Caloosahatchee River

The Caloosahatchee River connects Lake Okeechobee with the Gulf of Mexico and is an important resource for Southwest Floridians. Although the river seems "healthy", this river was listed in the top 10 most endangered rivers in America. When searching the history of the river and its human manipulation, it's clear why the Caloosahatchee is struggling. The Caloosahatchee was a meandering river, until the human population steadily grew in the area which forced the channelization and exploitation of the river. Flood control was the key issue, so the Army Corps of Engineers widened and deepened the river. Polluted Lake Okeechobee water releases played a huge role in destroying the seagrasses and other estuarine vegetation important for the fish, birds, and Manatees. Today if you were to go boating in the river heading inland, the river bottom is "mucky" with little grass. Fortunately, the river is slowly recovering after several years of no freshwater releases. Wildlife sightings have become more common and the fishing has improved. Every time I kayak the river and visit downtown Fort Myers, the Caloosahatchee reminds me of the environmental issues we face in Florida. All of these important issues originated from human activity and humans prioritizing their needs and interest before conservation.