LAKEWATCH Florida

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Dedicated to Sharing Information About Water Management and the Florida LAKEWATCH Program Vol IXX 2001

Fertilize Your Lawn,Not Your Lake

The following article is an excerpt fromLiving at the Lake— A Handbook forFlorida Lakefront Property Ownersby Marilyn Bachmann, Mark V. Hoyerand Daniel E. Canfield. SP 247.76

Those who have lawns from thehouse down to the lake like to seea nice sweep of green. However,

the application of fertilizer used to achievethis may also reach the lake, addingnutrients to the water. The nutrients,particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, areabsorbed by algae and aquatic plants, makingthe lake more productive, creating greenerwater and denser aquatic plant growth.

What can we do to have our lawnsand protect the lake at the same time? Forstarters, you can save money and time and

help your lake by reducing the amount andfrequency of fertilization. Use fertilizers onlywhen necessary and minimize the use of fer-tilizers that contain phosphorus. Using a completefertilizer in March and September has beensuggested as a minimum program. This canalso result in less mowing, less thatch buildup,less need for irrigation and fewer insect anddisease problems. (See Florida Yards andNeighborhood Handbook on page 2.)

In addition, consider using liquid foliagefertilizers that can be taken up immediatelyby the grass after application. Solid fertilizerscan be applied during dry spells and immedi-ately irrigated to move the particles into thesoil. (Slow release types may be easily dis-solved by rainfall, and either the released nu-trients or the particles themselves may reachthe lake.) Use of swales and berms as well as

buffer strips of vegetation between thelawn and the lake can help control runoffof fertilizers. (See Creating Berms andSwales on page 2.)

For some of our lakes, phosphorus isa key nutrient in the productivity of thelake. Be sure to use detergents containinglow amounts of phosphorus (less than0.5%). Whether used for washing cars orwithin your home’s septic system, thephosphorus from detergents could poten-tially reach the lake. (Continued on page 2.)

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newsletter is generated by the FloridaLAKEWATCH program, within UF/IFAS’Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.Support for the LAKEWATCH program is providedby the Florida Legislature, grants and donations. For more information about LAKEWATCH, toinquire about volunteer training sessions, or to submitmaterials for inclusion in this publication, write to:

Editor / Florida LAKEWATCHPO Box 110600

Gainesville, FL 32611or call 1-800-LAKEWATCH (800-525-3928)

(352) 392-9617 ext. 228E-mail: lakewat@ufl.edu

http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

All unsolicited articles, photographs, artwork orother written material must include contributor’sname, address and phone number. Opinionsexpressed are solely those of the individualcontributor and do not necessarily reflect the opinionor policy of the Florida LAKEWATCH program.Inclusion does not constitute endorsement, nor doesexclusion represent censure of any item, organization,individual, or institution by the University of Floridaor the Florida LAKEWATCH program.

Florida

LAKEWATCH

Other Lawn TipsMow your lawn often enough so that

no more than one third of the grass leaf iscut with a sharp blade. Leave clippings onthe lawn to provide nutrients as they decom-pose, reducing the need for fertilizers. Con-sider landscaping your property in terms ofprotecting your lake and at the same timereducing work for yourself — leaving youmore time to enjoy lake living!

Low-maintenance landscaping in-volves reduced fertilization, simple design,mulching, alternate ground covers to grass,and use of native and low-maintenanceplants. Rather than over-fertilize, learn toidentify plants with nutrient deficiencies,fertilizing only when needed. You can thusreduce the use of pesticides, herbicides andfertilizer, institute practices that keep whatis used out of the lake, and save money andtime.

Creating Berms and SwalesA swale is a low area followed by a

higher one called a berm. Rainwater runoffwill slow as it moves from the low swalesto the higher berm, causing less erosion andallowing nutrients to be absorbed and par-ticles to settle out in the vegetation. Allow-ing natural vegetation to fill in the swalewill increase this absorption/settling outprocess and help to prevent erosion and thenutrient enrichment of the lake.

