Heavy rainfall this spring overwhelmed Everglades infrastructure and required operators to discharge nutrient-laden water from Lake Okeechobee to South Florida’s east and west coasts. The resulting toxic algal blooms are fouling Florida’s coast, killing wildlife, driving away vacationers and local beachgoers and threatening public health.
In response, the South Florida Water Management District is using every available structure and pump to move additional water south from the lake, and the agency has expedited approval of work on a key component of the Central Everglades Planning Project.