Assessing Lake Okeechobee eutrophication with water-quality models

The South Florida Water Management District has developed a comprehensive management strategy to assess eutrophication in Lake Okeechobee. Key components of this strategy are research, monitoring, and modeling of the lake. The purpose of modeling is to develop tools that aid in the prediction of lake eutrophication, and the evaluation of alternative management options. The initial modeling effort started a decade ago, using Vollenweider loading plots to predict trophic status. Today a more rigorous modeling framework, WASP/EUTRO, is being configured for Lake Okeechobee. Preliminary model results reproduce the seasonal trends of water quality constituents in the lake. While model refinements designed to better address management questions continue, current modeling analysis and results are reported in this paper.