Buffer StripsBuffer strips of natural vegetation be-

tween the lawn or landscaped area and thelake can also help reduce water runoff tothe lake. For the sandy areas with gentleslopes that are common in Florida, a 25-foot wide buffer strip of natural vegetationcan be effective in preventing nutrients andcontaminants from reaching the lake.

On steeper slopes, buffer stripes mustbe wider. If you have a lawn down to thewater, leave an unmowed strip along theshore. If you also leave a strip extendinginland along a natural contour, native flow-ers and other plants will grow, creating in-terest and trapping nutrients and other ma-terials during runoff. You may also want toplant native tress and shrubs, which can nowbe obtained from many nurseries.

A Guide ToEnvironmentally FriendlyLandscaping — FloridaYards & NeighborhoodsHandbook

This UF/IFAS publicationprovides simple and common sensesolutions to designing and maintainingyour lakeside yard with tips on cost-saving, environmentally-friendlylandscape practices that help reducethe use of water, fertilizer and pesti-cides. A helpful section also addressesshoreline management and how youcan work with your neighbors to sharecosts and labor.

To obtain a copy, contact yourlocal UF/IFAS Cooperative ExtensionOffice or the statewide office for:

UF/IFASFlorida Yards and Neighborhood Program352/392-7938

Fertilize Your Lawn, Not Your Lake (continued from page 1)

For LAKEWATCH volunteers only:To order “Living at the Lake” contact Florida LAKEWATCH at 1-800-LAKEWATch(1-800-525-3928).

To order a copy for a friend:UF/IFAS PublicationsPO Box 110011Gainesville, FL 32611-0011Phone: (352) 392-1764Fax: (352) 392-2628Toll-free: (800) 226-1764

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ummer is hereonce again inall its hot,

humid, buggy gloryand chances arededicated lake-goersare smack dab in themiddle of it all as theyenjoy any number ofaquatic activities.

However, thereis one summer occur-rence that folks shouldbe aware of as it cancertainly take the funout of playing in yourfavorite lake.

It’s known asswimmer’s itch andsimilar to poison ivy,anyone who has everhad an outbreak usuallydoesn’t forget it

Swimmer’s itch is the result of a parasiticflatworm that makes its presence known tolake-goers on rare occasions. It is most oftenexperienced in the warmer summer monthswhen greater numbers of people are out swim-ming in and enjoying their lake.

Initial symptoms are usually experiencedsoon after swimming or submersing oneselfin a lake and they include a tingling sensationsoon after drying off the exposed parts of thebody. Later, the development of small redspots occurs, then the tingling ceases and thered spots become itchier. The degree of dis-comfort varies among individuals, dependingon the severity of infestation and prior expo-sure. The more often one is exposed toswimmer’s itch, the more sensitive they couldbe to future outbreaks.

So where does this aquatic pestcome from?

This tiny parasitic flatworm that is capableof causing so much discomfort among humansoriginates in the bloodstream of some aquaticbird species. Adult worms live in the bird’sdigestive tract and their eggs are transferredto the lake via the excrement of the bird.

Once in the water, the eggs hatch and

the larvae search for a certain species of snail,which they will invade and use as the secondaryhost. Larvae live in the snail and eventuallyemerge as a secondary microscopic larvalstage that is known as cercaria. At this point,the cercaria normally will seek out aquaticbirds such as ducks to complete the life cyclebut sometimes mistakenly invade human skininstead. Since humans are not the correct hostspecies, the cercaria soon dies and leaves theswimmer with an itchy but harmless welt.

If symptoms develop, over-the-counteranti itch medications can help such as lotionsand antihistamines. Your pharmacist can

An Unwelcome Summer Visitor:Swimmer’s itch (Schistosome cercarial dermatitis)

recommend some-thing suitable for you.

