Lake Okeechobee is a foot and a half lower than in it's ever been on this date (the start of the dry season) than it has ever been before. It is not a record low, just short of it, but that low occurred at the END of a dry season. The Lake is now at an average depth of ten and a half feet.

The Lake is the backup source of drinking water for S Florida, where five and a half million people live. The primary source, well water, is also under severe stress due to salt water intrusion due to falling well pressures and water tables. This is not a one-shot dip, it reflects a 30 year drought that has hit the state and shows no sign of letting up.

Lake water is primarily used to support agriculture now, a multi billion dollar industry of sugar cane, garden vegetables, citrus and nursery plants.