FATE AND TRANSPORT OF PHOSPHORUS IN THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE BASIN, FLORIDA

Recent water quality problems in Lake Okeechobee are thought to be rel ated to agricultural activity in the drainage basins of the lake that introduce significant quantities of phosphorus into its hydrologic cyc le. Under the sponsorship of the South Florida Water Management Distri ct, a large research program has been undertaken to identify the speci fic activities contributing phosphorus to the lake, quantify the magni tude of this contribution, gain an understanding of phosphorus behavio r in the basin and quantify the fate and transport of phosphorus withi n the basin. This paper summarizes current understanding of the fate a nd transport of phosphorus in the Lake Okeechobee basin with specific reference to recently completed research.