One way to re-duce your chances ofc o n t r a c t i n gswimmer’s itch andstill enjoy your lake isto avoid swimmingfor long periods inshallow water. It isbelieved that cercariasare more concen-trated there.

Also, if an areahas a history of produc-ing swimmer’s itch,avoid swimming there,especially it there isan onshore wind.

Drying off imme-diately after gettingout of the lake mayhelp as some species

of cercaria only enter the skin as the waterdries on the body.

A few more words of wisdom:Don’t feed aquatic bird species, as this

can encourage them to defecate in areas wherepeople swim and it also makes the birdsdependent on humans for food.

One way to reduceyour chances ofcontractingswimmer’s itchand still enjoy yourlake is to avoidswimming for longperiods in shallowwater.

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For more information, feel free to contactyour LAKEWATCH regional coordinator at1-800-LAKEWATCH (1-800-525-3928).

Joe

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Many thanks to Debi Mosely for her writingand assistance with this newsletter.

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Volunteer Bulletin BoardGreat American

Secchi Dip-inThe eighth annual Great American

Secchi Dip-In took place from June 30thto July 15th as part of a continuing effortto produce a snapshot of water clarity (i.e.,Secchi depth) across North America.Volunteers have contributed more than17,000 data points on more than 5,000waterbodies around the world.

Active LAKEWATCH samplersshould have received an invitation to par-ticipate. However, everyone will receivea summary of results.

To view the results online or to learnmore about it, go to:

http://dipin.kent.edu

LAKEWATCH Web Address:

http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.eduSame great web site,

but now at a new location.

New!

Big Catch CertificateHave you caught a big bass lately?

To commemorate your outstanding catch,the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conserva-tion Commission (FWC) will send you afull color certificate illustrating the fishspecies and the particulars (length, weight,etc.) To encourage catch and release, theFWC only requires that you measure thefish’s total length, witnessed by one otherperson, before releasing the fish to receivea special catch-and-release seal on yourcertificate. With 33 fish species that qualifyand three award levels, what are you wait-ing for?

Applications can be found at manybait and tackle dealers and online at:

http://floridaconservation.org/fishing/bigcatch/bigcatch.html

Snakein theGrass?Regardless ofhow you feelabout snakes,it’s important toknow that notall snakes found in Florida are venomous –even those found near water. In fact,poisonous snakes are usually in the minority.

So, where can one go if he or she needsto know for sure?

One of the more popular field guides tosnakes is the National Audubon Society FieldGuide to North American Reptiles and Amphib-ians (ISBN: 0394508246). This comprehensivebook contains detailed descriptions and photo-graphs of the creatures, making identificationeasier and more accurate. It’s also handy foridentifying lizards, salamanders, frogs, etc.

On the web, the best site for identificationof snakes in our state is the University ofFlorida’s Online Guide to the Snakes ofFlorida. The site offers several ways to identifysnakes by their habitats, color patterns, and aguide to getting along with snakes in the wild.It’s user friendly with plenty of illustrations andadditional web links. Check it out.

h t t p : / / w w w. f l m n h . u f l . e d u / n a t s c i /herpetology/herpetology.htm

For a complete update of collectioncenters in your area, call theLAKEWATCH office at:

1- 800-LAKEWATCH(1-800-525-3928)

Grayton Beach Collection Centerhas been moved to the Sheriff substation onHwy 331. They are open 24 hours a day, 7days a week. Please note that they are onlyproviding freezer space. They are notequipped to answer questions about watermonitoring and are not familiar with thesupplies needed. (Please call theLAKEWATCH office with any questions.)Address: 25221 US Hwy 331 SPhone: (850) 267-2700

New Santa Rosa CountyCollection CenterLocated in Navarre on Hwy 98 at the CountyExtension Office is open Monday throughFriday from 8 am to 4:30 pm. It is staffedonly on Tuesdays. However you can drop offsamples and pick up supplies at any timeduring the hours listed.

