This dataset is an aggregated dataset from various sources including the South Florida Water Management District and Lee County (Florida) Environmental Lab and includes parameters of optical water quality. Optical water quality samples were collected throughout the Caloosahatchee River Estuary from the head of the estuary to its outlet in San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Parameters within the dataset include light attenuation coefficient, Secchi disk depth, chlorophyll-a concentration, turbidity, total suspended solid concentration, color, water temperature, specific conductivity, and salinity. Samples were collected from various agencies from May 2008 to May 2020. Other water quality parameters were also collected and some of the monitoring continued to present but is not presented here.