LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — St. John River water managers will be holding a public meeting in Leesburg Thursday as residents look for answers to low lake levels.
Some residents want officials to open a pair of dams and release water into the lake and the rest of the Harris chain of lakes. But until the town receives a sufficient amount of rain, there may be nothing water managers can do.
After a morning on the Harris chain of lakes, Jim Misky and his friends were sad to report the fishing was terrible, and in some spots, navigation was no picnic.
"You can't even turn the boat around, that's how shallow it is there," Misky said. "And you can't run lines, because it's that shallow."
Bruce Wichtendahl also said pleasure cruises through the Dora Canal are getting very tricky.
"I'm surprised he was able to get the boat through," Wichtendahl said. "Really, it would have been easier to get out and walk, I think."
Lake County's waterways are still open for business, but low water levels can hurt a reputation.
"Doesn't help the community if people don't come here," said Mike Perry of the Lake County Water Authority. "We would need significant rainfall -- more than 2 feet -- to bring the lakes back up to where they ought to be."
Another option would be for St. Johns River water managers to open dams along the Harris chain, allowing water to flow out of Lake Apopka and into the smaller lakes. But St. Johns officials said there's not enough to go around, and protecting the ongoing restoration of Lake Apopka means closed dams.
"Should they keep it up to some degree, yes," said Misky. "But they don't have to release it all. Share a little. It would be nice."
Because the lakes are so important, there is some concern that if water levels don’t come up, it could mean fewer visitors.
WFTV
