Part 2/7:
The situation surrounding Lake Okeechobee is multi-faceted. Blame has been cast in various directions, from industrial influences like big sugar companies and dairy farms to the runoff from the surrounding countryside. Natural storms and the excessive use of fertilizers also contribute to the pollution crisis. The result is a toxic cocktail of nutrient-rich water, predominantly nitrogen and phosphorus—the primary ingredients behind harmful algal blooms—that ends up in Lake Okeechobee.