They actually did it honestly I am just sitting here looking at the screen in disbelief because the Chiquita Lock is finally coming out for good. My hands are shaking a bit but I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me even when the process felt like …
June 17, 2023
Final supporters
Locks are the second leading cause of manatee deaths in Florida. We have a lock in our very own SW Cape Coral that has crushed FOUR manatees in the last two years.
The Chiquita Lock was originally installed over 40 years ago when Cape Coral residents were mostly on wells and septics. This installation was designed to facilitate isolation of polluted runoff from uplands and within the city for treatment before entering state coastal waters. Since this time the city and the homeowners have invested in city water and city sewer thus eliminating the main reason the lock was installed in the first place.
Further concerns were a reduction in water quality and canal depths if the lock was ever removed. As some of you may not know, the lock has remained 100% open since September 28th of 2022/Hurricane Ian. Since the lock has been open for the past seven months, not one manatee has been killed, the water quality on the canals has improved, the depth of the water is the same, thus dispelling the notion of what would happen if the lock were to be removed.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a notice of intent for a permit to be granted to the City of Cape Coral to permanently remove the Chiquita Lock. This decision is fully supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the City of Cape Coral, Lee County Government and the State of Florida.
By signing this petition you are agreeing with the removal of the Chiquita Lock. Recall, the State Environmental Agency has issued an intent to grant the city of Cape Coral a permit to permanently remove the lock.
In addition to the people that have signed above, add another 124 paper signatures we received at an event this week.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 18, 2023
May 18, 2023
The numbers are really climbing now and it honestly feels like we are on the precipice of something big. If everyone here just grabbed their phone and pinged a few people right now I bet we would break through that thousand mark before the sun goes down today.
Reached 100 supporters
May 7, 2023
May 7, 2023
I checked the screen and we are almost at a hundred signatures which is just wild to think about honestly. If you really want to help get this momentum turning into actual change please just grab one person you know who lives nearby and get them to add their name because we need that leverage before we talk to the city planners again.
525 Comments
The quality of the water in the Spreader Canal is apparent from the large numbers of brackish water fish that thrive there. The need for a lock no longer exists. Just the fact that manatees are being killed in the lock is reason enough to remove the structure.
I undeerstood the lock was originally installed to facilitate the building of the canals. Then it would be removed. That never happened. Whatever the reason it is not srving any useful purpoase but is causing nuisance to everybody. If I'm really honest, it's a eyesore too!
Residents on the waterway report that since the lock has been disabled and left open that water quality has improved and dolphins, manatee, and fish have increased in abundance. The lock no longers serves a purpose. Remove it. ASAP
Two days ago a pontoon boat got lodged sideways in the canal. The force of the incoming tide pinned it against the walls. This lock needs removed not only for the safety of manatees, but before a human life is lost! It is extremely unsafe!
In addition to the manatee issue, I can also add as a licensed Mater Captain that passage through the lock at certain times is extremely dangerous to vessels and passengers. Let's get it removed before someone is seriously injured or worse killed.
The springs are the manatees winter homes and they depend on the springs, how is this legal to lock them out????
This Chiquita lock is ridiculous and should be removed - it serves no purpose. Senseless Manatee deaths and many other problems that have occurred because of this senseless lock. Matlacha/Pine Island should clean up their leaking and smelling septic systems and oil leaking and deteriorating boats - pre-Ian issues. Kind of Funny, but not really. Many The activists could actually be the biggest contributor to water quality.
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They actually did it honestly I am just sitting here looking at the screen in disbelief because the Chiquita Lock is finally coming out for good. My hands are shaking a bit but I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me even when the process felt like …
June 17, 2023
Final supporters
Locks are the second leading cause of manatee deaths in Florida. We have a lock in our very own SW Cape Coral that has crushed FOUR manatees in the last two years.
The Chiquita Lock was originally installed over 40 years ago when Cape Coral residents were mostly on wells and septics. This installation was designed to facilitate isolation of polluted runoff from uplands and within the city for treatment before entering state coastal waters. Since this time the city and the homeowners have invested in city water and city sewer thus eliminating the main reason the lock was installed in the first place.
Further concerns were a reduction in water quality and canal depths if the lock was ever removed. As some of you may not know, the lock has remained 100% open since September 28th of 2022/Hurricane Ian. Since the lock has been open for the past seven months, not one manatee has been killed, the water quality on the canals has improved, the depth of the water is the same, thus dispelling the notion of what would happen if the lock were to be removed.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a notice of intent for a permit to be granted to the City of Cape Coral to permanently remove the Chiquita Lock. This decision is fully supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the City of Cape Coral, Lee County Government and the State of Florida.
By signing this petition you are agreeing with the removal of the Chiquita Lock. Recall, the State Environmental Agency has issued an intent to grant the city of Cape Coral a permit to permanently remove the lock.
In addition to the people that have signed above, add another 124 paper signatures we received at an event this week.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 18, 2023
May 18, 2023
The numbers are really climbing now and it honestly feels like we are on the precipice of something big. If everyone here just grabbed their phone and pinged a few people right now I bet we would break through that thousand mark before the sun goes down today.
Reached 100 supporters
May 7, 2023
May 7, 2023
I checked the screen and we are almost at a hundred signatures which is just wild to think about honestly. If you really want to help get this momentum turning into actual change please just grab one person you know who lives nearby and get them to add their name because we need that leverage before we talk to the city planners again.
525 Comments
I taught Marine Science and understand the tides and currents here. The lock serves no purpose whatsoever. The water from the south spreader goes nowhere near Matlacha, so their lawsuit is based on total ignorance of the tides and currents in our area.
The quality of the water in the Spreader Canal is apparent from the large numbers of brackish water fish that thrive there. The need for a lock no longer exists. Just the fact that manatees are being killed in the lock is reason enough to remove the structure.
I undeerstood the lock was originally installed to facilitate the building of the canals. Then it would be removed. That never happened. Whatever the reason it is not srving any useful purpoase but is causing nuisance to everybody. If I'm really honest, it's a eyesore too!
Residents on the waterway report that since the lock has been disabled and left open that water quality has improved and dolphins, manatee, and fish have increased in abundance. The lock no longers serves a purpose. Remove it. ASAP
Two days ago a pontoon boat got lodged sideways in the canal. The force of the incoming tide pinned it against the walls. This lock needs removed not only for the safety of manatees, but before a human life is lost! It is extremely unsafe!
In addition to the manatee issue, I can also add as a licensed Mater Captain that passage through the lock at certain times is extremely dangerous to vessels and passengers. Let's get it removed before someone is seriously injured or worse killed.
The springs are the manatees winter homes and they depend on the springs, how is this legal to lock them out????
This Chiquita lock is ridiculous and should be removed - it serves no purpose. Senseless Manatee deaths and many other problems that have occurred because of this senseless lock. Matlacha/Pine Island should clean up their leaking and smelling septic systems and oil leaking and deteriorating boats - pre-Ian issues. Kind of Funny, but not really. Many The activists could actually be the biggest contributor to water quality.
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I taught Marine Science and understand the tides and currents here. The lock serves no purpose whatsoever. The water from the south spreader goes nowhere near Matlacha, so their lawsuit is based on total ignorance of the tides and currents in our area.