 13-16 Nov. The items will direct kids to the official Jr. Officer Web page, designed to educate them about the importance of wearing life jackets. [Details]

It is time for the new President and Congress to implement a national policy for green jobs and green energy which will result in a strong economic recovery. We can no longer afford to rely on old strategies for economic recovery. by Marti Daltry. [Opinion]

Visit the 36th Annual Fort Myers Boat Show. 13th to 16th November. Set along the Caloosahatchee River, over 800 Boats indoors, outdoors, and in-water and more than 225 Exhibitors turn downtown Ft. Myers into a Boater's Paradise. [Details]

There's bad news concerning the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival. There's just no way to participate in everything that the 9-day, 75-trip, 24-clinic celebration will offer. It begins Sat, Oct 25.
[News-Press]

Bring your questions- How much fertilizer is too much? Come hear this timely topic and learn what the new Lee County Fertilizer Ordinance is all about at the next Cape Water Action meeting. Sat, Nov 22 from 1pm til 3pm at the Cape Coral Library. [Details]

PURRE Water Coalition has named Dan Wexler its Director of Public Policy. Wexler has been helping PURRE with state and federal government since 2007. In his new role, Wexler will also coordinate PURRE's public policy goals as we head into a new legislative session. [Announcement]

As part of the organization’s ongoing effort to restore the creek, Friends of Billy’s Creek will hold a cleanup on Sat, Dec 6, from 9am – 12pm. A newly donated kayak fleet and other boats will be available. All citizens, groups, and clubs are invited. [Details]

Companies like Plant Health Care have begun to spring up offering improved lawn and agricultural products like PHOSPHATE-FREE fertilizers to help meet requirements of the new Lee County Fertilizer Ordinance.
[PHC 15-0-3] [Ricky Bass, PHC]

The EMA group, led by Dr. Tom Taylor, met on Sep 12 to discuss the many technical issues of the watershed that drains to the Cape Coral Spreader Canal System, including the water quality, salinity and habitat issues of Matlacha Pass. [Agenda]

A new GAO report to Congress shows that some huge livestock farms produce more raw waste than large cities. In it's typical bizarre logic, the Bush EPA has proposed eliminating waste control rules on big farms and feedlots. [Associated Press] [Chicago Trib]

Rural Florida counties react defensively to proposed uncompensated water transfers to urban centers. Despite opposition, a plan for water transfers is expected to resurface at the Council of 100's Florida Water Conference in Orlando, Sep 24-25. [Articles] [Recommendations] [Agenda]

High bacteria counts caused the closing of the Cape Coral Yacht Club beach. Enterococcus bacteria can come from local waste discharges from boats or from sewage sources in other parts of the river. No other Caloosahatchee beaches are monitored. [News Press]

The Corps of Engineers missed measuring the first large flow event in years at Moore Haven (S-77) from Lake O to the Caloosahatchee. Ortona and Franklin measured discharge but the actual lake data is missing. Perhaps the data will be found. [S-77] [S-78] [S-79] [Current]

The popular name, greening, bluntly describes the effects of the disease, which first deforms the fruit of the infected tree, causing it to grow green and bitter, making it useless. The killer itself is a difficult-to-detect bacterium.
[Florida Weekly]

Rhonda Roff offers a preface to the controversial comments of Panagioti who discusses power plant & Everglades politics and the compromises struck by various environmental groups. [Rhonda Roff] [Panagioti]

Florida District 16 includes Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee, St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. Learn about the candidates'positions and track records on water issues before voting.
[Tom Rooney] [Tim Mahoney] [Mahoney = 92% for Environment]

The election offers a choice that will affect the direction of our national policies on water quality and natural resources management. Take time to learn, compare, decide and vote.
[Obama on the Environment] [McCain on National Heritage]

The next CRCA Board of Directors Meeting will be Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008. CRCA Board members will meet at 6:30 pm at Bridge Street Coffee & Tea House, 23 Ft. Thompson Ave in LaBelle.

