Killing Lake Okeechobee - Solutions for Cleaner Water!
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Date: 2020-08-07
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Comments and reviews: 10
aaron
There is no one or simple solution for this problem. The water quality is too far gone at this point for just one solution to work. There HAS to be a combination of multiple steps taken to fix the problem. You didn't have these problems 30 years ago when there was a natural filter but this problem didn't happen overnight and while you didn't notice, it has been slowly and silently building to the point we are at today. The single biggest problem is contamination from the over development, the runoff of fertilizers, pesticides and septic systems are virtually pumping billions of gallons of contaminated water into this lake 24/7. Everyone talks about restoring the southern flow and while I dont disagree that it should be one of the solutions there CANNOT be just one. Everyone likes to look at a solution and say back fefore Back before the southern flow was disrupted the water didn't have the pollutant problems it has today. Simply restoring the southern flow would be like flushing your toilet into your neighbors yard instead of your own. We cant simply divert the problem from flowing east/west to south. The lake and pollution levels are to far gone for that. We need a combined solution of.
New water treatment and sewers to get homes off of septics ( I dont know whos bright idea it was to do septics in Florida but high groundwater table and porus ground is not a good combo) Same problem that led to the Florida Keys to installing sewers. The dirty water was essentially just flowing out to sea before it was cleaned. Same problem here only its making it way to rivers, streams and canals before it is cleaned and then flowing directly into lake O
better control and limiting fertilizer for both private citizens and companies especially big sugar
restoring the natural filter grass, maintaining proper lake levels
water treatment/filtration at the lake to help clean the existing water and future run off because you can never stop the pollution completely, only reduce it.
then restore some of the southern flow but the water still needs some treatment prior to releasing otherwise you are simply relocating the problem and pumping toxic water from one spot to another. Yes the grasses to the south will help clean and filter the water naturally like they did a century ago BUT the lake is 10k times more polluted then it was a century ago.
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There is no one or simple solution for this problem. The water quality is too far gone at this point for just one solution to work. There HAS to be a combination of multiple steps taken to fix the problem. You didn't have these problems 30 years ago when there was a natural filter but this problem didn't happen overnight and while you didn't notice, it has been slowly and silently building to the point we are at today. The single biggest problem is contamination from the over development, the runoff of fertilizers, pesticides and septic systems are virtually pumping billions of gallons of contaminated water into this lake 24/7. Everyone talks about restoring the southern flow and while I dont disagree that it should be one of the solutions there CANNOT be just one. Everyone likes to look at a solution and say back fefore Back before the southern flow was disrupted the water didn't have the pollutant problems it has today. Simply restoring the southern flow would be like flushing your toilet into your neighbors yard instead of your own. We cant simply divert the problem from flowing east/west to south. The lake and pollution levels are to far gone for that. We need a combined solution of.
New water treatment and sewers to get homes off of septics ( I dont know whos bright idea it was to do septics in Florida but high groundwater table and porus ground is not a good combo) Same problem that led to the Florida Keys to installing sewers. The dirty water was essentially just flowing out to sea before it was cleaned. Same problem here only its making it way to rivers, streams and canals before it is cleaned and then flowing directly into lake O
better control and limiting fertilizer for both private citizens and companies especially big sugar
restoring the natural filter grass, maintaining proper lake levels
water treatment/filtration at the lake to help clean the existing water and future run off because you can never stop the pollution completely, only reduce it.
then restore some of the southern flow but the water still needs some treatment prior to releasing otherwise you are simply relocating the problem and pumping toxic water from one spot to another. Yes the grasses to the south will help clean and filter the water naturally like they did a century ago BUT the lake is 10k times more polluted then it was a century ago.
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Jeremy
The way you care about Lake O is how much I care about Lake Toho and the entire Kissimmee Chain. The fact is, its not a coastal problem and not entirely a Lake O problem. It starts right here at Lake Toho and down the Kissimmee Chain. All the canals connecting the entire Kissimmee Chain together as well as the Kissimmee River to Lake O and the Everglades has been ruined with dredging and concrete boulders. The flood plains that once were massive areas of filtration leading to Okeechobee and Everglades have been completely destroyed. Now, theres no care in the world for our fisheries and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project is a joke because the flood plains have been ruined exactly how you explained how Okeechobee would be ruined with a draw down. Its so difficult to say what the right answer is anymore though I wholeheartedly agree with you. Draining the lake might keep red tide away, but at the cost of the Everglades, Lake O and everything north to Toho. Government is so indebted to the almighty dollar that unfortunately, our ecosystems will pay the ultimate sacrifice.
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The way you care about Lake O is how much I care about Lake Toho and the entire Kissimmee Chain. The fact is, its not a coastal problem and not entirely a Lake O problem. It starts right here at Lake Toho and down the Kissimmee Chain. All the canals connecting the entire Kissimmee Chain together as well as the Kissimmee River to Lake O and the Everglades has been ruined with dredging and concrete boulders. The flood plains that once were massive areas of filtration leading to Okeechobee and Everglades have been completely destroyed. Now, theres no care in the world for our fisheries and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project is a joke because the flood plains have been ruined exactly how you explained how Okeechobee would be ruined with a draw down. Its so difficult to say what the right answer is anymore though I wholeheartedly agree with you. Draining the lake might keep red tide away, but at the cost of the Everglades, Lake O and everything north to Toho. Government is so indebted to the almighty dollar that unfortunately, our ecosystems will pay the ultimate sacrifice.
