Chapter 11: Lake Okeechobee and Everglades Headwaters

lake okeechobee characteristics

700 sq miles, avg diameter is 30 miles

largest lake in SE US.

very shallow, water volume small for its size

what does the name okeechobee come from

hitchiti words for water OKI and big CHUBI

what are the main 5 headwater sources which accounted for okeechobee’s water

fisheating creek

lake istokpoga drainage

kissimmee river

taylor creek

nubbin slough

when was the kissimmee river canalized

1954-1971

once a 100 mile winding river, now a straight 56 mile canal 30 ft deep

converted to C-38

fisheating creek

retained original character, only uncontrolled tributary now remaining

lake istokpoga

between fisheating creek watershed and kissimmee river

slope of this area was 5x greater than the everglades

taylor creek and nubbin slough

enter okeechobee to east of kissimmee

when did lake O develop

just over 6,000 years ago according to carbon dating. peat deposits reveal that wetlands filled parts of the younger lake’s basin for 2,000 years

what happened Jan 1883

project of hamilton disston

wealthy philadelphia saw manufacturer, connected caloosahatchee by excavating 3 mile canal from rivers headwater lake

when did agriculture and land development start

1913: FL undertook new flood control and navigation

1917: four canals constructed to drain okeechobee southward

1926: Port st lucie canal completed by connecting lake o eastward to atlantic

what is the rivers and harbors act of 1930

formalized the coupling of navigation with flood control

C & SF project

1947: hurricanes forced drainage change

1948: congress authorized massive plan, central and southern florida project for flood control and other purposes

modifications to lake O: increase integrity and control structures. channelization of kissimmee with additional levees. enlargement of caloosahatchee for flood releases

what are some species in lake O

willow, beakrush, sawgrass, water lily, bulrush

tarpon, snook, striped mullet, atlantic needlefish