Any U.S. citizen in the SW Florida area can help on this election day. Glades County needs a few people to assist in staffing the polling station east of LaBelle. You can be an important part of this historic day for Florida and the nation. [Details]

If adopted, Amendment 2 would ecourage preservation of environmentally sensitive land state wide by offering tax incentives. Lee County has spent more than $200 million on conservation in 11 years.
[The News Press]

The SFWMD Caloosahatchee River and WPP aimed at cleaning up the Caloosahatchee Estuary is nearing completion. The cost of implementing the first three years of the plan (Phase I) has a $1.2 billion-to-$1.8 billion price tag. [News Press]

The Florida DEP and CBP have recognized the City of Ft. Myers Yacht Basin as a clean marina. The city was acknowledged for exceeding environmental regulations by providing a broad recycling program and free basin-wide sewage retrieval for customers. [Details]

The BOCC will deliberate Conservation 2020 purchase of the 1,700+ acre Argo Ranch property at their November 18th meeting. Please help this purchase effort by informing the commissioners of your support and attending the meeting. [Details]

Once again, it's time to"Clean the Creek" at the end of the rainy season. Volunteers will go out in kayaks,canoes, and small boats to remove debris from the mangrove roots and shoreline. Saturday, Dec 6 at Rock Lake Resort on Palm Beach Blvd. [Details]

Cynthia Barnett, reporter & editor, wrote ‘The Century Commission's Water Congress generates some bold recommendations, but will the state listen?’. She summaried this story at the Annual Audubon/SWFCEE Environmental Breakfast on Oct 23. [Article by Cynthia]

Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) are the rules regulating what minimum amount of water must come down rivers like the Caloosahatchee during the dry season so that the estuary maintains a proper salinity balance. Watershed Council is asking SFWMD to implement an improved MFL for the river and estuary. [Letter_1] [Letter_2] [Letter_3]

Riverwatch and other groups are appealing to Congress to include Lake Okeechobee dike repairs and other Everglades-related projects in the federal stimulus package to get the economy moving again...and in a better direction.
[Draft Letter]

We are urging everyone to call Rep. Connie Mack and Sen. Mel Martinez, urging them to vote on renewal of the moratorium on offshore oil drilling when Congress reconvenes in Sep and to write letters to the editor as well. Your support is important. [Phone Script] [Letter] [Web Site]

City & county leaders and environmentalists, including Friends of Billy Creek cofounder Mary Rawl, came together on Sep 6 in east Fort Myers for the groundbreaking ceremony of what will soon be Billy's Creek Filter Marsh Park. [News Press]

The 11th Annual Audubon/SWFCEE Environmental Breakfast on Oct 23. Plan to attend to hear Cynthia Barnett, Florida Trend Reporter and author of Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern Unite States.
[Announcement]

Cynthia Barnett will speak at this year's Eco Breakfast, organized by Audubon of Southwest Florida and the Southwest Florida Council for Environmental Education. This has evolved into the area's premier annual environmental networking event. [Details]

Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is sponsoring the following paddling events this fall for National Estuaries Days: Matlacha Pass Paddle on Oct 4; and Cape Haze Paddle on Nov 16. For more information contact Karen Bickford at(239)533-8706. [Details]

The September 2008 CRCA newsletter is available online. This marks a full year of the new newsletter system. Older newslettes back to 1995 are available in the archive. And you can sign up to receive the newsletter by email. [August Newsletter] [Archive]

The Cape Coral Spreader Canal technical committee (NS-EMA Stakeholders) will meet on Wed, Oct 29 at 8:30am in the RPC Conference Rm at 1926 Victoria Ave in Ft. Myers. The group will be considering merits of various mitigation projects for removal of the Ceitus Boat Lift. [Details]

The Audubon of Southwest Florida awarded Sanibel Mayor Mick Denham the "2008 Conservationist of the Year Award" on Oct, 23. Mayor Denham was chosen for his efforts in helping to improve water quality locally.

‘Connecting with Nature’ is the message that will come to life at the ninth annual Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival on Saturday, Nov 22, from 10am to 3pm – a free day to explore, learn and enjoy the natural environment of southwest Florida. [Flyer]

On the heels of a successful River Ride 2007, Keith Kibbey and his team have already begun planning the 12th year of the event. You can help! Tentative date is Nov 23, 2008. In 2007, over 90 riders participated. [Flyer] [Volunteer] [Photos]

Riverwatch has selected the 2008-2009 board members and officers. First time directors include Joanna McKasy and Leo Mayne. Joining Marti Daltry of N. Ft. Myers (right) in a new co-presidency arrangement is Mary Ruth Prouty of LaBelle (left). [New Team]

Inspection of waters at Edison Bridge in Ft. Myers on July 23 shows that the Caloosahatchee has become dark with tannins as runoff from rains washing off tannins from the watershed. The salinity of the estuary is also very low.

