Lee County renews water quality agreement with USGS

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners recently renewed an agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor our water flow and quality — a vital partnership for Southwest Florida’s resources.

The slough is part of Lee County’s network of waterways, some of which are tracked by Lee County and the U.S. Geological Survey.

“We’ve been conducting this service with USGS for as long as the 1970s,” said Roland Ottolini, Lee County’s natural resources director. “So it’s been very valuable to have this partnership with USGS.”

USGS collects water flow data from places in the county like Whiskey Creek and the slough preserve.

The county also looks for where the pollutants come from, what they are and how to keep water clean.

Lee County, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Geological Survey all pay for the water flow study, totaling around $250,000. The agreement between Lee County and USGS is decades old. And people like Hart hope this will continue to preserve her favorite spot.