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Cliff
I agree the lake needs to have grasses to help filter the water within the lake. But, you never mentioned the lack of normal drainage into the northern everglades, That waterway historically kept the lake at an acceptable level and cleaned the water as it flowed into Florida Bay. That flow has been disrupted by Sugar farms/development and is making it necessary to drain the water east and west. Filling the lake with filter grass just can't clean the amount of over fertilizes water the it gets from the north and south. It may help some.
I have fished the Stuart area for almost 40 years and have watched the water quality decline rapidly. The Indian River Lagoon used to have a white sandy bottom with acres of sea grass. Now it's thick black muck from the discharges. I lost a toe to infection after stone crabbing in the IRL 3 years ago. That water is dangerous!
Until the southern flow is brought back to, or close what it was for centuries, nothing is going to improve significantly.
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I agree the lake needs to have grasses to help filter the water within the lake. But, you never mentioned the lack of normal drainage into the northern everglades, That waterway historically kept the lake at an acceptable level and cleaned the water as it flowed into Florida Bay. That flow has been disrupted by Sugar farms/development and is making it necessary to drain the water east and west. Filling the lake with filter grass just can't clean the amount of over fertilizes water the it gets from the north and south. It may help some.
I have fished the Stuart area for almost 40 years and have watched the water quality decline rapidly. The Indian River Lagoon used to have a white sandy bottom with acres of sea grass. Now it's thick black muck from the discharges. I lost a toe to infection after stone crabbing in the IRL 3 years ago. That water is dangerous!
Until the southern flow is brought back to, or close what it was for centuries, nothing is going to improve significantly.
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Wes
I stand behind you all day on this topic! Ive lived here in Florida since I was born and I am 18 now soon to be turning 19 and I have fished a lot of lakes in Florida and Okeechobee is an amazing fishery/tourist area as you said! Preserving that lake means the world to all of us here in florida and every out of state tourists/fishermen! Those spawning flats are crucial to the fish in the lake to survive and reproduce to keep the population up so that the fish are always in stoke and the fishery doesnt run out, as you said the bowl that the lake would become is so unfertilized that it would basically turn that lake into nothing but I body of water that you cant use! I have a goal of becoming a pro angler one day and that lake is a hot spot on every major tour out there! You being raised on that lake means that you have a lot more reasoning to behind why you want to do this but I agree with you 100% on everything that you have hit on!
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I stand behind you all day on this topic! Ive lived here in Florida since I was born and I am 18 now soon to be turning 19 and I have fished a lot of lakes in Florida and Okeechobee is an amazing fishery/tourist area as you said! Preserving that lake means the world to all of us here in florida and every out of state tourists/fishermen! Those spawning flats are crucial to the fish in the lake to survive and reproduce to keep the population up so that the fish are always in stoke and the fishery doesnt run out, as you said the bowl that the lake would become is so unfertilized that it would basically turn that lake into nothing but I body of water that you cant use! I have a goal of becoming a pro angler one day and that lake is a hot spot on every major tour out there! You being raised on that lake means that you have a lot more reasoning to behind why you want to do this but I agree with you 100% on everything that you have hit on!
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die-eggo
The facts don't lie, more than 90% of aquatic plants in FL lakes are invasive. Fisherman have been a major factor in the spread of plants. Crops, canals, herbicide, development, and many more factors have caused this crises. The river/canal connecting the east side to Okeechobee have also caused problems. Everyone wants a quick, easy solution, fact is that no one will like the real solution. Will people give up their properties, to redevelop the slow flow of water south? Will fisherman give up fishing for a steady water supply to their lakes? The solution will have to be to restore the arteries that supplied the swamps and sawgrass further south. Better land management, better farm practice, especially fertilizer. The real question is, will people give up their sugary drinks and foods to help. I doubt it, supplying the U. S with sugar is very profitable. For now the flow south will dramatically help, but water levels will drop.
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The facts don't lie, more than 90% of aquatic plants in FL lakes are invasive. Fisherman have been a major factor in the spread of plants. Crops, canals, herbicide, development, and many more factors have caused this crises. The river/canal connecting the east side to Okeechobee have also caused problems. Everyone wants a quick, easy solution, fact is that no one will like the real solution. Will people give up their properties, to redevelop the slow flow of water south? Will fisherman give up fishing for a steady water supply to their lakes? The solution will have to be to restore the arteries that supplied the swamps and sawgrass further south. Better land management, better farm practice, especially fertilizer. The real question is, will people give up their sugary drinks and foods to help. I doubt it, supplying the U. S with sugar is very profitable. For now the flow south will dramatically help, but water levels will drop.
