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As the lake’s ecosystem thrives, those who depend on it for a living languish
By Jeremy Cox (Contact)
Originally published — 1:47 p.m., April 27, 2007
Updated — 2:30 p.m., April 27, 2007
Paul Gray eased back the throttle on his airboat and skimmed to a stop alongside a tenuous-looking clump of green sprigs poking above the water. As soon as the engine died, his bare feet were in the muck.
"This whole area should be vegetated," said Gray, a scientist with the National Audubon Society who has become one of the biggest cheerleaders of efforts to restore Lake Okeechobee. "This is the last of the survivors."
If he had been standing on this spot in November 2005, the surface of the lake would have been about two feet above the bill of his baseball cap. Instead, on this clear morning in April nearly two years later, the bourbon-colored water was lapping just above his ankles.
Gray estimates that 75 square miles of aquatic plants across Lake O drowned after the tumultuous 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons drenched Central and South Florida. Now, a reprieve in the form of a drought is giving the battered lake a chance to heal itself.
A short airboat ride away at a newly exposed mud flat known in wetter times as King’s Bar, Gray pumped his fists in the air.
"Signs of life!" he exclaimed as he pointed to tiny shoots of maidencane, spike rush, bulrush, and eelgrass — plants that, once fully grown and submerged, might nurture future generations of crappie, bass and other sport fish.
For seeds to germinate on the lake bottom, the rule of thumb is that the lake surface needs to stay below 12 feet above sea level for at least three months. The lake bowed beneath that mark four months ago.
And it’s not stopping. Last week, Lake O stood at 9.8 feet, less than a foot short of its historic low point. Water managers expect the 730-square-mile kiddie pool to beat that record within the next month.
The only obstacle is an early start to the rainy season, which usually begins during the last week of May. And with no end to the drought in sight, that appears unlikely to happen, forecasters say.
• • •
But as the lake’s ecosystem thrives, those who depend on Lake O for a living are languishing.
Farmers south of the lake are drawing comparisons to the 2000-2001 drought, when the lake hit an all-time low of 8.97 feet and agricultural damages amounted to between $100 million and $200 million.
The drought comes at a particularly bad time for the U.S. Sugar Corp., which...
Full Story: http://www.bonitanews.com/news/2007/apr/27/drought_has_varied_effect_lake_o_life/
By Jeremy Cox (Contact)
Originally published — 1:47 p.m., April 27, 2007
Updated — 2:30 p.m., April 27, 2007
Paul Gray eased back the throttle on his airboat and skimmed to a stop alongside a tenuous-looking clump of green sprigs poking above the water. As soon as the engine died, his bare feet were in the muck.
"This whole area should be vegetated," said Gray, a scientist with the National Audubon Society who has become one of the biggest cheerleaders of efforts to restore Lake Okeechobee. "This is the last of the survivors."
If he had been standing on this spot in November 2005, the surface of the lake would have been about two feet above the bill of his baseball cap. Instead, on this clear morning in April nearly two years later, the bourbon-colored water was lapping just above his ankles.
Gray estimates that 75 square miles of aquatic plants across Lake O drowned after the tumultuous 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons drenched Central and South Florida. Now, a reprieve in the form of a drought is giving the battered lake a chance to heal itself.
A short airboat ride away at a newly exposed mud flat known in wetter times as King’s Bar, Gray pumped his fists in the air.
"Signs of life!" he exclaimed as he pointed to tiny shoots of maidencane, spike rush, bulrush, and eelgrass — plants that, once fully grown and submerged, might nurture future generations of crappie, bass and other sport fish.
For seeds to germinate on the lake bottom, the rule of thumb is that the lake surface needs to stay below 12 feet above sea level for at least three months. The lake bowed beneath that mark four months ago.
And it’s not stopping. Last week, Lake O stood at 9.8 feet, less than a foot short of its historic low point. Water managers expect the 730-square-mile kiddie pool to beat that record within the next month.
The only obstacle is an early start to the rainy season, which usually begins during the last week of May. And with no end to the drought in sight, that appears unlikely to happen, forecasters say.
• • •
But as the lake’s ecosystem thrives, those who depend on Lake O for a living are languishing.
Farmers south of the lake are drawing comparisons to the 2000-2001 drought, when the lake hit an all-time low of 8.97 feet and agricultural damages amounted to between $100 million and $200 million.
The drought comes at a particularly bad time for the U.S. Sugar Corp., which...
Full Story: http://www.bonitanews.com/news/2007/apr/27/drought_has_varied_effect_lake_o_life/