UW-F INC. is pleased to announce a joint project with the RFA to reduce nutrient pollution in Florida marshes, streams, rivers and coastal estuaries, will be working toward a common goal of No Phosphate urban turf fertilizer products statewide. [Press Release]

The Century Com. will convene a state water summit Sep 25-26 to recommend steps for long-term water conservation, use and supply plan for environmental, ag. & public consumption purposes.
[Invitation] [Steering]

In addition to suffering dramatic budget cuts, the TMDL funds of the DEP Watershed Resources Management Division have been held back this year. All this in a time when TMDL issues are critical throughout the state.
[DEP V1-I2] [Budget News] [DEP V1-I1]

With the acquistion of all US Sugar land, the state will have the ability to create land swaps needed to consolidate properties for the Plan 6 flowway system between Lake O and Everglades. [Crist PR] [Map] [Owners] [Sugar PR]

SFWMD estimates source control measures will account for 75% of N & P load reductions. These include Ag. & Urban Best Management Practices, Statewide Stormwater Rule, Source Control Regs, Land Application of Residuals, & FL Yards & Neighborhoods. [Water Quality Report]

This year the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to be the largest on record and growing U.S. corn production is a primary cause. Global conditions will continue to deteriorate unless farming systems change dramatically in coming decades. [Ens Newswire] [NaplesNews]

In 2003, Jim Beever and Bob Chamberlain produced a report on the Cape Coral Spreader Canal system, pointing out how development in the watershed has dramatically altered flow into the spreader flowway. [Details] [Report] [Web Site]

Water managers vowed on July 8 to close the $1.75 billion deal for the U.S. Sugar Corp without hiking taxes on South Florida homeowners, but the big buyout will come at the cost of delay for other Everglades projects. [Miami Herald] [Island-Reporter]

Lee County already has Right of Way for a greenway and blueway to Hendry County. Some now look to the possibility of a corridor all the way from the Gulf to the Atlantic along the Caloosahatchee, Lake Okeechobee and St. Lucie or to Palm Beach. [AJC.Com]

Lee Co. has put FEMA Flood Insurance maps online. Because upstream development and drainage increases downstream flooding, new areas are designated as flood-prone. Nearly 19 square miles of new interior floodways will face development restrictions. [Flood Maps]

At the July CRCA meeting, Transystems' Forest Michael showed ideas for the Caloosahatchee Riverway project proposal for Glades and Hendry Counties. Riverwatch will consider supporting the idea.
[Caloosa Belle] [Photo Gallery]

Three SW FL groups (Sierra Club, Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and Environmental Confederation of SW FL) represented by EarthJustice filed a lawsuit in a Tallahassee federal court requiring EPA to create explicit WQ standards on algae blooms. [News-Press] [Naples News]

Construction is nearly complete on a mammoth concrete weir intended to help keep water from overwhelming Lake O flood control structures. The weir is located on the Kissimmee River just to the north of where the river enters the lake. [Sun Sentinel]

The water at American beaches was unsafe for swimming last year with the second-highest number of beach closing and advisory days ever, according to the 18th annual beach water quality report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council. [NRDC.org]

The South Florida Watershed Journal, produced by Bob Sobczak, explains why Lake Okeechobee generally receives less summer rainfall than other parts of south Florida. [Details]

Tropical Storm Fay raised Lake O water levels 0.6 ft in a single day to 11.8 ft. On Aug 23 it reached 12.8 ft. Achieving 13.0 feet moves the lake out of drought status. 4 to 12 inches of rain fell on the Lake O basin on Aug 19. [Aug 19 Rain] [Lake O] [Week Total] [Track]

Utility revenues are dropping parallel with decreases in water consumption by customers. Lee Smart Growth is suggesting that bonded costs (infrastructure) should be built into the base fee, not into the per gallon fees. [Wayne Daltry] [Palm Beach Post]

Unless appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, a ruling by the 2nd District Court of Appeals reverses the circuit court ruling quashing The VUE (Plan A for a 27-story tower partially on Centennial Park property) approved by City of Fort Myers. [Court Order] [Analysis]

