Lake Okeechobee Protection Program
The Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) (Section 373.4595, Florida Statutes)
requires the coordinating agencies (the South Florida Water Management
District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) to implement management
strategies through a watershed-based, phased, comprehensive and innovative
protection program to restore Lake Okeechobee and its tributary waters.
Phosphorus load reductions are based upon the Lake
Okeechobee Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) that was adopted by
the Department in 2001. These reductions will require the development and
implementation of watershed phosphorus control strategies that range from
local controls (on-farm best management practices) to large-scale regional
treatment systems. The LOPA sets forth a series of activities and deliverables
for the coordinating agencies to cooperatively complete that will be utilized
in the development of the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan, which is due January 1, 2004. The plan
will provide timeframes and costs for implementing the management measures
needed to achieve the TMDL by 2015 and meet the other requirements of LOPA.
The act contains several elements to be addressed elements to be considered
for the restoration of Lake Okeechobee.
Lake Okeechobee Protection Act
For more information please contact
Frank Nearhoof of the
Water Quality Standards and Special Projects Program
at 850-245-8420.
Water Quality Standards and Special Projects Program
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road -
M.S. 3560
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850-245-8417
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