Specifications

Section 2 Existing Conditions/Affected Environment
EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006
2-9
2.9.1 Lake Okeechobee
The vegetation and cover types within the Lake Okeechobee region have been
greatly altered during the last century. Historically, the natural vegetation was
a mix of freshwater marshes, hardwood swamps, cypress swamps, pond apple
forests, and pine flatwoods. The freshwater marshes were the predominant
cover type throughout, especially along the southern portion of the lake where it
flowed into the Everglades. These marshes were vegetated primarily with
sawgrass and scattered clumps of Carolina willow, sweetbay, and cypress.
Hardwood swamps dominated by red maple, sweetbay, and sweetgum occurred
in riverine areas feeding the lake, while cypress swamps were found in
depressional areas throughout the region. Pine flatwoods composed of slash
pine, cabbage palm, and saw palmetto were prevalent in upland areas especially
to the north.
2.9.1.1 Aquatic
The majority of the surface of Lake Okeechobee is not vegetated and provides
open water (pelagic) habitat. Open water habitat within Lake Okeechobee
covers about 75% of the lake’s surface area.
The submergent vegetation of Lake Okeechobee is composed almost entirely of
hydrilla (an invasive exotic species), pondweed, bladderwort, and vallisneria.
The natant, or floating, component of the littoral zone consists of lotus lily,
fragrant water lily, water hyacinth, water lettuce, duckweed, Cuban bulrush,
coinwort, and ludwigia.
2.9.1.2 Wetlands
Lake Okeechobee has a diverse and extensive emergent littoral zone that
occupies approximately 400 km2 (about 25%) of the lake’s surface (Milleson,
1987). Littoral vegetation occurs along much of the lake’s perimeter, but is most
extensive along the southern and western borders (Milleson, 1987). The littoral
zone plant community is composed of a mosaic of emergent, submergent, and
natant plant species. A total of 30 distinguishable vegetative community types
are documented in a digital cover study (Richardson and Harris, 1995).
Emergent vegetation within the littoral zone is dominated by herbaceous species
such as cattail, spike rush, and torpedograss (an invasive exotic species). Many
of the native aquatic plant species have been adversely impacted, particularly on
the north end of the lake due to prolonged high water on the lake over the last
couple of years.