More algae spotted near Franklin Lock in Alva

Another bout of algae has been spotted running down the Caloosahatchee, an unpleasant sight for residents who were hoping for relief from persistent toxic blooms.

Brand new video from the WINK News drone shows green slime building up at the Franklin Lock in Alva and residents are worried the algae conditions will worsen.

FGCU scientist Serge Thomas says he isn’t surprised by the unwelcome blooms.

“Normally you can expect to have them especially when they close the lock because that algae likes to have water that doesn’t flow,” Thomas said.

But he says we normally don’t see a buildup until January and he says we have so many nutrients in the river already that anything is possible.

Roger Barlow lives further down the river in North Fort Myers and he says he hopes it doesn’t find its way back into his canal.

“Pretty odd I thought it was over with – just getting back on the water and enjoying being out there,” he said.

Thomas says the algae shouldn’t get much farther than the Franklin Lock unless our dry season in Southwest Florida is rainier than normal.

“If you actually have a lot of rain fall and you have to release some water because the dike is about to fail that would actually move the algae down so the estuary,” he said.