The next governor will help shape Florida's water future, these advocates want a say

LAKE OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (WINK) — When Bishop Wright looks across Lake Okeechobee from his homemade airboat, he doesn't just see water. He sees a lifetime of memories.

"I've been on airboats since I was four years old," Wright said.

The self-described "Glades man" built his airboat himself, spending three years putting it together. He uses it to fish, hunt and explore one of Florida's most important waterways.

"This lake is special," Wright said.

On Tuesday, Wright joined fishermen, airboat captains and conservation advocates who invited Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds onto Lake Okeechobee.

Their message: they believe years of restoration work are making a difference, and they want the next governor to keep that momentum going.

Many of the people on the tour said the lake looks better than it has in years.

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They pointed to thriving wildlife, recovering vegetation and improved conditions across portions of the lake.

Mike Elfenbein, executive director of the Cypress Chapter of the Isaac Walton League of America, said those improvements are easy to see.

"Right now, the lake's doing really, really good," Elfenbein said. "We saw hundreds of thousands of birds and alligators and turtles and fish, and it was starting to look like what the lake's supposed to look like."

While the tour focused on Lake Okeechobee, participants said the impacts stretch far beyond the lake itself.

Water from Lake Okeechobee flows west into the Caloosahatchee River, making water quality issues on the lake especially important for Southwest Florida.

Many residents still remember the harmful algae outbreaks that affected the region's waterways.

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Donalds said those events highlighted how closely the region's economy is tied to water quality.

"Going back to 2014, that's the summer of blue-green algae blooms in Southwest Florida, which was terrible for our local economy, for our restaurateurs, our hoteliers, but really all our real estate market, everything," Donalds said.

According to state leaders, Florida has invested roughly $9 billion in Everglades restoration and water quality projects since Gov. Ron DeSantis took office in 2019.

But advocates on the tour argued that more work remains.

"We need to put some energy and some funding into specific fixes for Lake Okeechobee," Elfenbein said.

When asked what he would prioritize if elected governor, Donalds pointed to several ongoing projects.

"First and foremost, it's finishing all of the Everglades restoration," Donalds said. "Second, it's some of the projects north of Lake Okeechobee to slow down some of the nutrient flow. And the third is trying to find different ways to either harvest or remove some of that muck nutrient load that's still sitting at the bottom of the lake."

Donalds also said Florida needs a long-term strategy to address future water needs as the state's population continues to grow.

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He called for a 50-year water plan focused on protecting Florida's drinking water supply and modernizing water infrastructure.

For Wright, the goal is simpler.

He hopes future generations get to enjoy the same lake he grew up on.

"It's just memories of a lifetime on this lake," Wright said.