Activists have bullied the Army Corps of Engineers to lower Lake Okeechobee’s water levels. The idea comes from preventing the spread of algal blooms, which appears to be noteworthy, but the repercussions could destitute a community.
Lake Okeechobee’s levels matter because it’s South Florida’s safety net. When there is a drought, those waters recharge the aquifer that provides the drinking water for South Florida.
The major risk is that the Corps will stick with the lower lake levels permanently because of activist-driven pressure. That would all but stop the ability to deliver any water south of the lake for any beneficial purpose, increase the risk of saltwater intrusion in our aquifers and impinge on the water supplies of those who rely on the lake.
Read more – Sun Sentinel