Normally a summer occurrence, a giant, black, out-of-season plume of fresh water is hovering at the mouth of San Carlos Bay in Southwest Florida—three miles north, three miles south and extending 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico.

“The fact that the plume has spread into the Gulf and the shoreline raises even greater concern that the impact goes into the Gulf,” said Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah. “It certainly represents a health risk, because we’re talking about the nearshore area where there are recreational swimmers and beach-goers.”

The freshwater plume—courtesy of polluted Lake Okeechobee water dumped down the Caloosahatchee by the South Florida Water Management District and Army Corps of Engineers—continues the deterioration of the estuary and local economy. Poor water quality at area beaches cost local tourism $3 million in September and October, according to Lee County

Visitor and Convention Bureau’s Tamara Pigott.

“Our strength used to be our natural environment and our weakness was trying to keep up with growth,” said Lee County Smart Growth Director Wayne Daltry. Now, however, according to Daltry, diminished water quality may curb the growth problem, although at the expense of the economy.

Of course, black water from the lake is old hat to east coast fishermen, who face huge discharges from Lake Okeechobee, and are planning to file a lawsuit to stop it.

FS