Lake Apopka

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lake Apopka
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location = Florida
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basin_countries = United States
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Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in Florida. It is located west of Orlando and mostly in Orange County, but the western part is in Lake County. Fed by a natural spring, rainfall and stormwater runoff, water from Lake Apopka flows through the Apopka-Beauclair Canal and into Lakes Beauclair and Dora. From Lake Dora, water flows into Lake Eustis, then into Lake Griffin and then northward into the Ocklawaha River, which flows into the St. Johns River. Through the 1940s, Lake Apopka was one of central Florida’s main attractions. Anglers traveled from throughout the United States fish for trophy-sized bass in Lake Apopka, and 21 fish camps lined the lake’s shoreline.

Lake Apopka has a history of more than 100 years of human alteration, beginning with construction of the Apopka-Beauclair Canal in 1888. In 1941, a levee was built along the north shore to drain 20,000 acres (80 km²) of shallow marsh for farming. The discharge of water, rich in nutrients from agricultural and other sources, produced conditions that created a chronic algal bloom and resulted in loss of the lake’s recreational value and game fish populations.

In 1991, a coalition of concerned citizens from the West Orange Community organized the Friends of Lake Apopka (FOLA) with the goal of reclaiming the lake from the agricultural interests who were discharging phosphorus laden water in the lake basin. Water from the lake was used to flood the farm fields during the hot summer months to restrict erosion and then discharged back to the lake before the growing season. A series of canals and high capacity pumps allowed the water to be introduced for irrigation and flooding or to discharge it when necessary. The phosphate laden water created a hypereutrophic condition resulting in algal blooms, robbing the lake water of oxygen and sunlight necessary to sustain plant life on the lake bottom. Over the decades, this condition resulted in the sandy bottom lake to be covered in a deep layer of muck.

In 1996, Governor Lawton Chiles signed the Lake Apopka Restoration Act that provided funding to purchase the farmland responsible for the discharges. The shuttering of the farms allowed for the St. John's River Water Management District (SJRWD) to begin plans to convert the fields back to the marsh area it had once been. A survey was taken of the site that identified the hot spots that contained chemical contamination and clean up was initiated.

The Bird Deaths - What Happened

After the purchase of the muck farms was completed, the farm equipment auctioned and the restoration area was fully under the management of St. Johns River Water Management District, a decision to flood a section of the former muck farms was made.

This flooding took place during a time of year when thousands of water fowl were migrating south to winter and during what was normally a growing (and dry season) in the farms. The flooded area attracted thousands of birds, stopping in the newly discovered wetland and began feeding.

The bird count was so high that record numbers of a large variety of bird species were being observed. Bird watching at the restoration area was promoted by the local audubon.

Birds began dying in the restoration area in the fall of 1998. The cause was not officially determined but it was reported that agencies suspected that pesticides were finding their way through the food chain and the birds feeding on possibly contaminated fish were being poisoned.

In February of 1999 it was reported, "Chemicals commonly found in pesticides are killing birds and fish near Lake Apopka, and people should avoid the area and its wildlife, federal officials said Wednesday...Fish and Wildlife officials said Wednesday that they believe the birds are dying after they eat fish contaminated with the chemicals. Wildlife experts believe at least another 50 birds have died after leaving the site. Officials are asking pilots to avoid flying low over Lake Apopka, which could cause birds to scatter into the danger zone." Orlando Sentinel, 2/18/99.

The following notice was published by SJRWMD on March 16, 1999:

Information compiled concerning the pesticides levels in the muck farms bordering Lake Apopka and the related bird deaths

St. Johns River Water Management DistrictLake Apopka Update, March 16, 1999

Bird Mortality

THE CAUSE OF RECENT BIRD MORTALITIES AT LAKE APOPKA IS NOT YET KNOWN.

All agencies involved in the restoration of Lake Apopka, including:

the St. Johns River Water Management District,the Florida Audubon Society,the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission,the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service,the Florida Department of Health and Environmental Toxicology, and theU.S. Department of Agriculture,are very concerned over the recent bird deaths.

Experts from the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the University of Pennsylvania, and the State University of New York have also been involved.

In late November ('980 and again at the New Year ('99), an unusual number of dead pelicans were found on the flooded farms at Lake Apopka. The birds continued to die at the site and, more recently, small numbers were found sick or dead in other parts of the state.

Primarily white pelicans are affected, although a few individuals of other species have died.

Florida Audubon Society and Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission collected carcasses of dead pelicans at the site and sent them to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia for clinical necropsies. Those reports became available on Friday, February 19, 1999. Samples of brain, liver and kidney were sent to the University of Pennsylvaniaís New Bolton Center for further toxicological investigation.

Analyses of pesticides and metals in tissues of two birds led those researchers to conclude that organochlorine pesticides did not cause death.

Carcasses collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are being analyzed to determine a cause of death.

The University of Florida forensic toxicology laboratory and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection laboratory are conducting tests on birds found dead at the site. Some raw data has been provided and is being analyzed by District scientists and toxicologists.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also is undertaking a criminal investigation of the bird deaths. As is customary in such investigations, no information is yet available that will pinpoint a cause for the deaths or identify the source for the cause of death. Normally, such information is withheld until the investigation is completely finished.

We are anxious to have conclusive results of the cause or causes of the bird deaths and stand ready to take steps to prevent future occurrences once the information is available. Toward this end, the farmland currently under scrutiny has been drained. This has and will continue to discourage fish eating birds from coming to this.

Time proved that the initial findings were correct and that traces of pesticides were found in the tissues of the dead birds and that many of the pesticides were those that had been outlawed many years ago.

The result of the cessation of the flooding and the initiation of federal investigations resulted in the shut down any work toward restoring the former muck farms. Efforts were redirected toward seeking those responsible and a investigation by federal agencies officially stopped the restoration of the muck farms to this day.

When the cause was discovered, the SJRWMD immediately drained the fields eliminating the habitat attracting the birds and launched a investigation into the cause. The federal government became involved, lawsuits and charges were filed against the SJRWD and the restoration was placed on hold for years.

Finding a Solution

The study found that if encapsulted, these contaminants will not find their way into the food chain. Currently, a contract has been let to till the entire restorations area to a depth 3'. By "turning over" the land, the SJRWMD hopes to be able to again flood the area and begin the natural process of marsh restoration.

Currently, the SJRWMD maintains a "marsh flow-way" system that naturally filters the water of the lake, removing solids and phosphate, before returning it to the lake body. The result is a increase in water clarity and signs that the lake is on the mend.

Now, in the mid 2000's, instead of pressure by agricultural interests, the lake shore is being eyed by residential developers and the municipalities are proposing plans to use the lake water for residential landscape watering use as surface water sources are being looked at to offset the stress growth is placing on the aquifer. FOLA remains active in monitoring any proposals or developments that may adversely impact the restoration process.

References

*"The Road Atlas '06", Rand McNally, pg. 27