Local lawmakers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials and South Florida Water Managers all spoke at a town hall meeting in Lee County Thursday.
They updated residents on the status of the ongoing water releases from Lake Okeechobee which have been degrading water quality in Southwest Florida.
Residents at the town hall said the releases have been hurting businesses and their property values.
The Army Corps of Engineers say they’re working to minimize the releases for now, but future rain could mean even more releases towards the end of the wet season.
Ernie Barnett, the interim executive director of the South Florida Water Management District, said new plans will focus on moving water south.
However, he said, it’s a long term plan which could take a lot of money.
“Our hope is to alleviate the best that we can the damage that are occurring both east and west by sending as much water south to our storm water treatment areas and cleaning it up and remaining vigilant and building these longer term solutions,” Barnett said.
But residents like Michael Goodwin from Sanibel said officials need to buy sugar land south of the lake in order to move enough water south. He said the state has missed opportunities in the past to buy the land.
“Are we going to purchase that land in order to have further runoff from Okeechobee or is that opportunity going to be passed by,” he asked officials.
Environmentalists say current plans to bridge another part of Tamiami Trial in order to move water south won’t take care of enough water.
The Corps and Water management officials all said buying sugar land for reservoirs or for water flows would require a lot of funding and political will.
At the meeting, video messages from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, and Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fort Myers, were played for residents. There were also several state house members from the area present at the meeting to share their frustration with residents, as well.
