Water Quality Report

The Big Indian Rocks Fishing Pier, shown here on an undated postcard years before Hurricane Elana blew it down in 1985, was the 'summer home' of Tom Bayles, who is now WGCU's senior environmental reporter, but then was just another 15-year-old "pier rat" and part of a group of friends who fished for tarpon all summer long with no cares about red tide or blue-green algae. The harmful algae blooms, which are happening at the same time right now, have become such a fixture in the waters off of Southwest Florida's beaches in the decades since that now red tide and blue-green algae are rarely not on Bayles' mind

Water Quality Report: 'Tarpon Fever, No Harmful Algae Blooms, And Little Me - The Red Tide Tales'

Tom Bayles

Fishing for tarpon on the Big Indian Rocks Pier as a teenager, WGCU senior environmental reporter Tom Bayles says he cannot remember ever smelling a red tide or seeing blue-green algae. Now, they are both blooming at the same time where he lives

Both red tide maps, current as of Dec. 12, 2024, show red tide about ten miles offshore Fort Myers, which is killing offshore anglers' chances to fish with live bait when they pass through the higher concentration of the red tide organism and the water gets in the live well

Environment

Water Quality Report: ‘The Mystery of the Dead Live Bait - The Red Tide Tales'

Tom Bayles

Red tide samples are coming up positive throughout Southwest Florida, but it's offshore where it's making an impact when anglers arrive to find out the organism got into the live wells and killed their bait.

A pair of lucky volunteers will get a Jeep ride with James Evans, SCCF's leader, through some of the off-limits conservation acreage SCCF has purchased in the island

Environment

Water Quality Report: The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation wants you!

Tom Bayles

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation is offering prizes and specials for new volunteers as the group continues to grow.

This is what is what looks like when billions of gallons of water are being released daily from Lake Okeechobee, as it was earlier this year from the spillway into the St. Lucie River on the east side of the lake. Similar amounts of water will be released down the Caloosahatchee River during the three next three months since the Army Corps of Engineers has decided to drain four feet from the lake to minimize harm being done to plants that help keep the lake cleaner than it otherwise would be and continue to provide world-class fishing

Environment

Water Quality Report: Army Corps to lower Lake Okeechobee by 4 feet; toxic algae threat

Tom Bayles

Despite strong indications that billions of gallons of water would not gush down the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers from months on end when the new management plan for the big lake was finalized earlier this year that's exactly what is poised to occur

Hurricane Helene ramping was barely a Category 1 despite its huge size shown in this satellite image of the greater Guf of Mexico region that shows the storm covering the entire State of Florida before it rapidly intensified into a Category 4 and made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida; however, the tropical cyclone packed a punch for days inland, destroying part of five states not including Florida and killing at least 200 people

Environment

Water Quality Report: Hurricane Helene rained 40 trillion gallons of water

Tom Bayles

Hurricane Helene dropped an unheard-of 40 trillion gallons of water, creating a water quality and quantity crisis on the ground in inland states affected by the Category 4 storm that made landfall in Florida. Part One of WGCU's Water Quality Report: Hurricane Helene Special Edtion

That could leave a mark. An area of thunderstorms top forecasters believe will organize, strengthen possibly enough to achieve "major" hurricane status of Category 3 or higher with sustained winds of 111 mph or more, then lay waste to the coast somewhere along Florida

Environment

Water Quality Report: Hurricane, red tides on horizon; both present water quality issues

Tom Bayles

Leading forecasters agree a big hurricane will form from a bank of thunderstorms in the Caribbean Sea this week. People are encouraged to pay attention and get your hurricane supplies ready

Environment

Water Quality Report: The remaining hurricane season and why I hope I'm wrong

Tom Bayles

WGCU's Tom Bayles predicts hurricane season will heat up and, if so, he believes a Category 2 or 3 hurricane may be in Southwest Florida's near future. He hopes he's wrong.

Jimmy Buffett playing for U.S. troops on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in 2008

Environment

Water Quality Report: Did you know what Jimmy did for Florida's environment?

Tom Bayles

It's been one year since Jimmy Buffett died, and the environmentalist wrote in his will that his holdings need to be environmentally sound, forever

From space, it doesn't look like Lake Okeechobee causes any problems at all. If only.

Environment

A hydrological paradox: Lake O's new plan reins in the water going out, yet empties the lake the same?

Tom Bayles

The new LOSOM touts improvements in water quality, protection of ecosystems in the Everglades, and better management of water resources.to prevent harmful algal blooms in the Caloosahatchee River. Is all that possible at the same time?

Here we go again. Like Hurricane Idalia last year, the tropical system named Debby on Saturday is sure to rile up the ocean and turn the sky menacing colors during its brush by of Southwest Florida on its way to landfall in the Big Bend. But this time, even without a direct hit, the effect of the storm on the beach of Southwest Florida could be more like the months after Hurricane Ian

Environment

Water Quality Report: Hurricanes, polluted waters, red tides. Sound familiar?

Tom Bayles

A lot surrounding Hurricane Debby's arrival brings back memories of Hurricanes Ian and Idalia and the water quality problems they caused. Will it happen again?