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Why is Lake Okeechobee so dark?

The water is dark water due to at least two factors: naturally occurring tannins and “muck”. 1. Naturally occurring tannins from decaying organic matter and tree roots create a tea-like color and clarity in the water.



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The dark color occurs when high concentrations of phytoplankton (microscopic algae) or colored dissolved organic matter in the water absorb the blue light.

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Toxic algae fed by agricultural fertilizers spread across the wide, shallow lake, which is the largest in the Southeast United States. The algae poisons the air, and seasonal rains threaten to swell the lake and disperse the contaminated water toward popular beaches.

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If your water has a brownish, yellowish, or amber tint, tannins may be the cause. Many Floridians have water tainted by tannins. Groundwater is a dominant source of water in the Sunshine State.

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Siesta Key This 8-mile-long barrier island entices with quartz-sand beaches and sparkling Gulf water. Near the shoreline, the shallow waters look bright green and aquamarine, then deepen to cobalt blue as they unfurl farther out.

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Lake Jesup, Florida Alligators can be very dangerous and Lake Jesup is the most alligator-infested lake in America. It's said there could be up to 13,000 gators in this lake or more.

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While rare in Lake Okeechobee, Burmese pythons are occurring more frequently in the lake. The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) belongs to the python family Pythonidae. Historically from Southeast Asia, you can now find Burmese pythons throughout southern Florida.

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It roams all the way up the Caloosahatchee River, and in all probability there are bull sharks living in Lake Okeechobee.

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Lake Jackson is currently in what experts call a dry down. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the lake has drained 11 times since June 2021. In the video above check out the current state of the lake.

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Lake Jesup, Florida Alligators can be very dangerous and Lake Jesup is the most alligator-infested lake in America. It's said there could be up to 13,000 gators in this lake or more.

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Alys Beach, Florida Alys Beach could be considered Mykonos's twin. The beach town's whitewashed buildings and geometric rooftops mirror those of Greece's beloved island.

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