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| Lake Okeechobee is a large, multi-functional lake located at the center of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades aquatic ecosystem. The lake provides regional flood proection, water supply for agricultural, urban and natural areas, and is a critical habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife, including the federally endangered Everglades Snail Kite. The 1997 Lake Okeechobee Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan found that excessive phosphorus loading is one of the most serious problems facing the lake. Frequent algal blooms, detrimental changes in biological communities, and impaired use of the water resources are among the documented adverse effects of excessive phosphorus loading. The purpose of this interdisciplinary research project is to reduce phosphorus loadings to Lake Okechobee from Beef Cattle Ranches by developing Best Management Pratices (BMPs) and implementing them at the ranch scale. Pre- and post-BMP surface and groundwater monitoring will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the BMPs at improving surfacewater quality while maintaining acceptable productivity. The data collected will be used in the development of computer models that simulate the impacts of various BMP alternatives, and assist landowners in choosing the most cost-effective BMPs to implement |
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