10 Things Every River Kid Should Know
1. Where is Lake Okeechobee located?
- Western Martin County and surrounding counties. See map.
2. Why is Lake Okeechobee important?
- It is the second largest fresh water lake in the US (besides the Great Lakes) and if it gets too full, the government drains it into our rivers!
3. What are the two rivers in St. Lucie County?
- St. Lucie River (North Fork) and Indian River Lagoon.
4. What happens to the St. Lucie River when the government drains Lake
Okeechobee into this estuary?
- The polluted waters of Lake Okeechobee destroy the St. Lucie River by releasing pollution and sediment into our rivers and causing toxic algae blooms that kill sea grass, fish, and other wildlife, and destroying our fishing, tourist industry, and home property values.
5. How can the River Kidz help stop the discharges?
- Advocate the sending of the flood waters south as nature originally intended, into the Southern Everglades System, south of Lake Okeechobee.
6. What is the name of our inlet to the Atlantic Ocean?
- The Fort Pierce Inlet
7. What is the Kissimmee River and where is it?
- It is a long river south of Orlando leading to Lake Okeechobee that used to be winding and the government made it straight.
8. What is the government now doing to parts of the Kissimmee river?
- Making it winding again so as to filter the water before it enters Lake Okeechobee.
9. Why is the Kissimmee better winding than straight?
- When straight, all the pollution shoots down to Lake Okeechobee and then into the St. Lucie river.
10.What's so special about the Indian River Lagoon?
- The IRL is most biologically diverse estuary in the conteninal US supporting more than 4000 species of plants and animals; 700 species of fish, 300 species of birds, and 1300 species of plants.
