Calusa Waterkeeper releases report on water quality trends
The Calusa Waterkeeper recently released a report chronicling trends in the quality of Southwest Florida’s waterways from 2018 to 2020. The study covers Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hendry and Glades counties, and it is based on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection assessment criteria — gathered from the agency’s annual comprehensive verified list of impaired waters.
“Understanding factors contributing to water quality impairment in Florida is important for determining sources and eventual restoration planning. Assessing water quality impairment on a geopolitical basis, for instance, by county, is relevant as most state-mandated restoration programs, such as Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), are implemented primarily by local government stakeholders,” Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, principal author of the report, said.
Among other findings, the report documents that Lee, Collier, Manatee and Charlotte experienced the greatest increase in water quality impairment. It also reveals that fecal bacteria was the most frequently occurring impairment parameter in six of the nine counties, including Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas. The presence of fecal bacteria is a significant public health risk in addition to compromising ecosystems, the Calusa Waterkeeper reported.
To read the report, visit https://calusawaterkeeper.org/swfl-water-quality-report/.