Lake Okeechobee

Due to the flooding issue of the lake, there have been many attempts to drain the lake. All of which have failed since the 1880's. This 35 mile long lake with an area of around 730 square miles lies in southeastern Florida, 40 miles northwest of West Palm Beach. This lake, being so massive, used to be prone to overflow from the large quantities of rain in the area, causing flooding for the locations that surround the lake. It is the 3rd largest lake in the United States, half the size of the entirety of Rhode Island. In 1928, due to flooding issues, the Herbert Hoover Dike was built surrounding the lake. In the year 2000, the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act went underway, along with the help of the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program, pushes to recovering the lake's luster by improving water quality. Later on in 2007, the act was extended to preserve the Northern Everglades and the lake's watersheds that reside in it.

The lake is very well regarded as an incredible fishing spot for largemouth bass, known as one of the best in the country. On the Northern side of the lake lies Okeechobee City. Okeechobee City is popular for not only plentiful largemouth bass, but also of the fish known as the Black crappie. Belle Glade, which resides in Bay Bottom, is in the Southeastern side of the lake and is known for its much calmer waters, which allows fishing from the shore to be much easier.

The lake resides several sites for tourism including hiking trails, campgrounds, and engaging in the wildlife. The hiking trail such as the Chandler Slough Trail is one of the areas where residents tend to hunt for sport as well as explore. The campgrounds have access to modern comforts for guests to enjoy near one of the communities that are around or within Okeechobee city. The ecosystems around Lake Okeechobee are an enormous draw for tourism. Birdwatchers love it for the chance to encounter rare species such as the Sandhill Crane. And others may visit to see the large alligator population. The wide varieties of plants and animals make the ecosystem of the lake.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Lake-Okeechobee

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/lake-okeechobee-florida

https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/lake-okeechobee

https://bassonline.com/fl/lakes/lake-okeechobee/

https://www.co.okeechobee.fl.us/departments/tourist-development/explore/lake-okeechobee