The problem is, even with previous efforts to reduce farm runoff, the average has been about 548 tons a year. Most people feel the DEP goal is practically impossible to reach and even if it is, it will still take decades for the lake to clean itself. The condition has upset many people who've lived along the lake for years or rely on it to make a living. I blame it on bad management. The corps of engineers agreed to lower the lake level, but did so as Florida entered its worst yearlong drought on record, leaving people in South Florida worried about their water supply.
Fishermen see the drought as a blessing and a curse.
Some boats are having problems getting to the lake's open waters, but the receding shoreline has allowed marsh grass to flourish. Now they worry about what will happen when the rain comes, fearing that if the Army Corps of Engineers lets the lake fill back up too quickly, the new grass will drown. All they want is to make sure that the farmers and the people along the coast get their drinking water. E-mail this story to a friend. Format this story for printing.