located within the following watersheds: Charlotte Harbor Watershed, Peace River Watershed
Explore general as well as scientific information about the movement, chemistry and biology of area surface water environments.
The data on this page are designed to give you a picture of the total health of this waterbody. Click the "Learn More" text to learn more about each parameter shown and how it indicates Water Quality.
Water Quality Index (WQI) is an average of 5 different parameters giving a river a good (0-45), fair (45-60), or poor (60+) rating. Learn more about the Water Quality Index »
Whole River Range |
Data by River Segment |
|---|---|
|
8 - 29
Good - Good Oct-Dec 2018 |
Although present in all surface waters, nutrients are among the leading causes of degradation of Florida water resources. Learn more about nutrient chemistry »
| Parameter | Latest Value | Historic Range | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Nitrogen (TN) |
700.0 ug/l
Source: LAKEWATCH Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring |
190.0 - 9,550.0 ug/L
481 samples |
|
| Total Phosphorus (TP) |
159.0 ug/L
Source: LAKEWATCH Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring |
17.0 - 2,640.0 ug/L
975 samples |
|
|
Chlorophyll a, uncorrected for pheophytin 
|
4.0 ug/L
Source: LAKEWATCH Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring |
0.7 - 186.0 ug/L
283 samples |
|
|
Chlorophyll a, corrected for pheophytin
|
3.0 ug/L
Source: Southwest Florida Water Management District |
0.4 - 70.5 ug/L
97 samples |
Water clarity or turbidity measures the degree to which light is blocked because the water is cloudy or contains suspended particles, such as algae. Water clarity is one indicator of a waterbody's ability to sustain plants and wildlife. Learn more about water clarity »
Whole River Range |
Data by River Segment |
|---|---|
|
|
The currently used bacterial indicators for recreational waters include total coliform, fecal coliform and enterococcus. Indicator organisms themselves are not necessarily pathogenic but their presence "indicates" or suggests recent contamination by human sewage or other waste which may result in human illness. Sources of contamination include storm water runoff, sewage overflows and feces from wild and domestic animals. Learn more about bacteria »
| Parameter | Latest Value | Historic Range | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform |
22 CFU/100ml
Source: FDEP South District Sampling Data |
1 - 2,580 CFU/100ml
273 samples |
|
| Total Coliform |
40 CFU/100ml
Source: FDEP South District Sampling Data |
2 - 3,900 CFU/100ml
203 samples |
|
| Enterococcus |
16 CFU/100ml Source: FDEP Watershed Monitoring Section |
2 - 16 CFU/100ml
3 samples |
|
| E. coli | NO DATA | NO DATA | NO DATA |
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is one of the most important indicators of water quality. It is essential for the survival of fish and other aquatic organisms. Learn more about dissolved oxygen »
| Parameter | Latest Value | Historic Range | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissolved Oxygen |
5.4 mg/l
Source: Southwest Florida Water Management District |
0.0 - 19.4 mg/l
5,568 samples |
| Parameter | Latest Value | Historic Range | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinity |
19.2 ppt
Source: Southwest Florida Water Management District |
0.5 - 180.0 ppt
5,637 samples |
The Impaired Waters Data is the most recent available data from FDEP, but it may not reflect the current FDEP impaired list. These data are updated when and as soon as they are made available from FDEP.
This waterbody is impaired according to the State of Florida's Impaired Waters Rule (IWR) Chapter 62-303 F.A.C. that governs the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Program or according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Identification of Impaired Surface Waters (IWR) is a new scientific approach for guiding Florida Department of Environmental Protection process for identifying and prioritizing impaired surface waters in Florida. The rule evaluates whether waters meet their designated uses for a particular analyte, which include aquatic life use support, primary contact and recreation use support, fish and shellfish consumption use support, and drinking water use support. All water resources in this county are designated as Class III waters. Class III waters are considered recreational use waters, which means that the water should be fishable and swimmable. Class II waters are for shellfish propagation and harvesting. Class I waters are considered potable (drinkable) water supplies. As part of the terms of a court order related to the 1998 303(d) list of impaired waters, some waters are listed as impaired by EPA but not listed by the State of Florida. Learn more about impaired waters »
This waterbody has been associated with the following WBIDs deemed impaired by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:
| WBID | Basin | Impairment(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2069 | PUNTA GORDA ISLES CANAL | MERCURY (IN FISH TISSUE) |
| 2070 | PUNTA GORDA ISLES 2 CANAL | MERCURY (IN FISH TISSUE) |
| 2073 | MANGROVE POINT CANAL | MERCURY (IN FISH TISSUE) |
WQI Data Table and Graph
Average turbidity is higher than it has been historically.