There is a lot of misinformation flying around about Lake Okeechobee and the health of our waterways. Now, it’s time to set the record straight. As the Army Corps undertakes its process to re-write the regulation schedule that determines when discharges happen, the #LakeOFactCheck video series will analyze the claims being made about Lake Okeechobee and water management in Florida. The videos will confront false rhetoric with real science to get into the weeds on historical lake levels, the current regulation schedule, water uses and more.

The goal is that we’ll be able to unite as a state for a more equitable solution instead of being continuously pitted against each other. By allowing the lake to temporarily lower at the beginning of wet season, we can reduce the need for harmful discharges, benefit the ecology of the lake, send more water to the Everglades, prevent flooding around the lake and protect drinking water for everybody. But that can only happen if we stop fighting against each other and instead focus on working together because when we fight each other, it makes it that much harder for us to fight against the failed status quo.

Together, we can make a real difference to protect the health and safety of our community, to defend our environment and to help our economy.