Lake Okeechobee discharges coming Saturday; Army Corps says lake too high
The Army Corps of Engineers will begin discharging water from a swollen Lake Okeechobee on Saturday.
What would discharges mean for Martin County?
People in and around Martin County are anxiously awaiting whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will announce discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary.
Army Corps of Engineers considering discharges from Lake Okeechobee to St. Lucie Estuary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering "different release scenarios" of discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary ahead of the wet and hurricane seasons.
DEP issues final order to punish Port St. Lucie resort for destroying mangrove forest
Sandpiper Bay Resort has five months to restore a mangrove forest it destroyed to create a beach and unobstructed view of the St. Lucie River, according to a Jan. 23 state order.
Dune remains strong following December storm, though expert warns of erosion potential going forward
The recent string of winter storms has had an impact on our coastal beaches, especially along the Treasure Coast.
Expert warns of potential for Lake Okeechobee discharges this winter
This summer, experts braced for a flurry of discharges from Lake Okeechobee that would threaten local waterways on the Treasure Coast, including the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon.
Decrease in weekend temperatures expected to attract manatees to West Palm Beach waters
Every year, the manatees bring people from near and far, all of them hoping to catch a glimpse.
This weekend, temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s and 60s, which means our waters will also be a little cooler.
Dr. Zack Jud, with the Florida Oceanographic Society, says for hundreds of years when the waters start getting colder, the manatees go searching for a place to warm up.
How DEP plans to punish a Port St. Lucie resort for destroying a half-acre mangrove canopy
DEP proposes punishment for Sandpiper Bay Resort in Port St. Lucie.
Giving Days: How to help the Florida Oceanographic Society help the Indian River Lagoon
To assist in its mission of providing environmental education, Florida Oceanographic Society wants to replace an old storage shed where the staff keeps educational supplies such as dip nets, seine nets, buckets and more. The shed is on its last legs.
A fuel depot may be coming to Fort Pierce, though safety concerns following past fuel plant disaster loom
A fuel farm could be on the way to the Treasure Coast.
Restoration is cure for drowning Everglades | Commentary
Wet season runoff from sugarcane operations within the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is still having a disproportionate impact on the current flooding in the central Everglades, posing a threat to wildlife.
Estuaries celebrated at Florida Oceanographic Society
Florida Oceanographic Society celebrated estuaries at the Coastal Center on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. The event included ecosystem education with trail walks, oyster and water quality demonstrations, crafts, food and activities.
Are alligators common to see outside of freshwater? See one swim through a Florida lagoon
An American alligator was spotted last week swimming in the Indian River Lagoon near Crab-E-Bill's Indian River Seafood.
Blue-green algae not being discharged from Lake Okeechobee, experts cautiously optimistic
This summer, experts braced for an explosion of blue-green algae which could threaten local waterways on the Treasure Coast, including the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon.
Algaecides kill toxic algae blooms, but are they safe and effective long-term?
The South Florida Water Management District has used Lake Guard Oxy to kill toxic algae since 2021, but only just began to study whether it's safe for the environment.
Dead fish suddenly start turning up at Fort Pierce lake
A Fort Pierce resident said dead fish have been turning up in the lake behind her for months, but no one has come out to help with the problem.
The Florida Oceanographic Society said this is likely a fish kill situation, however, the cause can only be determined through an investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Palm Beach County farmers exceed water quality requirements but activists say more can be done
Farmers in the sprawling Everglades Agricultural Area in western Palm Beach County exceeded water quality standards last year, but some farm critics say the phosphorus baseline the EAA is measured against was initially set too low.
Shell-shocked: Sea turtle nesting records shattered in St. Lucie County
The protection of sea turtles during nesting season has been championed for years. Now, nesting records are being broken. St. Lucie County has documented more loggerhead and green turtle nests this year than ever before.
Burlap is helping to stabilize seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon
The Florida Oceanographic Society is conducting waterway conservation research regarding seagrass restoration, water quality monitoring, and oyster development.
Is Lake Okeechobee's water level too high? Head of Florida Oceanographic Society says yes
The rainy season is far from over and worries grow about what that could mean for communities on the Treasure Coast and in Palm Beach County.
Health officials issued blue-green algae bloom advisory, residents say they are concerned
Residents in Pahokee say they are becoming more and more concerned about the toxic blue-green algae in Lake Okeechobee.
Lost Summer 10 years on: Are Lake Okeechobee, Indian River Lagoon, estuary woes too big?
"As we continue through the 10th anniversary of the Lost Summer of 2013, I’m going to make a pessimistic prediction," writes Laurence Reisman. "Like Ernie Lyons, Nathaniel Reed, Maggy Hurchalla ― some the past century’s greatest advocates for the Indian River Lagoon and the estuaries that feed it ― I doubt many of us my age will be around to see the day when folks never think twice about swimming in those waterways."
Spot treatment of blue-green algae proving effective in early stages, experts encouraged
A treatment for blue-green algae seems to be working at least in concentrated areas of the C-44 canal.
Experts say the South Florida Water Management District has been using hydrogen peroxide to help lower the toxicity in the water coming from Lake Okeechobee, stopping the algae from reaching estuaries.
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center teaches protection, conservation
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is located on Hutchinson Island in Martin County, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon. This interactive facility allows visitors to explore the native ecosystem of Florida in a way that some people may never experience.
