Lake Okeechobee releases began Saturday; are they necessary?
Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River began Saturday as water managers aim to lower the lake level to save lake plants that are drowning in too much water from four years of heavy rains in the summer wet season.
“This could really damage the estuary with too much freshwater when they don’t need it,” said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. “We want to help and save the lake, but not do it at the expense of the estuary.”
