The Cape Coral City Council voted unanimously in a special meeting Monday to petition a proposal to increase the minimum water flow to the Caloosahatchee River.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) proposed increasing the minimum water flow from Lake Okeechobee from the mandatory 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 400 cfs during the dry season in an effort to resolve the blue-green algae water crisis.
But Cape Coral council members say that's not enough.
They voted to petition SFWMD's proposal, suggesting increasing the minimum to 720 cfs during dry season instead. Council members are hoping more water released throughout the year would reduce the risk of blue-green algae traveling to the Caloosahatchee River when water is released in much larger increments during the rainy season.
Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane spoke at the meeting, before the council voted, encouraging city leaders to petition SFWMD's rule with the City of Sanibel.
Cheryl Anderson, who lives in Cape Coral says she's glad the city acted sooner rather than later.
"[I'm] very pleased and very encouraged because I think that a unanimous decision has more power than any kind of a split decision. And the fact that they moved on it today when the petition needs to be filed today...I think is really good," said Anderson.
Cape Coral now joins Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach in this petition.