Lake O is poised to move from severe drought to above average water level just 10 days after Tropical Storm Fay hit. By Aug 29, Lake O will exceed 14.2 ft - 3 feet more than a week ago & reaching the average level for this time of year. [Lake O] [Miami Herald]

Gov. Charlie Crist has endorsed a plan to build an ethanol plant on land that the state is trying to buy from U.S. Sugar for Everglades restoration.
[St. Pete Times]

Sanibel Mayor Mick Denham will represent the Florida League of Cities as a voting delegate to the 2008 Water Congress, Planning for Florida's Water Future to develop a set of specific sustainable water use and supply action steps. [Press Release]

Audubon last Thursday urged the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to move ahead with the acquisition of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) under Governor Crist's "River of Grass" initiative. [Details]

Plan to attend the DEP meeting to discuss Caloosahatchee TMDLs on Wed, Oct 1 at the SFWMD office in Ft. Myers. This is extremely important to regional water quality. Come support demands for proper pollution limits. [Announcement]

Riverwatch and other plaintiffs have appealed the recent ruling that asserts CRCA does not have "standing" to challenge the Ft. Myers approval of The Vue, a 27-story tower planned on improperly-sold Centennial Park land. [Analysis] [Appeal] [Court Order]

On Oct 8 CRCA elected its newest director Annette Snapp. Annette, FGCU Colloquium Coordinator, says her interest in CRCA is rooted in a desire to know more about the environmental history of the Caloosahatchee River. [Annette's Background]

The Annual SW FL Water Resources Conference will be held on Nov 7 at FGCU. This year's focus will be Planning For The Unpredictable. Sign up soon. [Details] [Web Site]

The October Watershed Council meeting will be on the 16th at 2:00. Our featured speaker will be Ms. Janet Starnes of the SFWMD. Janet will be giving us an overview of the Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan. [Details] [MapQuest]

Mark your calendars for an exciting event being planned for Sat, Jan 10th, 2009, at Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area. Join the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as we highlight the colorful history and culture Fisheating Creek. [Details]

Bob Riley has designed a system to help replant estuary river banks and coastal shorelines with native mangroves. The PVC tube gives the new plants a fighting chance to establish themselves again the forces of wind and waves. [Pic1] [Pic2] [Mangrove.org]

In Lake Okeechobee the underwater plants, starved for light by the dirty water that rushed into the lake after Tropical Storm Fay's floods, are in trouble. That's bad news for the fish that hide and breed in the underwater vegetation. [PalmBeachPost.com]

For those who may not have been able to make the last TMDL meeting, below is a link to the presentations, courtesy of Nathan Bailey at DEP. If asked for a password just hit ok and it will launch.
[Details]

SW FL is well represented in the Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. Prominent are displays on estuary science, Calusa tribe, & local paleontology. It's definitely worth a visit...and it's free. [mammouth] [Calusa] [butterflies] [Museum]

NSEMA Stakeholders and those interested in the Cape Coral Spreader Canal issues are invited to the NSEMA meeting on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 from 8:30 am to 5 pm. [Details]

Life in our estuaries is in peril due to the excessive freshwater discharges from Lake O, said Martin BOCC in urging the Corps to cease discharges until the Lake level is determined to pose a threat to health & safety.
[Letter] [Resolution]

The Legislature should restore funding for building reservoirs, desalination plants & water sources other than underground aquifer. State lawmakers cut the $60-million fund from the budget this year. [Tampabay.com] [Concensus] [The Ledger]

You are invited to a free boat trip on Saturday, Oct 4 out of Getaway Marina on the Delta Lady which will go to across San Carlos Bay to Point Ybel and then Punta Rassa and returning to the Getaway. For reservations please call 239-466-3600. [Details]

The semi-annual plant sale will be held on Oct 18, 9am-2 pm. Free parking and free admission. Manatee Park Hwy 80. Thousands of affordable native plants available with free gardening and landscaping advice. Numerous local native nurseries participate. For information call 543-9910. [FNPS Website]

Home Depot, the nation's second-largest retailer, announced that it will take back old compact fluorescents in all 1,973 of its stores in the United States, creating the nation's most widespread recycling program for the bulbs. [Home Depot]

An appeals court overturned the decision that halted construction of The Vue, citing an improper ruling on standing. This requires refiling of the case, although the reality of the improper transfer of NPS-funded land remains. [Ruling]

