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Section 2 Existing Conditions/Affected Environment

EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006

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There are six sugar mills and one refinery (South Bay) currently operating in the

EAA, with an additional mill and refinery in Clewiston also serving the area.

The combined capacity of these mills is over 17 million tons. Three major

entities - U.S. Sugar Corporation, Florida Crystals Corporation, and Sugarcane

Growers Cooperative (SCGC) - provide the majority of the sugarcane production

in the EAA.

2.16.2 Land Use in Compartment A

Land use in this area is comprised almost exclusively of Sugarcane (77%) and

Bare Soil/Clearcut (20%). Other agricultural uses, wetlands, uplands, urban and

extractive uses comprise the remaining three percent of the land area.

2.16.3 Agriculture

There is a large amount of agricultural lands surrounding Lake Okeechobee.

About 505,000 acres are farmed in the EAA (UFBEBR, 2002), and sugarcane

was harvested from about 86.8% of that acreage in 2002. Much of this acreage is

likely categorized as unique farmland based upon its location, growing season,

and high value crops, including sugarcane and vegetables. Continued

agricultural production in the EAA has become increasingly controversial. Some

of the factors that may affect EAA agriculture include, water quality concerns,

soil subsidence, and urban encroachment. The water quality concerns,

particularly phosphorus loading, are being addressed through best management

practices, stormwater treatment areas, and growing use of organic farming

practices and rice cultivation in rotation with sugarcane production. Although

sugarcane cultivation in the EAA has come under some sharp criticism in recent

years, sugarcane is recognized as the most appropriate crop for this region.

Sugarcane requires less phosphorus fertilizer than other crops grown in the EAA

(Sanchez, 1990), and sugarcane has been found to remove 1.79 times more

phosphorus than was applied as fertilizer (Coale, et al., 1993). Florida

sugarcane only requires small amounts of pesticides due to disease resistant and

tolerant cultivars, and cultivation instead of herbicides for weed control.

Sugarcane also tolerates greater variability in water table levels, allowing for

more flexible water management strategies (Glaz, 1995).

2.17 RECREATIONAL RESOURCES

Several recreational opportunities exist on public lands within the EAA, such as

the Holey Land WMA, Rotenberger WMA, and Lake Harbor Public Small Game

Hunting Area. These offer significant recreational opportunities for visitors and

tourists to the area. Each is different, but likely shares a patron base interested

in sports recreation and outdoors activity. Many of the areas are adjacent to the

proposed storage reservoir.

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