FORT MYERS, Fla. - You've seen the pictures, a sprawling algae bloom creeping down Lake Okeechobee.But the Florida Department of Environmental Protection says it tested for algae but couldn't find any significant traces of it.
Now, local scientists are calling out the DEP.
John Cassani is an aquatic ecologist and a member of Riverwatch.
He's concernred with the recent report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The DEP tested the Caloosahatchee for algae on May 18th at the Ortona lock.
It states it did not find a dominate strain of algae adding there are "no toxins present."
Cassani says that's hardly a scientific study adding, "If you're interested in characterizing the health threat of a widespread algae bloom, you've got to sample in more than one place in one day."
CALOOHATCHEE.ORG, an environmental watchdog with a number of scientists on its board issued this statement:
"Clearly, DEP sampling and reporting is of little practical value in keeping the public truly informed on prevailing conditions in the Caloosahatchee."
And it should be noted, that on that very day of the testing, Lee County shut down the Olga water treatment plant, which gets it's water from the Calooahatchee because of algae blooms.
Also, the US Army Corps of Engineers put up warning signs, telling people not to go swimming at the Franklin Lock beach.
Cassani says he has questions about DEP's standards, "Well when I see a report like that it makes me fell that state isn't really taking the potential threat from a harmful algal bloom seriously."
