The clouds, black and gray and puffy, are building high in the west, over the Big Water, over the Everglades. It looks like rain. But things are improving. In recent years the state has ordered dairy farms north of the lake to limit the amount of cattle feces going into the lake. That's helped the lake but hurt the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades National Park where the water ends up.
Environmentalists claim agriculture gets first priority and the park last.
South Florida water officials have started taking environmental interests into consideration and are studying how to achieve a fairer balance. The lake is potentially one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the United States, as shown by the 1928 hurricane. During big storms, water is released from the lake into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie canals. Massive water discharges, however, damage downstream estuaries. Water officials are experimenting with a less harmful discharge schedule to be used during non-emergencies.