Lake Okeechobee drops below 11 feet, threatening SWFL water supply

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK) — Drought conditions continue to put pressure on waterways across Southwest Florida, with Lake Okeechobee water levels sitting below 11 feet after months of dry weather.

Lake Okeechobee is more than just a lake. It's a massive reservoir that helps supply water to different parts of South Florida.

"That is right up against or crossed into the water savings management band, and that's when you would expect water users to start seeing cut-offs throughout the system," said Matt DePaolis with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation.

DePaolis said that low water levels can create problems downstream, especially in the Caloosahatchee River, where too little freshwater can lead to higher salinity.

“It’s concerning our wildlife. It's concerning for humans, too," DePaolis said. "I mean, we need this water, not only just because we like looking at birds and we like fishing, but because this is the water that our communities are built on."

Another expert said low water levels at Lake Okeechobee aren't necessarily a red flag. Dr. Barry Rosen with Florida Gulf Coast University said this is part of the seasonal plan.

"The objective is to lower Lake Okeechobee prior to the hurricane season. We just went under 11 feet, which is pretty low," Rosen said. "However, it is still available for water supply for agriculture around the lake."

He said the lake has been lower before, but Southwest Florida shouldn't be too concerned.

"There's still flow coming out of the watershed," Rosen said. "50% of the nutrients or more come from the watershed itself, not from the lake, and there's water flow."

While daily summer storms have started to return, experts continue to monitor conditions as the rainy season progresses.