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Ready Player One shows us a bleak future that we could potentially become, where the environmental damage is irreversible. The type of environment shown in Ready Player One just didn't instantly turn into that, but instead it started with small-scale issues that were never fixed that led to the destruction of the environment. Our mentality and actions about the environment need to change now to prevent our world from completely dying out and the massive suffering of our descendants.

Image: Ready Player One

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In 2007, Florida legislature expanded on the exist Lake Okeechobee Protection Act. The expansion encompassed Northern Everglades, Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. This meant these areas would receive the same protection and regulation as Lake Okeechobee.

Image: Legislation artwork

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Controlling the amount of phosphorus that is entering into the ground, and that is ending up into the water, is crucial to the success of the protection program. Phosphorus is one of the key players as to why the blue-green algae grows and for the water becoming toxic. By reducing the impact of phosphorus, it will start taking away the nutrients that feeds the algae.

Image: Fertilizer

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Limiting invasive and exotic species from entering in this environment, decreases natural wildlife habitats from becoming threaten. Invasive and exotic species can destroy other wildlife's natural habitats by taking over their territory and eating the same prey that the natural wildlife eats.

Image: Piranha, Pacu

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The controlling of water levels is important because too low will cause a drought and too high will cause flooding. Making sure the lake doesn't go too low, because the people want to ensure that it will be able to refill and not be stuck with a lake that will eventually disappear. On the other side of the spectrum, too high of water level will cause flooding that will gather more non-source pollutants and send them into the ocean.

Image: Water Release Map

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To ensure that Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding waters return the quality of water to how it was before the flood control project implementation, the Act and Program targets three main issues.

Impacts of excessive phosphorus entering the lake

Impacts of extreme high and low water levels

Impacts of nuisance and exotic species

Image: Regulation artwork

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First, would be buying up the sugarcane land for Lake Okeechobee to run back through the Everglades and out into Florida Bay.

Second, would ending cattle and dairy farming, since most of the phosphorus is coming from the manure and fertilizers at these locations.

Image: sugarcane fields south of Lake Okeechobee

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In 2000, Florida Legislature enacted the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act and Lake Okeechobee Protection Program. This legislation is to restore and protect the water quality and implement long-term solutions.

Image: Legislation artwork

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Citizens were still not pleased with the results of their local government. The legislature failed to buy all of the land needed to redirect Lake Okeechobee through the Everglades and out to Florida Bay, because of money issues. The water is still polluted with blue-green algae and is toxic.

Video: "Toxic Lake: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee" by The Weather Channel

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"Toxic Lake: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee" featuring Kait Parker of Weather.com

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Provide a natural habitat for fish, wading birds and other wildlife. The lake supplies freshwater to people, agriculture and the environment

Image: alligator in its habitat

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People became outraged at how the quality of water had become and that life was starting to disappear from the lake. People were told that they couldn't go into the water because how toxic the water was. Camping became more scarce as the area was becoming unhealthy; owners wouldn't want their pets near the water. Even fishing took a major hit, because they feared what could potentially be gained from eating the fish.

Image: people protesting Lake Okeechobee

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The life surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades are starting to die out and become extinct. Some of the endangered species are, but not limited to:

plants,

American alligator

American crocodile

sea turtles

birds (snail kite)

Florida panther

manatee.

Image: Snail Kite

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Blue-green algae is extremely toxic to animals and people, a form of poison that attacks the liver. Since Lake Okeechobee is roughly 90% covered by blue-green algae, it allows massive poisoning of the wildlife that the lake supports.

Image: blue-green algae poisoning side effects

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Phosphorus pollution is a by product from agriculture farming, specifically from dairy and cattle farming. The phosphorus is then absorbed into the ground and makes it way into drainage systems. Since it has a high retentivity in the ground, it ends up getting washed away during rain runoff. With the flood control measures, the rain runoff carrying the phosphorus ends up draining into Lake Okeechobee.

Image: dairy farm

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Since Lake Okeechobee has high levels of phosphorus, it has allowed algae to spread out across the whole lake. Roughly 90% of the lake contains algae, that the algae concentration is so high in some areas that you can't even see under the surface water. The spread continues out into Florida, heading out to the coastlines east and west of Lake Okeechobee, along the coastlines.

