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The discussion surrounding Lake Okeechobee and its blue-green algae crisis has intensified in recent years, particularly following extreme weather conditions. For example, a combination of stirred-up soil from Hurricane Emma and an unusually rainy May led to severe algal blooms. Previous events, such as those in 2016 during the El Niño season, prompted state-of-emergency declarations as officials struggled to manage the fallout.
The Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan, set in motion in 2000, aimed to limit phosphorus levels to safer amounts. Unfortunately, the lake's phosphorus levels have repeatedly surpassed acceptable limits, hitting 150 micrograms per liter in 2017—more than three times the allowable concentration.