Blue-green algae spreading across Lee County

FORT MYERS – Blue-green algae alerts have been issued by the Department of Health across Lee County, including areas of Downtown Fort Myers. These blooms aren’t usually common on the Fort Myers side of the river.

Dr. Barry Rosen of the FGCU Water School explained what could be causing this increase in algal blooms.

“The blue-green algae like freshwater,” said Dr. Rosen. “However, they can tolerate a little bit of salt water, and if they’re flowing down the Caloosahatchee, they could be blooming anywhere in the very long Caloosahatchee River.”

Freshwater released from Lake Okeechobee is normally a catalyst for these blooms, but the water levels in the lake aren’t high enough yet.