Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen • July 2016 | Page 11

Algae Blooms Get Lawmakers

!
n
o
i
t
n
Atte

Recently, several key
state lawmakers wrote
a letter urging the Army
Corps of Engineers to take
immediate action to help
correct the discharges from
Lake Okeechobee into the
Indian River Lagoon and
the Caloosahatchee River
as toxic blue green algae
blooms are clogging the
rivers and impacting the
beaches. Senators Marco
Rubio and Bill Nelson both
toured the impacted areas
by boast to see the damage
first-hand. State legislators
are urging the Army Corps
of Engineers to immediately
halt the releases from Lake
Okeechobee for a limited
amount of time to allow the
estuaries to “flush” with the

natural flow of salt water
that occurs normally when
there are no releases. This
would allow the restoration
of natural saline levels and
halt the growth of toxic algae
blooms.
The recent passage of
Legacy Florida provides
a dedicated funding
source for the restoration
of the Everglades and
ends the releases from
Lake Okeechobee. The
Legislature will be required
to appropriate a minimum
of 25 percent or $200
million for Everglades
projects that implement the
comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Plan (CERP),
including the Central
Everglades Planning Project,

the Long-Term Plan and
the Northern Everglades
and Estuaries Protection
Program. Priority must be
given to projects that will end
the release of harmful water
from Lake Okeechobee into
our estuaries.

VIEW LETTER
• • •

JULY 2016 • DITCHMEN

11