Lake Okeechobee’s releases threaten local businesses in Stuart and the Everglades ecosystem.

Diver Russell Singson, owner of Barracuda Dive Service in Stuart, is feeling the sting of Lake Okeechobee releases. The murky water has reduced visibility so much that his team struggles to clean boats effectively. This has resulted in lower wages for his staff, as they are unable to service as many boats in one day.

Singson shared that sometimes they had to pull back from work altogether because the water is so murky that they can’t see anything underwater. About 50 boats are currently waiting for cleaning services, which is straining the business. In response to the murky water, Singson and his team take extra precautions after diving to avoid infections.

At Helm Training, located down the St. Lucie River, the impact of the discharge is also felt. Operations Manager Nancy Husk noted that their practice bookings are down 50% year-over-year due to water cleanliness concerns. Customers are afraid to be in the water, especially after recalling severe algae blooms in 2018.

Husk expressed concern for the future if layoffs continue, especially for younger customers who enjoy renting boats and hitting the banks. She hopes the Army Corps of Engineers will adjust its approach to water releases, which could help ease the impact on local businesses. Both Singson and Husk are concerned about both economic and environmental implications of ongoing releases and hope for positive change.

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Russell Singson’s Barracuda Dive Service in Stuart is facing a drop in business due to Lake Okeechobee’s recent release of murky water into nearby rivers. The reduction in visibility makes it difficult for his team to effectively clean boats, leading to lower wages as they cannot service as many boats per day.

The murky waters have forced Singson’s team to take extra precautions when diving into ensure their safety from potential illnesses caused by contaminated water sources.

Despite these challenges, over 50 boats are still waiting for cleaning services from Barracuda Dive Service due to high demand.

On a related note at Helm Training located downstream from Lake Okeechobee’s release point on St Lucie River, operations manager Nancy Husk has observed a significant decline in bookings year over year due primarily to customer fears regarding water quality following severe algae blooms in 2018.

Husk expressed her concerns about how ongoing layoffs may affect younger customers who enjoy renting boats and participating recreational activities on riversides.

Husk hopes that changes made by Army Corps of Engineers will reduce negative impacts on local businesses such as Helm Training while maintaining safe levels of freshwater delivery throughout Florida’s Everglades ecosystem.

Both Singson and Husk expressed their concerns over economic and environmental implications resulting from ongoing releases while hoping for positive change towards sustainable solutions soon enough.