02/20/2024
In its natural state, Lake Okeechobee would swell with the seasons and overflow its southern banks to feed the Everglades flow.
But in an effort to settle the land 100 years ago, the Everglades system was manipulated, cutting off that natural southern flow of freshwater and redirecting it to the east and west coasts.
Since current infrastructure to flow water south is limited, and management practices have baked-in requirements to benefit special interests, like Big Sugar, lake levels can get dangerously high.
When the lake gets high, water managers must lower the lake for flood control, and there's really only two ways to do that:
👎 1. Water managers are forced to initiate high-volume discharges to both the east and west coasts, destroying the coastal estuaries. This is what we're seeing right now.
👍 2. Water managers can maximize beneficial releases south along the historic Everglades flow path and west to the Caloosahatchee Estuary when its needed to balance salinity levels.
Unfortunately, the infrastructure we have right now doesn't provide enough capacity to store and flow enough water south through the Everglades and into Florida Bay.
That's why it's critical we prioritize Everglades restoration efforts to increase those capacities and that flexibility.
Combined with other ongoing infrastructure upgrades, Everglades Restoration projects like the EAA Reservoir will store, clean and send massive amounts of water south from Lake O through the Everglades.
When completed, this comprehensive plan will restore the natural order to the Everglades, balance salinity levels in Florida Bay, reduce high-volume damaging discharges to the coasts, and help keep the lake at ecologically beneficial levels.
Head to the link in our bio to learn more about the fight for clean water, and stay tuned for more updates on our current conditions.
