Home of the BIG bass and where it's always warm and sunny
SURFACE AREA: 730 square miles
SIZE: 448,000 acres
AVERAGE DEPTH: 11 to 14 feet
MAXIMUM STORAGE AREA: 1.05 trillion gallons of water
RANKING: Second largest freshwater lake within the confines of the USA
DRAINAGE: Drainage basin covers 4,600 square miles MAJOR SOURDES OF INFLOW TO LAKE: Rain fall-39 percent Kissimmee River-31 percent Hamey Pond,Indian Prairie Fishing Creek and Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough-30 percent MAJOR OUTFLOWS OF WATER FROM LAKE: Evapotranspiration-66 percent Caloosahatchee River-12 percent St.Lucie Canal-4 percent Miami.North New River,Hillsboro and West Palm Beach Canal-18 percent (includes drainage south to Everglades) HERBERT HOOVER DIKE:
Completety encircles 151 miles of Lake Okeechobee with diking. Includes areas where diking extends away from the lake along rivers and canals.
Diking construction began in 1931 following two devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928.
Initial work on levee around south and east side of lake begun in 1931 and completed in 1937.
Complete encirclement completed in 1969.
Levee consists of hard material,mostly rock.
Grass and trees planted for erosion prevention.
Total cost of dike $60 million (in 1930's dollars)
Dimensions 250 feet thick at the base and crown of 10 feet.
Elevation from 32.3 feet to 43.4 feet
Six hurricane gates located at the main canals and Taylor Creek. PRIMARY SPORT FISH IN LAKE: Black bass,Speckled Perch(black Crappie),Bream (Bluegill),and Catfish Average Temperature and Rainfall

Month	High	Low	Rainfall
May	85.7	69.5	3.21 inches

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