6051 Old Baghdad Hwy Rm 116Milton FL 32583Phone: (850) 932-9047

Salute!Lindsay Sisco, the industrious young

lady featured in our last newsletter placedsecond at the Florida State Science andEngineering Fair. Her project was basedon data collected in cooperation withFlorida LAKEWATCH. Congratulations,Lindsay and keep up the excellent work!

Nature’s UltimateMosquito Control

Bat myths have been flittingaround for years now and it’s time toset the record straight. For starters, batsaren’t blind, they don’t fly into your hair andthey aren’t rodents. Instead, they are a naturalpart of the food chain and an effective pestcontrol for insects. For example, a single brownbat can consume 1200 mosquitoe-size insectsin one hour! Since waterfront property has itsfair share of flying insects, many property own-ers are encouraging bat residency by buildingbat-houses. Interested in purchasing or build-ing a bat-house? Check out this website:

www.batcon.org

Collection Center Changes

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Two new colorful large postersillustrate, respectively, native

freshwater plants of Florida and non-native, invasive plants. Laminated in fullcolor, they are 62 inches x 23 inches in size.

Created at the request of teachers andtrainers, they are meant to be attentiongrabbing teaching tools for science classes,management agency training, homeowner’sforums, ecology clubs and others interestedin marshes and other wetlands and concernedabout the encroachment of non-native plantsin the United States and Florida.

The posters are :

♦ FREE to teachers (US K-12) and agencytrainers (US). Requests should be made in

Aquatic PlantPhoto Murals

Now Available!

writing on letterhead and sent to the APIRSaddress below.

♦ For sale to anyone for $20 each plus S&H.When you purchase a copy, you are alsobuying one for a teacher! Contact Vic Ramey<varamey@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu> to order.

♦ Very large edition for loan. This one is 3feet x 8 feet, available to teachers and agencytrainers, eco-groups and eco-events whorequest them. Contact Vic Ramey<varamey@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu> for details.

LAKEWATCH is proud to announce thatlong-time volunteer Mary Carter was recentlyawarded the Scott Driver Award for herdedicated pursuit of the preservation and wisemanagement of Florida lakes. The award wassponsored by the Florida Lake ManagementSociety (FLMS) and was presented at theirannual meeting in Tallahassee this April.

Mary’s tireless efforts began in 1992, whenshe joined the Friends of Istokpoga, a group offishermen with concerns about the lake. As aresult of her involvement and tenacity, the groupwas able to obtain funding for an aquatic plantmanagement program. Soon after, she becamethe executive director of the organization andbegan to expand its scope to include every lakein Highlands County. Her experience withLake Istokpoga led her to the realization thatevery lake in the county was in need of betterlake management. So she lobbied to have alake manager position created for the County,which was eventually filled by Mr. Clell Ford.

In March of 1994, Mary became aLAKEWATCH volunteer on Lake Placid.From that moment on, she made sure the lake

Teachers and trainers, please sendyour request on letterhead to:

APIRS Photo-MuralCenter For Aquatic and Invasive Plants7922 NW 71st StreetGainesville, FL 32653

Note: There is no need to call ore-mail in advance if you qualifyfor a free copy — simply requestyour copy and they’ll be happy toaccommodate you.

was being sampled even when she couldn’t do itherself. She also established a LAKEWATCHcollection center at the Tomoka Heights Realtyoffice, which continues to be used by area volun-teers on a monthly basis.

In 1996, she and Clell Ford worked todevelop the Highlands County Lakes Assoc.Guide to Area Lakes. The booklets were sopopular they’ve been printed numerous times andhave served as a template for others to follow.Mary also published DIP NET, a quarterly news-letter for the Highlands County Lakes Association.

