ASSOCIATED PRESS
Drought reduces level of
By Jennifer Kay
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070529-1441-lakeokeechobee.html
The nation's second-largest freshwater lake held
at 9 feet on Tuesday, less than a half-inch above the previous record of 8.97
feet, set
The summer-through-fall rainy season has started in parts of the region, but only above-average rainfall would help replenish the lake, officials said.
“If we have below-average or even average rainfall, we could come out of rainy season and still be in a drought,” said Carol Wehle, executive director of the South Florida Water Management District.
The 18-month drought already has led to severe water restrictions for homes and businesses across the state. Limits have been placed on watering lawns and washing cars. Golf courses are speckled and brown because of limits on water use. Citrus growers and other farmers also have been ordered to cut their water use by half.
Only isolated showers were
forecast over the lake until the weekend, when more substantial rain was
expected, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said any rain
would only stabilize its levels temporarily because more rain was still needed
farther north in the
The last time the lake rose was after Tropical
Storm Ernesto brushed past
Bernie Ortega, owner of Bernie's Garden Center in Miami, said his business has suffered since the drought began. He hopes customers learn how to care for their lawns with limited water supplies.
“It's really a problem that you have to consider for many, many years to come,” Ortega said. “Because water restrictions are going to be with us for a long time. As more and more people move in, water is going to become more of a luxury.”