Indian River Lagoon brown not blue.
Appearance has changed after months of discharges.
Indian River Lagoon brown not blue
Photo:At the Crossroads before the discharges
See other photos of the same exact location at the Crossroads that I took after the discharges.
Local fishermen say the appearance of the St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon has changed after months of discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Instead of the blue, clear waters that fishermen are used to seeing, visibility into the water is often less than an inch. Rick Detata has lived on the Treasure Coast for 14 years and says it’s not supposed to look like this.
Since January, the St. Lucie Inlet has been pounded with billions of gallons of freshwater discharges, which are done to lower water levels in Lake Okeechobee. Two weeks ago, the Army Corps of engineers reduced the discharges 40 percent. While experts say water quality has gotten better, local fishermen tell us they still have trouble making a catch and coastal businesses have seen their profits nearly cut in half.
Governor Rick Scott recently declared a state of emergency for the area. Detata was one of hundreds who protested the discharges in downtown Stuart in February. Their demand is for the water to be sent to the Everglades as soon as possible.
The Army Corps of Engineers have stated they’re hoping to lower water levels of Lake Okeechobee four feet by June.
