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Lake Okeechobee water quality will be improved.
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A preserve area at the STA will protect wildlife and cultural resources.
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More detail about the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project
Phase II Technical Plan is online at: www.sfwmd.gov/northerneverglades. >
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Project benefit
Up to 19 metric tons of phosphorus will be removed annually from runoff flows moving through the STA and into Lake Okeechobee. This will contribute toward the goal of achieving the Lake Okeechobee Total Maximum Daily Load phosphorus target.
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The project is designed in two phases: The northern STA and inflow pump station; and the southern STA, including a second pump station to manage rim canal levels in Lake Okeechobee during high water flow periods and recirculate water in Lake Okeechobee back to the STA for additional phosphorus removal.
Lakeside Ranch STA
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Lakeside Ranch STA is in the Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough sub- watershed, one of the nutrient “hot spots” in the Lake Okeechobee watershed.
The 2,600-acre Lakeside Ranch project is a key component of the 2007 Northern Everglades & Estuaries Protection Program. This landmark state restoration initiative expanded the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act to strengthen protection for the Northern Everglades, recognizing connectivity of the entire Everglades ecosystem and the importance of capturing and cleaning water before it flows into Lake Okeechobee. The Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) is featured in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan.
The 2000 Florida Legislature established the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program (LOPP), which is designed to address the issues of water quality, hydrology and exotic plant management. An integrated watershed and lake management strategy is being used to improve the condition of Lake Okeechobee. This strategy uses land management practices to reduce phosphorus levels in streams draining land parcels of several hundred acres or less, regional phosphorus control technologies that impact areas ranging in size from several hundred acres to several hundred square miles and in-lake remediation projects.
Another Taylor Creek Pic!