While coastal media focus on the potential environmental benefits of the US Sugar land sale, the rural papers reflect the shock & angst of a population staring into an uncertain future. [Hendry Glades Pg 1] [Page 3] [Page 4] [Page 6]

Dr. Del Bottcher of Soil & Water Engineering Technology (SWET) recently completed a report on Nitrogen & Phosphorus reduction strategies for the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers. SFWMD is taking comments on the report. [Questions] [Report] [Comments]

The Everglades is home to "tens of thousands" of wading birds. The SFWMD oversees the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects. These projects can be redesigned may be better for birding. [News Press]

Janet Starnes will convene two meetings for the Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan on Monday, July 21. From 10:00 am to noon is the Water Quality Assessment Meeting and from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm is the Working Team Meeting. [Agenda]

Clewiston, population 7,300 a company town, & its primary employer are to shut down operations under the plan to sell US.Sugars 187,000 acre to the state. The locals are angry & exasperated to still-unplanned mammoth act of environmental engineering. [Time.Com]

Riverwatch is a member of Save Our Creeks which will meet at Fisheating Creek Campgrounds on Sat, Sep 13 at 10AM to discuss the ecotourism plan for the region, including a 50-mile long canoe trail of international caliber. [Invitation Letter] [CRCA Membership] [Fundraising]

Cape Water Action meeting is on Saturday, August 23 from 1pm to 3pm at The Oasis Middle School, 3507 Oasis Blvd in Cape Coral, Florida. The meeting is free and open to the public. [Details] [Map] [Web Site]

Congress needs to adopt the Clean Water Restoration Act. But with no Florida Republicans co-sponsoring, it will be impossible to override a presidential veto in 2008. With a new presidential, chances for its signature in 2009 are good. [The New York Times]

You are invited to participate in the 3rd annual Glades Hendry North American Migration Count to be held on Saturday Sep 20. For details contact Margaret England at mlelighthouse@embarqmai.com or 863-517-0202 (cell), 863-674-0695 (home). [Details]

Councilman Warren Wright invites CRCA members and the public to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Billy Creek Filter Marsh Park, on Sat., Sep 6 at 10am. This project will enhance the water quality of Billy Creek and the Caloosahatchee. [Design] [Parking] [Invitation]

The August 2008 CRCA newsletter is available online. The archives provides an index to many of the newsletters dating back to 1995. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email. [August Newsletter] [Newsletter Archive]

Federal appellate court has rejected a request from EPA to delay the agency's effort to overturn a lower court ruling subjecting water transfers in the Florida Everglades to clean water permit requirements. [InsideEPA] [11th Circuit]

Despite having dismissed the Plan 6 Flow Way as impractical for many years, SFWMD is now considering three restoration plans that would embody the core of Flow Way solution – reconnecting Lake O to the Everglades. [Miami Herald] [Opposition]

On Tuesday, Sep 23, the Corps of Engineers cordially invites you to participate in a discussion of Regulatory Hot Topics. You will enjoy a full day of interaction with Corps project managers. [Agenda]

After winning a yard makeover two years ago, Sue Baldwin wanted to add natural habitat and greenery to the canal behind her Cape Coral home using a method funded by a micro-grant from the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program. [Details]

Kerry Trueman asks, steak or salmon? Millions of menu-mulling diners ask themselves this question every day. Fertilizer pollution of coastal waters is taking fish off the menu of many people.
[Alternet.org]

SFWMD Presentation on C-43 Minimum Flows and Levels Implementation Status. John Mulliken, Division Director, Planning & Resource Evaluation Division and Peter Doering, Sr. Supervising Environmental Scientist. [Details] [Location] [Map]

Clean Water Network of Florida, SCCF & Conservancy submitted a list of concerns regarding how DEP is determining pollution limits (TMDL's) for the Caloosahatchee. Let them know we want proper TMDL's. [Memorandum] [Letter]

The St. Lucie Rivers Coalition has released their September newsletter. They present evidence of the work of Killer Discharges, which are destroying our estuary life and ecosystems after Tropical Storm Fay and fears of additional storms. [RiversCoalition.org]

On Sep 19, join us for our nest meeting for an afternoon packed with presentations about Lake Okeechobee? the Liquid Heart of Florida. Speakers include DEP, SFWMD, the Corps, U.S. Sugar, and others.
[Overview] [Agenda]