CRCA Position Statement on the Issue of Backpumping into Lake Okeechobee

The Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association/Riverwatch has followed the South Florida Water Management District practices, including the controversial backpumping of Lake Okeechobee. The current practice of back pumping allows polluted water to flow or be pumped into Lake Okeechobee from downstream sources without an NPDES permit in violation of the Clean Water Act. In the Caloosahatchee this practice redirects the water from it’s natural gravity flow downstream resulting in stagnation of water in the Caloosahatchee and the proliferation of toxic algae blooms and violations of the Minimum Flow and Level MFL establishing a dangerous precedent.

The practice of backpumping continues to use Lake Okeechobee as a sink for polluted water without benefit of NPDES standards.

Given the extraordinary recent expenditures for dredging contaminated muck from the lake during the current low water conditions, it is a waste of taxpayer dollars to contribute further to this nutrient sink. Furthermore, analyses of the recently removed muck revealed contaminants of serious concern for human consumption in drinking water and disposal. Backpumping delivers additional agricultural chemicals and fertilizers into the lake further damaging an already endangered ecological system.

In consideration of the harmful effects to the Caloosahatchee and Lake as a result of backpumping, CRCA strongly urges the Water Management District to immediately halt the practice of backpumping nutrient-filled, untreated water, as counterproductive to the taxpayer interests, health of the Lake, health of its wildlife and habitat, and health of the people who rely on Lake O's waters for their drinking water supply.

We urge the South Florida Water Management District to refrain from establishing a dangerous precedent of redirecting water from the Caloosahatchee while the minimum flows and levels are not being met nor should the Caloosahatchee be subject to the dumping of untreated water into its estuary. We do not need further degradation of an ecosystem that is already endangered.