Image: Lake Okeechobee high blue-green algae concentrations

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The nitrogen and phosphorus that has increased in concentrations have supplied the blue-green algae in Lake Okeechobee to grow at an accelerated rate because of the excess of nutrients they bring. The blue-green algae causes turbidity to the surface water, that allows bacteria to grow. Bacteria absorb oxygen of the water turning it to hypoxic which could turn into anoxic.

Image: Lake Okeechobee showing blue-green algae

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The flood control has helped stabilized the water control to prevent damage, but also allowed for higher levels of pollutants to enter into Lake Okeechobee. The main pollutants are phosphorus and nitrogen. Phosphorus being the most severe with 600 metric tons entering the lake per year.

Image: Phosphorus and Nitrogen non-point pollution sources

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Whenever the lake water levels become too high, the water is released into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers. Though during the dry season from October to March, The United States Army Corps of Engineers will release the water from Lake Okeechobee to balance the salinity levels of the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Thus changing the route that water leaves Lake Okeechobee to head east and west out to the ocean rather than south towards Florida Bay.

Image: Flood Control gates

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Florida enacted new legislation to control a flood control system known as Central and Southern Florida Project. They utilized the assistance of the United States Army Corps of Engineers for construction and control of the flood gates. The United States Army Corps of Engineers calculate data and decide whether to retain or release water.

Image: Breakdown of Central and South Florida Project Compnents

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Monsoon season hits hard from June to August, where the increased rainfall causes Lake Okeechobee to overfill. Once the lake overfills, it starts flooding the surrounding area, typically south of the lake. The flood water goes over the Everglades agricultural area, picking up pollutants as a non-source pollution and sends it out towards the coastline.

Image: Flood map of the surrounding area

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Lake Okeechobee receives its water from Kissimmee River, canals, rainfall, and runoffs. Runoffs provide 70% of the water that Lake Okeechobee is receiving. The water leaves Lake Okeechobee going through the Everglades and flows into Florida Bay before the implementation of flood control method.

Image: Watershed from Kissimmee River to Florida Bay

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Lake Okeechobee offers a wide range of cultural services. Airboat tours provide the opportunity to view the wildlife in the lake from above the water and can view the wildlife on the shores, while avoiding alligators. Bass fishing which draws people from across the state. The family can enjoy the spending some outdoor quality time by camping next to the lake.

Image: Airboat on Lake Okeechobee

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Bojorquez, Manuel. "Toxic algae a slimy mess for Florida's Lake Okeechobee." CBS News, July 6, 2018. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-lake-okeechobee-toxic-algae-problem-2018-07-06/

CBS12 News. "90 percent of Lake Okeechobee covered with algae." CBS12 News, July 4, 2018. https://cbs12.com/news/local/90-percent-of-lake-okeechobee-covered-with-algae

Flaig, E. G., and Reddy,K. R. "Fate of phosphorus in the Lake Okeechobee watershed, Florida, USA: overview and recommendations." Ecological Engineering (1995): 127-142. https://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu:2120/science/article/pii/0925857495000216?via%3Dihub

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Lake Okeechobee." http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/sites-forecast/s/lake-okeechobee/

Florida Museum. "Threatened & Endangered Species." https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/southflorida/regions/everglades/endangered-species/

South Florida Water Management District. "Lake Okeechobee." https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/lake-okeechobee

South Florida Water Management District. "Managing Lake Okeechobee." https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/flood-control/managing-lake-Okeechobee

South Florida Water Management District. "Minimum Flows & Minimum Water Levels." https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/mfl

YouTube. "Toxic Lake: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee featuring Kait Parker of Weather.com." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y70I_kADGQY

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The dominant fish are Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, and catfish species. The Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie are typical game fish, where it is carefully regulated and requires you to have a fishing license. The catfish species are fished for commercial use, but they are only allowed 10 nets when fishing these species in order to prevent tragedy of the commons.

Image: Largemouth Bass

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The area was first inhabited by the Seminole Indians, that relied on the lake. The name Lake Okeechobee derived from their native language, that "Oki" means water and "Chubi" means big.

Image: Seminole Indians

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Lake Okeechobee is located in southern Florida, just above the Everglades. The lake is the largest in Florida and third largest in the south eastern portion of the United States. Contains a surface area of 730 square miles, but the average depth is roughly around 9 feet. Part of a drainage system containing 4,400 square miles.

Image: Florida with location of Lake Okeechobee