Algae is growing on Lake Okeechobee
Algae is starting to grow on Lake Okeechobee.
Army Corps of Engineer leaders say it’s normal to start seeing the green strands in the water around this time of year.
Reporter Michael Raimondi and photographer Shayne Nelson started to notice it while on a tour of the Herbert Hoover Dike Wednesday.
Corps’ leaders were taking reporters on the dike to get an update on construction. Down below, water hugging the banks of the lake had a green tint to it.
Col. Kelly said they have the Florida Department of Environmental Protection testing the water right now. So far, there are no levels of harmful algae.
Col. Kelly says this doesn’t mean we are on track for a repeat of 2018. He says the lake is healthier right now than it was three years ago.
“We’re pretty hopeful this year,” Col. Kelly said. “Nothing’s indicating right now that we’re in a bad place.”
The colonel said there are more underwater plants in the lake now than in 2018. The plants help naturally filter the water in the lake.
The Corps is keeping an eye out for a bloom this summer on the lake. They said they will monitor the water, and make tough decisions on where to send it as the year goes on.
We will let you know if the algae turns into a bloom.
The post Algae is growing on Lake Okeechobee appeared first on NBC2 News.
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