Lake Panasoffkee SWIM Plan - Southwest Florida Water ...

LAKE PANASOFFKEE MANAGEMENT ISSUES
The Council considered the seven issues identified in the enacting legislation, 1) shoreline
restoration, 2) sediment control and removal, 3) exotic species management, 4) tussock
management and removal, 5) navigation, 6) water quality and 7) fisheries’ habitat
improvements. After consideration of these issues, the Council concluded that the primary
issues in priority order are: 1) fisheries’ habitat improvement; 2) shoreline restoration; and 3)
navigation. Maintaining the overall good water quality within the lake and opportunities for
cleaning up existing sources of pollution to the lake are high priorities of the Council and are
a consideration in all recommendations. (Concerns have been raised regarding the pollution
potential of untreated stormwater draining from approximately two miles of Interstate Highway
75 that crosses Shady Brook at the south end of the lake. This issue is addressed in this
revision of the SWIM Plan.)
The Council determined that the remaining three issues, sediment control and removal, exotic
species management and tussock control and removal were management strategies rather
than issues. The Council concluded that the primary cause of the adverse impacts on the
water resources of the lake was due to the accumulation of sediment causing a reduction in
fisheries habitat, shoreline degradation and impediments to navigation.
In preparing the SWIM Plan, staff reviewed the Lake Panasornee Resforafion Council, Report
to fhe Legislature, November 25, 1998, and the diagnostic studies completed since the
I original SWIM Plan. Based on this review, the following management issues were selected
as the main focus of the Lake Panasoftkee SWIM Plan:
Fisheries Habitat Improvement: Sport fishing is the primary recreational use of Lake
Panasoffkee. It was recognized nationally as one of Florida’s most productive fishing lakes
for redear sunfish and it also supported a good blue gill and bass fishery. The FWCC has
studied Lake Panasoffkee’s fishery resource since the 1950s (Moody 1955, 1957), and the
lake was designated a Florida Fish Management Area in 1963. This designation has ensured
periodic creel census surveys by the FWCC. Declines in fish populations have been reported
as early as the 1950s. Comparison of creel survey data from the 197411977 survey to the
199111992 survey showed a decline in the harvest estimates for largemouth bass, redear
sunfish, and blue gill. Recently, the FWCC stated that an elimination of fish beds has
occurred due to sediment accumulation and vegetative encroachment.
Shoreline Restoration: Accumulated sediment has silted in hard bottom areas which served
as fish bedding areas, and in other areas emergent vegetation has become extremely dense
as a result of shallowing. Additionally, the encroachment of vegetation has progressed to
such an extent that almost 800 acres of historic lake bottom are now covered with a mix of
woody/shrubby vegetation. This degradation of the lake shoreline is of concern due to the
loss of open water and littoral habitats, both necessary for fish habitat, and the impediments
it poses to navigation and access.
Navigation: Currently, the only no-fee public boat access directly on the lake is on the
eastern shore at Coleman Landing. However, due to sediment accumulation and encroaching
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