Audubon Florida thanks the South Florida Water Management District for a taking a step in the right direction to manage water for the environment.

Last week the SFWMD Governing Board decided to allow pulse releases of water from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee Estuary to help curb harmful algae blooms. The board also formally recognized that the document that currently guides releases to the estuary- the Adaptive Protocols- should be reviewed by stakeholders, looking to improve the balance of environmental needs.

Audubon’s Lake Okeechobee Science Coordinator Dr. Paul Gray testified at last week's SFWMD Governing Board meeting. Dr. Gray explained  that small releases to the estuary would be prudent because the system desperately needs the water and dry season forecasts do not seem to indicate the need for water restrictions for other users or problematic conditions in Lake Okeechobee and the Water Conservation Areas.

The board's decision comes on the heels of last week's health warning from the Lee County Health Department, which advised the public to be cautious before exposing themselves, pets or livestock to the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries due to sporadic, but potentially harmful algal blooms.

Meanwhile, the Caloosahatchee Estuary’s salinity problem has not yet been solved and habitats remain in peril. The impacts of high salinity are not limited to the environment, or tourism or real estate economies. The Olga Water Treatment Plant in Lee County was taken offline last week, due in part to water quality concerns from high chlorides from the Estuary’s salt water plume.

Audubon Florida is actively working with state and federal agencies to advise how to implement these pulse releases in the most effective way. We will continue to vigorously advocate for water for the environment in Florida.