A Chronology of Significant Events
Relating To the Caloosahatchee River
1970-2012
by John Cassani
1976: Caloosahatchee Estuary designated Critical Habitat for the Florida manatee by USFWS.
1994: Dexter Bender study of Caloosahatchee submersed aquatic vegetation. Study reveals over 600 acres of Vallisneria americana (tapegrass) in the upper tidal zone.
1997-2000: Publication of first freshwater inflow studies to the estuary by Chamberlain and Doering.
2000: Caloosahatchee Water Management Plan finalized and adopted by SFWMD.
2000: ACOE Adopts and implements the ironically named Lake regulation schedule WSE "Water Supply/Environmental Regulation Schedule"
2000: Emergency release from Lake Okeechobee to Caloosahatchee approved by SFWMD and causes rapid and extensive "purge" of the estuary with fresh water.
2001: May 24, Lake Okeechobee lowest water level on record 8.97 ft. extreme drought conditions
2001: Minimum Flow and Level Rule adopted for the Caloosahatchee River.
2002: C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir Management Plan approved by ACOE.
2002: MFL EXCEEDENCE
2003: Caloosahatchee estuary designated a SWIM (Surface Water Improvement and Management) water body as part of the Lower Charlotte Harbor Reconnaissance Report. The SWIM Act was enacted in 1987 and requires the Water Management District to develop plans and programs to improve SWIM water bodies.
2003: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) declares the smalltooth sawfish as Critically Endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
2004: MFL EXCEEDENCE
2005: Major harmful algal bloom in the estuary.
2005: Lake Okeechobee and Estuary Recovery Program (LOER) adopted by DEP.
2006: NMFS declares the estuary as Critical Habitat for the smalltooth sawfish.
2006: MFL EXCEEDENCE
2006: Major harmful algal bloom in the river.
2007: Florida Legislature passed the NEEPP, (Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program) which expanded the existing Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) to include the Caloosahatchee and the St. Lucie Rivers and Estuaries.
2007: MFL EXCEEDENCE- MFL VIOLATION defining significant harm to the estuary.
2007:Major harmful algal bloom in the estuary.
2007: C-43 Test Cells research initiated.
2007: Major harmful algal bloom in the river.
2008: SFWMD C-43 Water Quality Treatment and Demonstration Project (previously known as BOMA).
2008: MFL EXCEEDENCE - 2ND YEAR OF MFL VIOLATION.
2008: USACE adopts 3 year interim Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS08)
2008:Major harmful algal bloom in the river
2009: MFL EXCEEDENCE - 3RD YEAR OF MFL VIOLATION.
2009: Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan as a subset of the NEEPP submitted to state legislature.
2009: Major harmful algal bloom in the river
2009: DEP adopts final TMDL for the estuary and Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) process begun to address the nitrogen reduction target as required in the TMDL.
2010: MFL EXCEEDENCE - 4TH YEAR OF MFL VIOLATION.
2010: SFWMD Adaptive Protocols for Lake Okeechobee Operations is revised and adopted by the SFWMD Governing Board.
2010: C-43 ACOE Chief's Report finished.
2010: C-43 Project Implementation Report (PIR) and EIS finished.
2011: MFL EXCEEDENCE - 5TH YEAR OF MFL VIOLATION "SERIOUS HARM" OCCURRING.
2011:March- June 2011 Caloosahatchee flows cut off 100% per Adaptive Protocols.
2011:Major harmful algal bloom in the river Public Health Warnings Posted for 8 weeks
2011: C-43 Record of Decision signed by ACOE and submitted to Congress for authorization.
2012: MFL EXCEEDENCE - 6TH YEAR OF MFL VIOLATION "SERIOUS HARM" OCCURRING.
2012: March-April, Caloosahatchee flows cut off 100% per Adaptive Protocols.
2012: Major harmful algal bloom in the river - Public Health Warnings Posted.
