The Caloosahatchee Watershed is located within CHNEP and spans 799.8 square miles. The watershed contains 109 named lakes/ponds, 105 named rivers/streams/canals and 7 named bays/bayous, including Matlacha Pass and San Carlos Bay. The Caloosahatchee Watershed encompasses 2 major drainage basins, including the Caloosahatchee River Basin and the Pine Island Sound Basin. Pine Island Sound receives tidal flushing from nearby Boca Grande, Captiva, and Redfish Pass, and contains the Pine Island Sound Aquatic Preserve. Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve (divided from Pine Island Sound by Pine Island itself) and San Carlos Bay are influenced by inputs from the Caloosahatchee River and Punta Rasa Pass to the south.
Caloosahatchee Watershed contains these basins:
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.
View Detailed Data About the Following Topics:
Recreation
Find maps and waterway navigation guides, descriptions of facilities and recreational amenities, as well as warnings and restrictions pertaining to their use.
- 2022 Annual Review of Redfish Management Metrics - Charlotte Harbor (myfwc.com)
- A Recreational Boating Characterization for the Greater Charlotte Harbor
- Great Calusa Blueway
- J. N. ‘Ding Darling’ National Wildlife Refuge
- Lee County Coastal Access Guide
- Lee County Manatee Protection Zones
- Lee County Beaches
- Lee County Boat Ramps
- Lee County Parks
- Lee County Preserves
- Lovers Key State Park
- Saltwater Boat Ramps in Lee County
- Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Segment 12: Pine Island/Estero Bay
Photos
Click on a thumbnail photograph to view the full size version with credits and a description.
Aerial View of Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial View of Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial view of Caloosahatchee River oxbows
Credit: Jason
Aerial view of Cape Coral
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial view of Ft. Myers, Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Vito Palmisano
Aerial view of Moore Haven Locks, Lake Okeechobee
Credit: Mark Bias
Aerial view of Pine Island Sound at Sunset
Credit: Steve Russell
Aerial view of Prairie Canal - SGGE. CERP Phase I, looking north.
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial view of Sundial Resort on Sanibel
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial view of the Franklin Lock
Credit: Calusa Waterkeeper
Algae at lock
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Aerial view of upper Caloosahatchee
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Alligator on the Caloosahatchee
Credit: Steve Sentes
Beach at Cayo Costa
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Beach at Cayo Costa
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Box Turtle
Credit: Jeffrey Martin
Bunche Beach Mangroves
Credit: Elaine Weissborn
Burrowing Owl Chicks
Credit: Nicole Cicchino
Burrowing Owl Family
Credit: Elaine Weissborn
Burrowing Owl Pair
Credit: Norris Carroll
Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral
Credit: Melissa Herrick
C043 Canal in Hendry County
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Captiva Pass aerial view
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Captiva Pass, looking toward Cayo Costa
Credit: Michelle Kloese
Cayo Costa State Park
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Cayo Costa Visitors
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Dear near Telegraph Creek
Credit: Mario Maturo
Deer in velvet at Babcock Ranch
Credit: Marc Pletcher
Diagram of the Caloosahatchee River Basin
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Dolphin seen from Cayo Costa State Park
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Dolphins at Cabbage Key
Credit: Debi Scholtes
Driftwood on the beach at Cayo Costa
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Early Pine Island Sound diagram
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Fawn
Credit: Steve Sentes
Fisheating Creek
Credit: Mario Maturo
Fly Fisherman at Cayo Costa
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Fort Myers Beach
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Fort Myers Marsh
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Great Egret
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Great Egret in the swamp
Credit: Linda Wroble
Great Egret with snake
Credit: Nicole Cicchino
Great Horned Owl Chicks
Credit: Doreen Steinhauser
Hermit Crab at Bunche Beach
Credit: Elaine Weissborn
Historic aerial photo of Fort Myers waterfront
Credit: FloridaMemory.com
Historic and Present Day Caloosahatchee
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Historic photo of bridge at Belle
Credit: FloridaMemory.com
Historic photo of houseboat on the Caloosahatchee River
Credit: FloridaMemory.com
Historic photograph of Caloosahatchee River
Credit: FloridaMemory.com
Historic photograph of Caloosahatchee River
Credit: FloridaMemory.com
Illustration of a Calusa removing fish from a weir
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Limpkin babies
Credit: Priscilla McDaniel
Lock at Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Lock at Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Lovers Key State Park
Credit: Llilys Benavides
Mama deer
Credit: Steve Sentes
Manatee
Credit: Mary Presnail
Matlacha
Credit: Renee Kwiat
Matlacha Pass Sunset
Credit: Llilys Benavides
Milky Way over Cayo Costa Pond
Credit: Mary Lundeberg
Old map snippet showing Caloosahatchee River
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Pair of Sandhill Cranes
Credit: Steve Sentes
Panther near Babcock Ranch
Credit: Sue Christensen
Ragged Seahare
Credit: Pat Green
Reddish Egret at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Credit: Christopher Gutierrez
Roseate Spoonbill and Mottled Ducks
Credit: Lynette Spence
Sanibel Pier at Sunrise
Credit: Liz Noffsinger
Sea Oats
Credit: Edward J. Pelegrino
Sea Oxeye along the shore
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Seashells on the beach
Credit: Louise Kowitch
Splashdown of a great egret
Credit: David Garrison
Study area of the Caloosahatchee River Management Plan
Credit: Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership
Sunset at Pine Island Sound
Credit: Sherri Talley
Surf at Cayo Costa
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
The beach at Cayo Costa
Credit: Peg / Rex Lavoie
Thunderstorm over Pine Island Sound
Credit: Steve Russell
Wild Turkeys
Credit: Steve Sentes
