The Lake O-Algae Connection
November 13, 2018 @ 7:00PM — 9:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Evening Talk with the Calusa Waterkeeper, John Cassani
John Cassani, the Calusa Riverkeeper, will update us on the Lake Okeechobee water releases, how it is impacting our waterways and estuaries, including blue- green algae and red tides, and what is being done.
The Herbert Hoover Dike, a 143-mile earthen berm which encircles Lake Okeechobee, changed the way the water leaves the lake. The lake's footprint was reduced by about one-third when the Corps of Engineers built the dike. Before the lake was diked, high water events regularly flushed the lake out, sending excess nutrients and floating vegetation south, building up the muck that became the "black gold" soil that is now coveted by the agricultural industry. Meanwhile, excessive nutrients enter Lake O and surrounding estuaries, including the Caloosahatchee River watershed, through cattle operations and old septic systems.
This will also be our Annual Meeting.
Thank you to our sponsors of our Evening Talks:
