Lower Tidal Caloosahatchee River

Canalwatch Program Outstanding Florida Waters

Lower Tidal Caloosahatchee River, covering 12,003 acres, is a tidal waterbody situated in Lee County, with the associated WBID(s): 3240A.

The lower portion of the Caloosahatchee River has tidal influence and brackish waters, and is referred to as the Tidal Caloosahatchee River. The Tidal Caloosahatchee River is surrounded by the cities of Cape Coral and Fort Myers and is located within the larger Caloosahatchee River Basin, which spans from Lake Okeechobee to San Carlos Bay. It provides critical habitat for endangered species, as well as for a multitude of varieties of aquatic life. The historically shallow and meandering river has been deepened, straightened, and widened into a highly managed and regulated waterway. The river and estuary’s ecosystems are significantly altered, as watershed runoff and discharges from Lake Okeechobee have impacted the water quality and salinity regimes. The Caloosahatchee River originated as overland flow through marshlands and swamp forest from Lake Hicpochee, until 1881 when it was connected to Lake Okeechobee by a man-made channel. Ever since the upper river was converted into a canal (the C-43), the tidal portion has received excess and insufficient flows from Lake Okeechobee through a series of water management structures and locks. The W. P. Franklin Lock in Lee County separates the freshwater portion of the river from its saltwater mouth and its estuary. The watershed of the Tidal Caloosahatchee River is 30 miles in length and extends from the Franklin Lock downstream to the Gulf of Mexico.

Note that this waterbody is impaired for one or more parameters including Mercury. All recreational marine waters in Florida are impaired for Mercury based on fish tissue assessments and a statewide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) pollutant limit for Mercury has been adopted in response. The largest sources of Mercury are from air pollution generated from local and global power plants.

This waterbody is located within: Caloosahatchee River Basin

View Maps / Data

CHNEP's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) identified four action plans: water quality improvement; hydrological restoration; fish, wildlife, and habitat improvement; and public engagement. Click on the interactive maps below to view data associated with these goals and actions.

Water Quality

Hydrology

Wildlife/Habitats

Resiliency/Weather

Water Quality Snapshot

The Water Quality Snapshot compares the most current water quality data to applicable water quality standards for Chlorophyll a, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Bacteria, and Dissolved Oxygen to provide a snapshot of how a waterbody is doing. Water quality standards are outlined in Florida Administrative Code 62-302 for fresh/marine waterbodies of different types and uses. A Water Body Identification number (WBID) is an assessment unit that is intended to represent Florida’s waterbodies at the watershed or sub-watershed scale. The assessment units are drainage basins, lakes, lake drainage areas, springs, rivers and streams, segments of rivers and streams, coastal, bay and estuarine waters in Florida.

Showing water quality snapshots for   out of   WBIDs. View data for all WBIDs

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3240A - CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY (TIDAL SEGMENT1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lake Okeechobee & Caloosahatchee Release Levels Tracker

Lake Okeechobee is just outside the CHNEP area; however, its management and water quality have a direct and significant impact on the ecological health of the Caloosahatchee River, its estuary, and watershed. The man-made dike surrounding the lake provides necessary flood protection to area residents, and the Lake's water levels are controlled by a series of water control structures to its west, east and south. However, these artificial elements and the Lake's operations have caused unintended negative consequences for the ecological health of the Kissimmee River basin and the Everglades, as well as for the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers and their estuaries. The lake is polluted with excessive nutrients and pesticides and as a result, experiences periodic cyanobacteria algae blooms. High water levels in the lake cause concern that the dike may breach, endangering public health and safety. Additionally, high Lake levels for sustained periods can cause the Lake's submerged aquatic vegetation to die off, resulting in decreased aquatic habitat and poorer water quality.

The Caloosahatchee River and its estuary require regular, adequate and appropriate levels of freshwater flow from the Lake to maintain proper salinity in its tidal reach for maintaining conditions for its aquatic life. Therefore, proper management of Lake discharges is imperative for maintaining an ecologically healthy Caloosahatchee River and Estuary. Lake Management and controlling the timing and amount of discharges from the Lake is a delicate balancing act that must consider public safety, the health of the lake, and the health of the estuaries. Too much freshwater flow lowers salinity excessively in the estuaries and overwhelms them with pollutants from the lake. Too little flow, and the estuaries suffer harm from low water levels and high salinity. Detailed information about the release schedule is documented in the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM).

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) upgraded the reference system used to measure water elevation readings from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). The upgrade provides the public and stakeholders with more scientifically accurate information about levels for waterbodies in our region. While there is no difference in the actual water level, the water level readings in the NAVD88 measurement system will read about 0.6 feet to 1.6 feet less than the readings in the older NGVD29 measurement system. Visit SFWMD.gov/NAVD for more information

Lake Okeechobee & Caloosahatchee Estuary Tracker

The graphs below show recent elevation levels1 of Lake Okeechobee, and the corresponding rate of discharge (flow)2 of water into the Caloosahatchee River. "Lake Management Zones" comprise the background of the graphs; these zones are defined in the LOSOM. The health minimum and maximum define the optimum ranges for lake level and river flow.

1 As measured by SFWMD station "LAKEOKEE", which is a composite "pseudo-station" that reports the daily mean of eight elevation gages operated by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE).

2 Mean daily flow of water from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River, as measured at the WP Franklin Lock, in cubic feet per second (cfs).

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* The Lake Okeechobee Lake Stage Performance Measure indicates that an elevation of 10.25-14.25 feet supports healthy lake ecology.

** The Northern Estuaries Salinity Envelope Performance Measure indicates 750-2100 cubic feet per second supports healthy river and estuary ecology in the Caloosahatchee River. [Note: daily point is 14-day moving average of previous 14 days]

Lake Stage (ft., NAVD88)
Lake Okeechobeee Ecological Health Min/Max*
Lake Management Zones
Zone A (High) - Lake deep; flood risk. Harmfully high discharges to estuaries likely, and lake ecology at great risk.
Zone BC (Intermediate) - Lake deep; flood risk. Potential for harmfully high discharges to estuaries, and lake ecology at potential risk.
Zone D (Low) - Lake generally in range for public safety, but water supply and environmental needs at risk. Releases needed for estuary health may or may not be provided.
Water Shortage Management (WSM) Zone - Lake generally in range for public safety, but water supply and environmental needs at risk. Releases needed for water supply may or may not be provided.
Flow Rate (cfs)
Estuary Ecological Health Min/Max**

Supporting Material

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