For five years, she was instrumental in organiz-ing annual volunteer appreciation banquets forLAKEWATCH volunteers in her area — alwaysmaking sure that local media and city, county, andstate government officials were invited. She knewvirtually every volunteer and also many of the folksinvoved in local water management issues due toher service on the Highlands County Water AdvisoryBoard and the Central Sewer Study Board, bothcounty commission appointments.

But perhaps her greatest achievement washer involvement in the creation of Lake Aware-ness Week for Highlands County. In the summer

Mary Carter Awarded for Her Dedication to Florida Lakes

of 2000 she helped organize the firstcounty-wide Lake Management Sympo-sium, a forum where scientists, biologists,and agency personnel could addressspecific concerns voiced by the public.

For years, Mary Carter worked to giveher community a greater sense of apprecia-tion for the aquatic “jewels” of HighlandsCounty. We’re just glad that others havecome to recognize how special she is —something we’ve known all along!

Mary Carter

Free to teachers!

Cle

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A LAKEWATCH Series...

Countless Ways to Use LAKEWATCH Data1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1098

Monitoring Golf Course LakesLAKEWATCH Partners with Killearn Country Club

In these days of rapidly expanding subdivisions and the resulting loss of wildlife habi-tat, it may be surprising to some that golfcourses are becoming havens for Florida wild-life, including creatures of the aquatic kind.

Of course, if there’s water involved itseems LAKEWATCH volunteers are never faraway. A prime example is the Killearn CountryClub (KCC) in Tallahassee where LAKE-WATCH volunteers are monitoring the waterquality of the lakes and/or ponds found alongtheir fairways by keeping an eye on nutrientlevels and aquatic plant growth.

Geoff Brown, UF/IFAS cooperative ex-tension agent, has worked cooperatively withLAKEWATCH and also with KCC’s headgroundskeeper Ms. Geri Buchheit to implementnew management practices for the course.Brown says that “the goal of the project wasto inspire golfers and homeowners livingaround the perimeter of the course to trans-form their backyards into a refuge for wildlife.

“By letting some of these rough areasreturn to a more natural state, it should reducethe need for fertilizers. They also started leaving25- to 30-foot “buffers’ around the ponds,where they are letting things grow, includingsome aquatic vegetation. Grass carp that havebeen stocked in the ponds are fenced out ofthe areas where desired plants are growing,reducing the need for maintenance.”

Buchheit began sampling for LAKE-WATCH in March of 1999 after receiving agrant from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conserva-tion Commission to get the project rolling. She

has continued to sample every month withthe help of Pat Porter.

Julie Terrell, LAKEWATCH regionalcoordinator for Leon County, continues to beimpressed by the dedication demonstrated bythe Killearn group. “Their efforts are providingus with solid baseline of information aboutthese waterbodies — something we haven’tbeen able to collect to this extent in a golfcourse setting.” Terrell and Geoff Brownaren’t the only ones that are appreciative ofBucheit’s hard work. She was recently namedOutstanding Conservationist of the year by theFlorida Assoc. of County Agricultural Agents.

Summer Crew Salute!Every summer since 1991 a small group

of UF students brave the hot sun, insects andinclement weather to develop bathymetricmaps and aquatic plant surveys for a selectnumber of LAKEWATCH lakes. This elitecrew is mostly comprised of undergraduatestudents or recent graduates that have beengiven a rare opportunity to “get their feet wet”as they gain invaluable experience in the fieldand explore possibilities for graduate school.Under the direction of Christy Horsburgh, thecrew is given two main objectives each day.One is to conduct aquatic plant surveys andthe other is given the task of recording thelake’s bathymetry (i.e., a contour of the lakebottom) that will later be used to create bathy-metric maps.

Plant surveys are done by collecting all theplants from within the confines of a quarter-metersquare (see photo), spinning the cuttings to re-move excess water, and then weighing them.

This is done at uniformly spaced inter-vals around the lake for both the littoral zone(the shoreline area) and the offshore zonewhere floating-leaved and submerged plantsare found. An inventory of every plantspecies found at the station is recorded,including everything the plant crew identifies.

