FWC conducts Lake Okeechobee invasive plant management starting July 28 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will conduct aquatic plant management on Lake Okeechobee for one week, starting July 28, weather permitting.

Management areas are in the Indian Prairie and Steamboat marshes on the northwest and western sides of Lake Okeechobee. A total of 2,500 acres of torpedograss, a Category 1 invasive species, will be managed. Category 1 invasive species alter native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions. Due to the large scale of the project, management will be conducted using a helicopter. These management efforts are in part guided by the Lake Okeechobee Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan, developed in 2022 to meet management goals for aquatic vegetation species.

Lake Okeechobee provides high-quality foraging and nesting habitat for the endangered Everglade snail kite, wading birds, waterfowl and other marsh species. Management of torpedograss increases forage for these species. Torpedograss outcompetes native plant species, creating extensive dense mats that limit fish and wildlife use. In addition to improving habitat for fish and wildlife, this project will also increase access for anglers and hunters.

Torpedograss will be managed with herbicide (imazapyr). Past torpedograss management has shown that following treatment, once torpedograss dies, native plants quickly germinate and colonize the area. Imazapyr is approved for use in water bodies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. There are no restrictions related to fishing, swimming or drinking in affected areas of the lake.

The torpedograss management areas proposed by the FWC have been vetted through and approved by the Lake Okeechobee Aquatic Plant Management Interagency Task Force (an advisory group of state and federal agencies with public input on aquatic plant management conducted by the FWC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District on Lake Okeechobee).

Habitat enhancement using multiple selective management techniques, such as herbicides and prescribed burning, coupled with occasional drying events during low water periods, is part of an integrated management approach used by the FWC on many lakes and wetlands throughout Florida.

For general waterbody information, fishing forecasts, virtual tours, plant control operation schedules and annual workplans, boat ramp information, and more, visit the “What’s Happening on My Lake” website at MyFWC.com/Lake. 

Management areas will be posted at boat ramps and FWC staff will be present to ensure all agency protocols are being followed. For questions about this project, email AquaticHabitat@MyFWC.com.