The Drought in Florida
The water level at Lake Okeechobee is a perfect example of how bad the current drought in Florida is. Area's that should be underwater are not and the conditions are getting worse. The lake is usually about 14-feet higher this time of year, but at last check the Lake is under 10 feet, and receding.
This is bad news for the Everglades and for the communities surrounding the lake. It was less than two years ago since the devastating hurricane season of 2005, when the problem was too much water in Lake Okeechobee. Water managers released a large amount of water into the Atlantic to relieve the lake. Now, some nearby residents are saying water managers wasted the water.
Water managers say a big part of the problem is there's little water anywhere in the state. The Kissimee River, which feeds Lake Okeechobee, is in the same position. Experts believe it would take steady rain everyday for 6 to 8 weeks to bring Lake Okeechobee back to where it should be.
April 30, 2007 6:39 AM | Category: Drought