A five-year study led by Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) suggests that discharges from the Caloosahatchee River may not be the main cause of red tide along Estero Island. Instead, the study found that water quality around Fort Myers Beach varies mostly by where and when samples are taken, rather than by freshwater flowing from the river.
WATCH AS FORT MYERS BEACH COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT ANVAR RUZIEV BREAKS DOWN THE DETAILS OF THE WATER STUDY:
“What’s in the Water?” F.G.C.U. study reveals state of Fort Myers Beach waterways
Snapshot of Water Quality
FGCU students, staff, and local volunteers teamed up for a project they call “What’s in the Water?” They collected samples from 46 sites around Estero Island during low tide. Low tide was chosen so there would be less ocean water mixing in, giving a clearer picture of what’s happening near the shore.
“It’s really just to kind of take a snapshot around the island and see what water quality is on any given day,” explained Dr. Mike Parsons, a professor of Marine Science at FGCU’s Water School…