Lake water quality improving, SAV growing
- Katrina Elsken Lake Okeechobee News
- Jul 15
- 1 min read
WEST PALM BEACH – Lake Okeechobee is on the mend, according to information shared in the Environmental Conditions Report during the July 10 meeting of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board.
Lake Okeechobee was managed in “recovery” mode during the dry season with the goal of bringing the lake level down below 12 feet for 90 days and/or below 11.5 feet for 60 days.
“We have met pretty much met our targets for recovery,” said Cassondra Armstrong. She said water has been coming into the lake, and little or no water flowing out, but the lake level is not significantly rising because the dry soil in the marshy areas around the edge of the lake is rehydrating. Once the soil is rehydrated, as water comes in, the lake will rise, she explained.
“We are seeing excellent water quality,” Armstrong said. The level of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) -- which can feed algal blooms -- is low, she added.
“We’ve got low-nutrient water, clear water,” Armstrong said. “We’re not seeing any (algal) bloom potential in the near future.”
“We’re looking really good for having a calm summer when it comes to algal blooms,” said Armstrong. She said recent water samples have mostly shown mixed algae. The few samples that included toxins were well within the standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency as safe for drinking water.
