Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area
About The Project
The Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area (LKBSTA) is a proposed stormwater treatment project planned for a more than 3,000-acre property along C-38 Canal in Okeechobee County. The project is designed to remove phosphorus from the watershed north of Lake Okeechobee, before it reaches the lake.
Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. and is critically important to the economy and communities in Florida. It has been deemed an impaired waterbody since 1998, due to high phosphorus concentrations. These high levels of phosphorus create toxic algal blooms in the lake are harmful to humans and animals, and limits use of the lake for drinking water, irrigation, and recreational use, like swimming.
The LKBSTA is one of several water restoration projects identified in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Lake Okeechobee Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) that serve to treat high phosphorus levels in the lake.
Project Details
The project will utilize pumps to intercept phosphorus-heavy water from two canals (L-62 and C-38) that flow into Lake Okeechobee, moving the water through treatment cells to remove phosphorus. These treatment cells are manmade wetlands that will absorb phosphorus and other nutrients from water. The treated water will flow from the treatment cells back into C-38 canal and eventually into Lake Okeechobee.
Community Meeting & Listening Session
View the presentation from our Aug. 29 community meeting.
Session 1
August 29, 2023
Open House: 2 – 3 p.m.
Presentation: 3 p.m.
Q/A: 3:30 p.m.
Session 2
August 29, 2023
Open House: 5 – 6 p.m.
Presentation: 6 p.m.
Q/A: 6:30 p.m.
Learn More
Project Timeline
May 2021
May 13
"South Florida Water Management District Announces Selection of Project" (View Article)
May 13
Okeechobee News (View Article)
"SFWMD projects to reduce nutrient load entering lake"
May 13
TCPalm (View Article)
"New wetlands project north of Lake O hopes to consume phosphorus from polluted runoff"
May 26
WINK News (View Article)
"New project will clean Lake O from the north in fight against blue-green algae"
May 31
Okeechobee News (View Article)
"Hybrid Filters in STAs could increase phosphorus reduction in water from Kissimmee River"
August 2023
August 7
Letter from Commissioner Hazellief to Drew Bartlett expressing opposition to the Project (Download PDF)
August 10
SFWMD and EIP jointly present on the Project to the Okeechobee County BOCC (Download PDF)
August 23
Letter from Commissioner Hazellief to Shawn Hamilton (FDEP) (Download PDF)
August 29
EIP hosts Two Community Meetings and Listening Sessions (Download PDF of presentation)
September 2023
September 8
EIP presents to the County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries, and the Lake Worth Lagoon (Download PDF)
September 27
Letter from the FAA to the Okeechobee County Airport (Download PDF)
September 28
Letter from Commissioner Hazellief to Drew Bartlett expressing opposition to the Project (Download PDF)
October 2023
October 25
Letter from Drew Bartlett to Commissioner Hazellief (Download PDF)
Responding to Hazellief’s September 28, 2023 letter and inviting Okeechobee County to present information to SFWMD at their December 2023 Governing Board meeting
October 30
Wildlife Hazard Review Memo, Prepared by ESA (Download PDF)
CONTACT US
Submit a comment or question about the LKBSTA project to the program team. We will follow up with you directly or address your questions during an upcoming community meeting.