Governor DeSantis is asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to follow procedures they used in the last two years when it comes to managing Lake Okeechobee. The governor is concerned about toxic algae in the lake making its way into Florida waterways.
"We are urging the Army Corps to allow for the type of flexibility that was really done in 2019 and 2020...to avoid harmful discharges in our estuaries and to improve lake management during the dry season."
He wants the lake's levels kept lower in the winter months so there isn't likely a reason to discharge water in the rainy season.
The Corps is currently revising its plan for dealing with the lake after a large toxic algae bloom was discovered in Pahokee.
The governor says he is concerned about the level of the lake currently, 13.71 feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prefers to have the levels below 12.5 feet heading into late May.
DeSantis took a helicopter tour of Lake Okeechobee, before visiting Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound to make his announcement. He was flanked by U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (R-18) and others.
Photo: CBS 12