A new report says Floridians should expect only minimal relief from toxic algae as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers new rules for managing Lake Okeechobee.
Lake Okeechobee is at the heart of debate over toxic algae because of discharges from the lake of nutrient-enriched water that in recent years has nourished the harmful blooms.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering the new rules for the state’s largest lake as several Everglades restoration projects near completion.
Some saw the new rules as an opportunity to manage the lake differently and stem the blooms.
But the new report from the University of Florida Water Institute says the restoration projects nearing completion cannot provide the water storage needed for real relief from toxic algae.
The report calls for much more water storage north, south, east and west of the lake -- reducing the amount of harmful discharges to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers revises the rules for managing Lake Okeechobee about every 10 years. The corps is the federal agency overseeing Everglades restoration.
