Number: 1980-17
WHEREAS, Lake Okeechobee is an important national water resource; and
WHEREAS, Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake entirely within the United States, and is an important recreational and commercial fishing resource, water supply, and habitat for the endangered everglade kite; and
WHEREAS, Lake Okeechobee is considered to be in an early eutrophic state; and
WHEREAS, the water quality of the lake is being further degraded because of excessive nutrient loading; and
WHEREAS, nutrient laden waters being backpumped into the lake’s south end and flowing into the lake’s north end from the Kissimmee River and Taylor Creek are the primary cause of eutrophication of the lake; and
WHEREAS, the amount of nutrients entering the lake are subject to control by the U. S. Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and
WHEREAS, the Corps and EPA have failed to protect Lake Okeechobee from these nutrient loads;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 20-23, 1980, in Miami Beach, Fla., hereby urges EPA to
- control the backpumping operations under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act and issue permits requiring expeditious cleanup of the backpumped water; and
- control feedlot point sources under Section 402 and implement Section 208 non-point source controls in the river basin north of the lake which are responsible for the high level of nutrients in the Kissimmeee River and Taylor Creek; and
- initially require that the volume of water backpumped into Lake Okeechobee be initially reduced (by at least 50%) by revising existing pumping schedules;
- within 12 months eliminate such backpumping by adopting management practices which would allow the backpumped water to flow into the water conservation areas south and east of the lake and the Everglades National Park; and
- engage in the deep channelization of the Kissimmee River from 65A to Lake Okeechobee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that National Wildlife Federation urges the Corps to