Manuel’s Branch is a creek that once ran deep red, later ran light brown, and four years ago, ran filled with 183,000 gallons of raw human waste.
The creek, which flows behind Fort Myers High School, near Lee Memorial Hospital, and through the Edison Park neighborhood off McGregor Boulevard, has been a concern of Calusa Waterkeeper for years due to high levels of fecal bacteria.
“We test water bodies throughout our whole jurisdiction and that has been one area that routinely comes back extremely high,” said Connie Ramos-Williams, the director of Calusa Waterkeeper. “When we see things like that, our public needs to know when things are not quite right.”
Calusa Waterkeeper sampled water in Manual’s Branch last month and found the level of Enterococcus measured 21 times higher than the Florida Department of Health’s safety level and 44 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit.
The high levels of fecal bacteria in the creek can cause a range of symptoms, from stomach problems and headaches to ear infections and fever. In some cases, the effects can be even more severe.
Calusa Waterkeeper knows what the level of Enterococcus is, but the source of the contamination isn't clear. It could be from human waste, animal droppings, or a combination of both. The environmental group is working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Fort Myers to address the issue.
Despite children in the Edison Park neighborhood catching snook up to 36 inches long earlier this month in Manuel’s Branch, the waterway is considered not a creek but part of the City of Fort Myers’ stormwater drainage system for U.S. 41.
In 2017, a contractor working at Lee Memorial disposed of dark red industrial dye by pouring it into a storm drain, which flows into Manuel’s Branch turning the entire waterway a deep red hue. Three years later, a crew broke a 12-inch water main, which mixed with dirt and turned the creek the color of coffee with cream.
Also in 2020, a failed lift station in the neighborhood allowed 183,000 gallons of sewage to flow into the creek as the water wound its way through backyards and emptied into the Caloosahatchee River.
At the meeting in October, Calusa Waterkeeper will explain the current water conditions, outline health risks, and share tips. The water quality nonprofit will also teach folks the steps in reporting pollution and health concerns, and how to advocate for swift action from authorities to address and resolve the source of the bacteria pollution.
The waterway is named for Capt. Manuel Gonzalez, one of the earliest residents of Fort Myers.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
Sign up for WGCU's monthly environmental newsletter, the Green Flash, today.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
