NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

September 20, 2000

CONTACT: Sam McKinney or Joy Hill (352) 732-1225

PUBLIC, MEDIA INVITED TO LAKE PANASOFFKEE PROJECT

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites the public and media to a special opening at the Coleman Landing site of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration project on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. until noon. The purpose of the event is to show the dredging process being implemented during the first step of the $26 million lake restoration project.

"For two years the people in the Lake Panasoffkee area have read and heard about this project. In fact, many have been actively involved in getting it going. We want to show them the progress of the dredging project which began earlier this month," said Sam McKinney, FWC regional fisheries biologist and a member of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council Advisory Group.

The site is ordinarily a closed construction site, but for two hours on Sept. 28, it will be open to the public and news media.

Lake Panasoffkee is designated an Outstanding Florida Water, has a nationally acclaimed fishery, and provides regional and state recreational resources. However, over the last 30 to 40 years, its fisheries have declined because of sediment build-up. This has caused large areas of the lake to become shallow enough for undesirable vegetation to take hold. The sediment build-up and vegetation have eliminated the hard bottom needed for fish to bed, and have eliminated significant areas of fish habitat. In some areas, navigation has also been affected. The project will remove some of this sediment build-up.

The 1998 Florida Legislature passed Chapter 98-69 which created and charged the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council with identifying strategies to restore the lake. The council consists of seven voting members appointed by the Sumter County Commission.

The legislature also created an advisory group that provides technical assistance to the council. The group is made up of representatives from the FWC, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environment Protection, Florida Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Members of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council and Advisory Group, members of the Sumter County Commission, and local legislators will be present for a short presentation at the public and media day at Coleman Landing boat ramp. The public is encouraged to attend.

For more information contact Sam McKinney at (352) 732-1225.