| Lake Okeechobee Wildlife and Water Updates in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee |
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Chair, Sen. Rodriguez (R-Doral)) was provided an in-depth overview of the Lake Okeechobee watershed and ongoing restoration efforts in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
Wildlife
FWC’s George Warthen shared updates on the Lake Okeechobee Marsh Management Plan completed in 2022, designed to balance the lake’s many uses while protecting its vital marsh habitat.
Lake O supports abundant wildlife, from largemouth bass — more than 550 weighing more than eight pounds registered — to waterfowl, alligators, and wading birds. Using chemical, mechanical, biological, and physical management tools, FWC works closely with the Lake O Interagency Task Force to address invasive plants and other issues. Recent low water levels (under LOSOM, see below) allowed 20,000 acres of prescribed fire and the restoration of up to 28,000 acres of submerged aquatic vegetation. FWC has also replanted more than 100,000 native marsh plants and established vegetation on spoil islands to enhance recovery.
Restoration
South Florida Water Management District’s Executive Director Drew Bartlett shared how the District’s work to restore Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades has become one of Florida’s biggest environmental success stories in motion.
What began 75 years ago as a flood control agency has grown into a leader in ecosystem restoration, with strong support from the Governor, Legislature, and federal partners. Bartlett said that together, Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have invested about $9 billion in restoration so far — roughly an even split, with the state slightly ahead. Major Lake Okeechobee and Everglades projects are expected to be largely complete by 2029, while northern storage efforts will take another decade or so to finish.
Colonel Bowman of the Army Corps of Engineers shared that the new Lake Okeechobee management plan (LOSOM) improves conditions for estuaries, water supply, and Everglades flow but can stress the lake. To help it recover, they lowered water levels last spring, leading to 28,000 acres of new submerged plant growth.
Recent lake drawdowns have boosted plant growth and improved habitat. Bartlett explained that new projects like the EAA Reservoir — designed to hold 240,000 acre-feet of water — along with others like the Lake Okeechobee Component A Reservoir (LOCAR) and aquifer storage and recovery wells, will give water managers better control of lake levels and move more clean water south to the Everglades.
Water quality is steadily improving, though harmful algal blooms remain a challenge. Bartlett said that while there isn’t a single fix, ongoing monitoring and management are allowing the system respond better each year. With more than 60,000 acres of Stormwater Treatment Areas now meeting strict clean water standards and the Everglades receiving more natural water flow than in decades, Bartlett emphasized that Florida’s restoration progress is real — and accelerating.
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