Orange Lake FL

[F16 1UB]

This is information was obtained Nov 21, 2011 from a FL Fishery Biologist re: Orange Lake water level.

Orange Lake is the lowest it has been since it went "dry" in 2001. At that point there were ~1200 acres of water (normal is 12,000 acres). The lake level is about 1 ft above that right now. The good news is that the "drawdown" from 2000-2004 is the reason the fishing was so phenominal last year and the year before. The bad news is that it was just starting to peak when this drought hit and the fish population no doubt will/has take(n) a hit. It would be better if these "drawdowns" were more than 10 years apart. Orange Lake has LONG history of going "dry" and it always returns, so there is no reason to believe it won't this time whenever we get rain. Unfortunately, we don't know when that will be. This is part of a natural cycle that has been going on since before records were kept, but it is very frustrating in the here and now.

Another good thing....when the lake refilled in 2004/2005 there was no need to restock the lake as enough brood fish were maintained in the ~1200 acres that remained. It took the lake ~3-4 years to get good again and ~5 years to be REALLY good.