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30
Scott way to go to get behind this but I have meet you personally on two occasions when the Forest Wood Cup was on Lake Murray here is Columbia SC and I know you are a smart guy and you what it takes to get this fixed and you have God on your side also. So I know you are a busy hard working guy but you need to get all the other businesses around the Lake together and all your fellow FLW anglers and all the other anglers you know and you know some pretty famous guys and get some grass going in there and get some Petitions going make people realize how big a deal this is. Isn't Lake O the biggest natural fresh water Lake in America? I have never fished it but have heard and seen great things about the Lake O and it needs to be be saved period it's a natural wonder period it was made by God's hand not man so I will do all I can on my end here but I think you can do more than you realize brother good Luck and let's go this Lake fixed.
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Scott way to go to get behind this but I have meet you personally on two occasions when the Forest Wood Cup was on Lake Murray here is Columbia SC and I know you are a smart guy and you what it takes to get this fixed and you have God on your side also. So I know you are a busy hard working guy but you need to get all the other businesses around the Lake together and all your fellow FLW anglers and all the other anglers you know and you know some pretty famous guys and get some grass going in there and get some Petitions going make people realize how big a deal this is. Isn't Lake O the biggest natural fresh water Lake in America? I have never fished it but have heard and seen great things about the Lake O and it needs to be be saved period it's a natural wonder period it was made by God's hand not man so I will do all I can on my end here but I think you can do more than you realize brother good Luck and let's go this Lake fixed.
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Cerus98
Nothing will change these peoples minds. The lake and the Everglades are being destroyed for one reason only. Money.
Money from all the sugar cane fields south of the lake. The same fields that pollute the lake which then ends up polluting the ocean when they release water.
The government has protected the sugar industry for decades. We could import it much cheaper and leave the lake along but the two big sugar companies dont want that obviously.
A bunch of greedy crooks.
Btw - thats why they want to lower the lake. To prep for the rainy season where they inevitably have to release all the farmland polluted lake water to avoid flooding. The lake takes the blame when its the army Corp and politicians dumbasses engineering decisions that causes this mess in the first place.
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Nothing will change these peoples minds. The lake and the Everglades are being destroyed for one reason only. Money.
Money from all the sugar cane fields south of the lake. The same fields that pollute the lake which then ends up polluting the ocean when they release water.
The government has protected the sugar industry for decades. We could import it much cheaper and leave the lake along but the two big sugar companies dont want that obviously.
A bunch of greedy crooks.
Btw - thats why they want to lower the lake. To prep for the rainy season where they inevitably have to release all the farmland polluted lake water to avoid flooding. The lake takes the blame when its the army Corp and politicians dumbasses engineering decisions that causes this mess in the first place.
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Jeffery
Very correct. they needed to stop the over excessive n in some sense not needed spraying of the lake. It kills all vegetation which turns into dead plant material and muck which is several ft thick in areas that used to be beautiful hard bottom around the lake. I saw bass tryna to spawn n fan out bed in muck that was almost 2 ft thick. the gas released from the dead vegetation hurts numerous animal n fish populations. I could go on for hrs about the differences I've seen in only 5 yrs of fishing lake O and the damages from the situations your talkn about
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Very correct. they needed to stop the over excessive n in some sense not needed spraying of the lake. It kills all vegetation which turns into dead plant material and muck which is several ft thick in areas that used to be beautiful hard bottom around the lake. I saw bass tryna to spawn n fan out bed in muck that was almost 2 ft thick. the gas released from the dead vegetation hurts numerous animal n fish populations. I could go on for hrs about the differences I've seen in only 5 yrs of fishing lake O and the damages from the situations your talkn about
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Brian
Im been dreaming of coming to the Big O fishing for years. I actually finally got to visit the lake two years ago on our way to a cruise. I told the wife we got to leave home a day early, I have to see Lake Okeechobee if Im going by it. I didnt get to fish it. The whole day we were there there was a lot of lightning and rain. It was pretty disheartening to say the least. Thanks for speaking out about this Scott. Im in NC and I will write in a comment via the link. Hopefully, I pray, they will see sense and not lower the lake.
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Im been dreaming of coming to the Big O fishing for years. I actually finally got to visit the lake two years ago on our way to a cruise. I told the wife we got to leave home a day early, I have to see Lake Okeechobee if Im going by it. I didnt get to fish it. The whole day we were there there was a lot of lightning and rain. It was pretty disheartening to say the least. Thanks for speaking out about this Scott. Im in NC and I will write in a comment via the link. Hopefully, I pray, they will see sense and not lower the lake.
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greg
Scott as a Retired Backcountry Guide and Professional Everglades AirboatGuide I have seen the ups and downs of South Fla I believe that if we had constant movement of the water and for it to be left at 12 to 15 ft deep at all times. Also we have to stop the Pesticides.
Dont let the water sit in the cow pastures for weeks the Government needs to listen to the locals that may just know how to help fix the Ole Gurl?
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Scott as a Retired Backcountry Guide and Professional Everglades AirboatGuide I have seen the ups and downs of South Fla I believe that if we had constant movement of the water and for it to be left at 12 to 15 ft deep at all times. Also we have to stop the Pesticides.
Dont let the water sit in the cow pastures for weeks the Government needs to listen to the locals that may just know how to help fix the Ole Gurl?
reply
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