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Lake Okeechobee

LOSOM takes key step forward – at long last

May 24, 2024

The LOSOM wait is finally over. Almost. More than five years ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began holding public meetings around South Florida to tout the development of a new “Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual,” to replace the…

Deep Dive: As STA costs go up, Big Sugar’s share of the bill goes down

May 22, 2024

In our last “Deep Dive,” we noted how the stormwater treatment areas (STAs) — 62,000-acres of man-made wetlands south of Lake Okeechobee designed to clean water headed to the Everglades — could be used to help mitigate harmful Lake O…

Toxic algae could overtake Lake O; and that’s good news?

May 16, 2024

It’s toxic algae season — the least wonderful time of the year! At last week’s South Florida Water Management District Governing Board meeting, District Director of Water Resources Lawrence Glenn reported that algae blooms on Lake Okeechobee are beginning to…

Discharges to the Caloosahatchee – good or bad?

April 18, 2024

After last week’s newsletter asking if our discharge crisis was over, we got lots of feedback from readers along the Gulf coast who said the answer was “no.” While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted discharges from Lake Okeechobee…

No room at the (water storage) inn? Blame Big Sugar

March 21, 2024

At last week’s South Florida Water Management District meeting, several speakers took potshots at those of us who want to “send it south.” It’s all fine and good to call for water to be sent to the stormwater treatment areas…

Deep Dive: If we build a reservoir north of Lake O, who gets the water?

March 5, 2024

Everyone agrees that building a reservoir north of Lake Okeechobee is a good thing, a rarity among projects proposed for the greater Everglades plumbing system. More true to form is the fact that not everyone agrees on what ought to…

Where are our champions? What are elected officials doing to stop these discharges?

February 22, 2024

Massive discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers began this past Saturday, with up to 6,500 cubic feet of water per second roaring through the Julian Keen Jr. Lock and Dam/S-77 in Moore Haven and up to 3,600 cfs…

Lake O discharges start Saturday. What are we going to do about that?

February 14, 2024

For months we’ve been predicting it. Thursday it became official: Beginning Saturday, Feb. 17, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin hammering the northern estuaries with discharges from Lake Okeechobee. In a press release the Corps said water will…

VoteWater Deep Dive: This project could clean water going into Lake O, but local residents oppose it. Now what?

December 7, 2023

Work on a large stormwater treatment area to cut the flow of polluted water into Lake Okeechobee has been put on hold while the South Florida Water Management District reviews concerns that the project could cause flooding and airplane crashes.…

As Idalia approaches, some links to resources and a look at what happens after the storm

August 29, 2023

As Hurricane Idalia makes its way toward landfall near Florida’s Big Bend, here are some key links for those in the path of the storm: For a comprehensive look at resources available, shelters open by county, evacuation info and more…

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