UF/IFAS researchers hope plant project would help restore Lake Apopka

Every so often, Carrie Adams and Laura Reynolds take a boat onto Lake Apopka to toss plants into the water. They hope the plants take root in the lake and help stimulate the process that may eventually rid the water of pollutants and help boost the fish population.

Other lakes in Florida and around the country can also benefit from their technique, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers say.

“Restoring Lake Apopka is critical because it is a source that eventually feeds into the St. Johns River,” said Dean Dobberfuhl, bureau chief for water resources for the St. Johns River Water Management District. The district manages Lake Apopka and other water resources in northern and central Florida and funds this project. “As a source feeding into the St. Johns River, we want to see improving water quality,” Dobberfuhl said.