However, before wringing our hands and wailing "woe is me," let's consider the short and long-term benefits to all of this.

A blessing in disguise, if you will.

Today, nobody argues the advantages for periodic drawdowns that restore health to our ecosystems, nor to the resulting betterment of our fish populations. By exposing lake bottoms to air and sunlight, sediments, algae, vegetation and organic soils seed germination and growth of beneficial plant life is fostered. According to Biologist Lothian Ager of Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), healthy plant diversity brought on by the drought is the very basis of a propitious food chain.

Once reflooding occurs, re-establishment of aquatic vegetation in littoral zones leads to improvement in lake habitat, which also dramatically increases fish and fish food organisms as well as bird and animal life.

Because of flood and water-control impoundment projects, which have befallen Florida during the past 50 years that hold lakes at artificially low levels, few places remain in our state where this wet to dry to wet again cycle occurs to the degree that it once did.

Without adequate water level fluctuations (either naturally or through artificial/man-made drawdowns), a majority of Florida's lakes and river systems are degraded to such a magnitude that fish and wildlife numbers have been drastically reduced.

So, instead of cussing our current circumstance, perhaps we should all look upon it as a benediction because, as Ager points out, droughts and floods are Mother Nature's way of keeping aquatic habitat healthy.