PRESS
RELEASE: July 10, 2015
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DEP
hosts meeting to solicit local knowledge and discuss pollutant sources~
TAVARES, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection hosted a
public meeting today to further the water quality restoration of five water bodies in
the Upper Ocklawaha Basin: Lake Harris, Palatlakaha River, Trout Lake, Lake
Yale and Lake Carlton. Representatives discussed pollutant sources and solicited local
knowledge to verify information related to the restoration plan.
“The expertise provided by stakeholders and residents is crucial to the restoration
process,” said Tom Frick, director of the Division of Environmental Assessment
and Restoration. “Combining the department’s research with first-hand knowledge
allows us to identify the most targeted and efficient path toward
restoration.”
In 2014 DEP adopted the second phase of a long-term restoration plan for
the Upper Ocklawaha River. The restoration plan, known as a basin management
action plan or BMAP, identifies strategies and projects that will be
implemented over the next five years in order to improve the water quality of
the upper basin.
Nutrient pollution, specifically excessive nitrogen and phosphorous, is
the primary source of the water quality imbalance in the lakes and streams in
the Upper Ocklawaha Basin. Nutrients are naturally present in the water and
necessary for the healthy growth of aquatic plant and animal life. Excess
nutrients, however, can cause rapid algal growth and lead to water quality
complications including oxygen depletion in the water and habitat smothering. Stakeholders
continue to be actively engaged in coordinating with DEP
and implementing
projects to improve water quality.
For more information about the Upper Ocklawaha River restoration plan click here.
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