Once this task is complete, they run several

Christy Horsburgh (left) records data as Eric Porak (center) weighs a plant sample. AmberPaxton holds the quarter-meter square that is used to measure the area of vegetation coverage.

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Geri Buchheit

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Native to Florida, the anhinga frequents swampyareas and marshes. Sometimes referred to as a

snakebird, the reptilian reference was inspired by theanhinga’s odd habit of swimming with just his long, flexibleneck and head showing above the water’s surface. Rangingin size from between 34 to 36 inches long, male anhingasare dark black with a green gloss on the head, lower back,and tail feathers. The wings and upper back are marked withsilver white spots and streaks. Females have a tan or buffcolored neck and breast with some white feathers on thewings.

These birds prefer freshwater habitats as fish, frogs,aquatic insects and newly hatched alligators make up theirdiet. Anhingas are often seen perching on branches or stumpsalong a lakeshore, with their wings spread out to dry. Theycan be found along the entire Gulf coast to South Carolinaand up the Mississippi River.

Double-crested cormorants are sometimes confused with anhingas as they are similar in appearance and size and both birds dive while feeding. While there is a local year-round population in Florida, the

cormorant also has a large migratory population. Perhaps the easiest way to distinguish them from anhingas is toobserve the bird’s beak. Double-crested cormorants have small hooks at the tip of their beaks and the anhinga’sbeak is straight and sharp as a javelin. The cormorant’s beak area is also recognizable by the rounded throatpouch that is orange in color year ‘round. Its kinked neck during flight is another distinctive feature.

Cormorants are common to inland lakes and rivers habitats and are found across a much broaderrange of the continental United States, extending north from the entire Gulf coast up into the Midweststates and also along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. They are often seen flying overhead in silent Vformations.

Cormorants are also rather notorious for their ability to consume large quantities of fish — theirmain diet. Catfish farmers have observed the double-crested cormorant consuming as many as 23 catfish fingerlingsper hour, with their usual consumption of fish being about 0.5 to 1 pound per day.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

If you’d like to participate in our new lakeside bird monitoring project but aren’t a birdwatcher feel free tohook up with a birdwatcher in your neighborhood. Or call us at 1-800-LAKEWATCH (1-800-525-3928)and we will help you coordinate with a birdwatcher in your area.

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)

transects (straight paths) across the lakecovering the open water areas, while using afathometer to record the dimensions of thebottom area where the plants are located. Thisinformation is used to determine the PAC (per-cent area covered) and PVI (percent volumeinfested) with aquatic plants in the lake.

Meanwhile, the other boat uses a GlobalPositioning System in conjunction with adepth finder to collect data for bathymetricmapping. This information will later be down-loaded into a Surfer software program on alaptop computer where it will be used to digi-tally “draw” a map of the lake’s depth rangesand the shape of the submerged bottom.

Their greatest challenge this summer wasfinding lakes with enough water in them tosurvey. Some lakes contours were all too easilyseen and low water prevented them frombeing mapped this time around.

How is a lake chosen for such in-depth scrutiny?

Some of the lakes were chosen becausethey are also being studied by the Florida Fishand Wildlife Conservation Commission aspart of a long-term fish data project. Othershave been in the LAKEWATCH program fora number of years. If you were lucky enoughto have your lake surveyed, you’ll see the

results in your annual data packet. Also, muchof it is being used for research purposes. Forinstance, it continues to be used by scientistshere at the Dept. of Fisheries and AquaticSciences who are looking at the relationshipbetween aquatic plant abundance, fish and birdpopulations, as well as water clarity and waterchemistry. Of course, this information is avail-able to anyone who asks for it.

Volunteers were invited to accompany thecrew as they worked, in order to gain a betterunderstanding of their lake system. It was alsoan excellent opportunity to see LAKE-WATCH in action!

