Time lends perspective to all things. A lake recovers from a sewage spill in a few years and eutrophication in a few decades.These slides are excerpts from the Seminole Audubon SocietySept.16, 2012 Program: Lake Apopka Restoration by David Walker, Lake Apopka Basin Program Manager

Reversing Eutrophication

Restoration of Lake Apopka

Seminole County Audubon SocietySt. Johns River Water Management District

September 16, 2012

Harvesting Results for 1993-2011Lake Apopka 19,500,000 lbs

363 species of birds documented to date, just three short of the 366 species found at Everglades National Park

High Daily Counts

1,660 BB Whistling Ducks76 L. Bitterns1,560 S.T. Kites305 N. Harriers523 K. Rails1,890 L.B. Dowitchers211 M. Wrens

Rarities

Pacific LoonRed-necked GrebeRough-legged HawkSooty TernHudsonian GodwitGolden EagleFork-tailed Flycatcher

Lake Apopka Restoration Area

Land Management Plan

Someday this will all be yours

Removal of 1 million lbs of shad removes and prevents recycling of about 25,000 lbs of total phosphorus into the lake per year (the TMDL for Lake Apopka is about 35,000 lbs of total phosphorus per year)Since 2003, shad biomass and abundance have been reduced by over 80%*After acquisition in 1996-1998 (over 14,000 acres), pesticide contamination prevented reflooding of the properties Remediation via soil inversion (deep plowing) was completed in 2009 (total of 4,000 acres plowed)At same time, work on infrastructure was underway to manage water on the properties (nearing completion)Recently received concurrance from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to begin reflooding remining acres shown in brown (just need rain)

*After acquisition in 1996-1998 (over 14,000 acres), pesticide contamination prevented reflooding of the properties Remediation via soil inversion (deep plowing) was completed in 2009 (total of 4,000 acres plowed)At same time, work on infrastructure was underway to manage water on the properties (nearing completion)Recently received concurrance from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to begin reflooding remining acres shown in brown (just need rain)

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