Lake O Water Levels Down Following Driest March in Several Decades

Lake Okeechobee’s water levels are down following the driest March in the past several decades.

So what does that mean for our water supply?

“We get way too much water in the summer, we don’t get enough in the dry season and it really damages this ecosystem,” said Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani.

He says the freshwater drives down salinity in the Caloosahatchee. “So that the plants can survive and the animals that depend on them will still be around,” he said.

Another concern still around? Harmful algal blooms.

“We found out in 2018 that this blue-green algae can tolerate salt contents…so we’re not restricting blue-green algae by having the higher salinity at this time,” Cassani said.