| This project was designed to assess the characteristics of the sediments of Lake Okeechobee following the major hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. Previous surveys had been done in 1988 and 1998, and the decadal time frame was also considered useful for monitoring the effects of ongoing lake basin restoration. Sediments were sampled at over 150 locations throughout the lake, and analyzed for a wide array of soil and porewater characteristics. The maps that ensued from the effort revealed that mud redistribution was clearly evident; mud depths in 2006 were markedly less than in 1998, but mud was found over a larger area of the lake bottom. Moreover, we found a strong association between the mineralogical properties of the sediments (particularly the content of magnesium silicates and abundant calcium) that led us to infer that the source of the P is, at least in part, geologic material mobilized during the channelization and subsequent infilling of the Kissimmmee River. The characteristics of this mud, which is only 40% organic matter, are such that compaction is unlikely, and regular rentrainment into the water column is likely. |
