From Palm Beach Post and other sources

   To combat a rapidly rising Lake Okeechobee, more fresh water is being released into the St. Lucie Estuary. Although low volumes were released for more than a month, massive releases into the estuaries will be required to bring the lake down. When the lake is too high, vegetation dies from lack of sunlight or is destroyed by waves. Without those plants, fish have no place to spawn. High-volume releases harm the St. Lucie Estuary, its seagrass and its oyster population by adding pollution and diluting the estuary's salt content. MRC and FL Oceanographic Society water monitors in the St. Lucie River have found the salinity is dropping to 5 parts per thousand (.5% salt) which is a little too fresh. The looming massive discharges can result in an outbreak of fish lesions in the river. This occurred in 1998, by heavy freshwater releases from the lake. No water can be moved south into the water conservation areas because these areas are already filled by the heavy rains.