Algae outbreak leads Florida Department of Health to issue swim “reminders”

A day after The News-Press reported about blue-green algae in the Caloosahatchee River, the Florida Department of Health in Lee County issued an algae "reminder" Wednesday.

"Cyanobacteria/blue-green algae are a group of organisms that can live in freshwater, saltwater or mixed brackish water," the release says. "When conditions are right, such as warm water and increased nutrients, these organisms can increase in numbers and accumulate in some areas of a water body."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the swimming beach at the Franklin Lock and Dam Tuesday due to the algae bloom, which has grown in size over the past week.

Smelly piles of algae are piling up on the east side of the lock.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has taken at least two water samples along the river and will report any toxins found.