Cape Coral's 400-mile canal system is a definitive feature of the city and one of its most vital economic assets. Cape Coral's canals offer waterfront living and recreation, protect homes from floods, enhance property values, supply irrigation water, and attract wildlife.
Cape Coral's citizens recognize the canal system's impact on their quality of life and are highly protective of the area's aquatic assets. This protective attitude is the canal network's first line of defense against pollution, as calls from alert residents are often the first indication of a canal-related problem. Citizens' concern for their canals led to the formation of the Cape Coral Canalwatch Volunteer Program in 1995.
Canalwatch is a proactive component of the City's canal management effort. Program goals are to educate local homeowners about water quality issues, open up communication between citizens and water managers, and increase residents' sense of ownership of their common resources. Each month, volunteers collect environmental data and water samples throughout the City. The samples and data are then brought to Cape Coral's water quality laboratory for analysis. This volunteer monitoring process provides information about canal dynamics throughout the City, enabling better management of Cape Coral's waters.
Contact Us
Volunteers are THE critical component to the success of the monitoring program. If you would like to learn more about your local estuaries; have questions or comments; or for information on how to become a volunteer, please contact:
Harry Phillips, Canalwatch Coordinator
Environmental Resources Section
City of Cape Coral
P.O. Box 150027
Cape Coral, FL 33915-0027
Phone: (239) 574-0785 ext. 1742
Fax: (239) 574-0721
Email: hphillips@capecoral.gov