Joe

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Are you concerned about yourlocal waters ?

If you have access to any type of boat,can spare about two hours each month, andare willing to monitor for at least a year, youmight be eligible for the Florida LAKE-WATCH volunteer program. Florida LAKEWATCH is currently the onlyresearch program gathering monthly data forsuch a large number and wide variety of Floridawaterbodies. This would not be possible withoutthe help of volunteers. Participants in theprogram receive:

• training in monitoring procedures• use of water sampling materials• periodic reports and an annual report• access to lake experts (limnologists)• invitations to LAKEWATCH activities• a free newsletter subscription

For more information contact:

Florida LAKEWATCH7922 NW 71st StreetPO Box 110600Gainesville, FL 326111-800-LAKEWATCH (1-800-525-3928)E-mail: lakewat@ufl.edu

http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

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Encouraging wordsfor volunteersexperiencinglow lake levels:

Do the best you can!If you can still get your boat onto

the lake and collect samples safely,please continue to do so. However, ifyour lake is too low to sample, we askthat you continue to send in data sheets.Simply write “low lake level” on thesheet and mail it to us at the address pro-vided in the box below.

You may also consider takingphotographs of your lake during thistime. It’s a good way to document theevent for future reference. And if youcan, send your regional coordinator afew copies so that he or she can keepthem on file as well. (We are scanningthe photos and storing them digitally.)

Many thanks for your patienceand dedication!

Polk Countyby LaVerne Stevens

I had a very interesting walk around Lake Hunter this morning. When I startedout, it was quite cool and cloudy. We had a lovely rain, which we have all been prayingfor, and the air smelled fresh and clean. By the time my walk was over the sun wasblazing hot and the sky was clear.

I saw many birds, mostly grackles. The gallinule and moorhen count seemed tobe down but their little black fuzz-ball babies are starting to appear along the shorelineso maybe many of them are still nesting. The cormorants must be sleeping in, as mosttimes I see a number of them on the lake and roosting on the light poles. This morningI saw only four as my walk was ending. The anhingas are the early birds.

There is a grocery cart in the lake from the nearby Winn Dixie store. We’ve calledthe store before when carts are left by the lake, but they don’t seem interested incoming to get them. I called and reported this to Johnna Martinez, the biologist withthe lake division of the City of Lakeland. She told me if I report the locations she willsend the Parks and Recreation guys out to remove them.

When I got to the boat ramp I came upon a little old lady with her Ford rangerpick-up truck pulled close to the area where the boats go in. She had 13 large 5-gallonplastic buckets lining the whole truck bed, and she was filling them with water fromthe lake. She said her well has gone dry and Lake Hunter is her source of water for allher utility uses, watering plants and flushing the toilet. She said she is not drinking it.I reported this to Johnna Martinez, as I wasn’t quite sure if this is a good thing. Thereare many wells going dry due to the severe drought. She gave me the impression shecomes to Lake Hunter often to get water. What can be done for those poor people whoare without water?

Since Ted and I are already doing LAKEWATCH, we have been assigned thetask of coordinating the Adopt-a-Lake volunteers from our Lake Hunter Terrace Neigh-borhood Association. I met a man I see often walking around the lake and asked himif he would be willing to help me do a litter and trash clean up on a regular basis, sincehe is down at the lake so often. He said he would be glad to—just let him know when.“Ask and you shall receive...” The City of Lakeland gave me a long-handled net forcollecting floating debris from along the shoreline, so my clean-up project will soonbegin.

We are blessed to live in this beautiful state of Florida. With lakes interspersedamong the urban sprawl, we feel like we can enjoy the nature and beauty the lakeprovides and have all the amenities the city provides as well. When the busy rush oflife starts closing in, I just walk out my front door and go for a walk around the lake.It’s amazing how much peace and comfort is down there.

A Morning Walk

Jean

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