Water-Related News

Fort Myers to join Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral to petition for more water releases

The Fort Myers City Council has voted to join three Southwest Florida cities in their petition to the South Florida Water Management District to increase Lake Okeechobee freshwater releases to alleviate the presence of an algal bloom on the region's waterways.

Council members heard from Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane, who is spearheading the campaign, during their meeting Monday. He said Sanibel, Cape Coral and Fort Myers Beach were preparing a formal petition to the water district. A court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29, Ruane said.

Ruane gave an impassioned presentation about how he went in front of the water management district board Sept. 13 to ask them to increase their releases from 300 cubic feet per second to just over 700 cubic feet per second.