Hundreds protest Lake O water releases on Matanzas Pass Bridge

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday at the Matanzas Pass Bridge to protest the discharge of Lake Okeechobee water into Southwest Florida rivers and beaches.

“We’re out here demanding transparency from our political leaders when it comes to the discharges,” John G. Heim from the Southwest Florida Clean Water Movement said. Heim organized the protest.

“We have pristine waters, we’re in paradise,” protester Lisa Doyle said. “And it’s brown water.”

“You don’t need this, this is ugly,” Kenny Hinkle Jr., president of Bullsugar.org said.

More than 3 billion gallons of water from Lake O is being released into the Caloosahatchee, making for dark, murky water along the beaches.

“We are absolutely at the worst possible discharge level ever in history and it happens to fall right into season,” Heim said.

Many of the protesters live in Southwest Florida and are worried the brown water may turn tourists away.

“How many people will never come back because of this?”

“Can’t go swimming, can’t go fishing, boating’s gone down the tubes,” protester Dave Ennis said.

On Thursday, a protest like this one took place in Port St. Lucie where more Lake O water is being released.

“I believe that it’s two communities but it’s one family, and one issue,” Hinkle said.

The protesters say they’re trying to get the attention of the federal government so that something can be done before it’s too late.

“This isn’t an environmental issue. This isn’t liberal, socialist, republican, tea party–it’s everybody. It’s everybody’s issue,” Hinkle said. “This is killing jobs.

Fort Myers and Sanibel mayors plan to head to Washington D.C. on Sunday, February 21st to talk to lawmakers about the issue.