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City staff: Manual Branch bacteria levels elevated but stable; $6 million USDA grant to fund debris removal and bank stabilization
Summary
City environmental staff told the council that Manual Branch shows elevated but stable bacteria levels with no recent human-source markers and recommended nonpoint‑source remedies. The city received a $6 million USDA NRCS grant aimed at debris removal, bank stabilization, dredging and flow restoration, with construction targeted in 2026.
City environmental staff told the Fort Myers City Council on Wednesday that long‑running sampling at Manual Branch shows elevated but steady bacteria concentrations, and that recent microbial source‑tracking did not find evidence of an ongoing human sewage source.
Justin Mahone, the city’s environmental compliance manager, said the branch’s bacterial counts have been ‘‘elevated but stable’’ and that testing for human indicators such as acetaminophen and human DNA markers produced non‑detects in recent quarters. ‘‘That tells us there’s likely no smoking‑gun point source or lift station dumping directly into the creek,’’ Mahone said.
The presentation emphasized first‑flush spikes — very high counts immediately after heavy rain — as…
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