FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 20, 2015
~Goals will be foundation of restoration for Lakes Roberts
and Marshall ~
ORLANDO – The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection held a public workshop today to further develop water
quality restoration goals for Lakes Roberts and Marshall, waters located in the
Ocklawaha River Basin. Both lakes are nutrient-enriched with excessive amounts
of nitrogen and phosphorous.
“We work towards restoration alongside stakeholders and the
public,” said Tom Frick, director of the Division of Environmental Assessment
and Restoration. “Not only does this ensure transparency, but our restoration
goals and plans benefit from the knowledge locals provide.”
The restoration goals, known as TMDLs or total maximum daily
loads, define the maximum allowable amount of a pollutant that can be
discharged into a water body while still maintaining its health and function. At
today's workshop, DEP representatives discussed Florida’s TMDL Program and the
draft TMDLs for Lakes Roberts and Marshall, with a projected timeline for adoption. Once
the TMDLs are established, the next step in the water-quality-restoration
process will be to develop and implement a restoration plan.
Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous are naturally present in
water and normally support the growth of aquatic plants, the foundation of a
waterbody’s ecosystem. When nutrients are present in excess however, nutrient
pollution can cause rapid algal growth, algal mats and harmful algal blooms.
Rapid algal growth can deplete the oxygen in the water, smother natural habitat
and act as a navigational hazard for boats and motors.
Lake Roberts and Marshall Lake are located in Orange County. The
lakes are part of the Ocklawaha River Basin, which covers more than 2,700
square miles from Lake Lowery, which is near Haines City to Gainesville and
includes more than 1,000 large and small lakes.
For more information on the workshops and TMDL program, please
click here.
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