Belle Glade Culture – A prehistoric Indigenous civilization that thrived around the northern Lake Okeechobee basin, known for building earthworks, canals, and mounds.
Calusa – A powerful Indigenous people of Southwest Florida who built large shell mound cities and ruled by controlling fisheries and trade networks. Their influence extended into the Lake Okeechobee region.
CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) – A multi-decade federal and state effort to restore the natural flow of water through the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee region.
EAA (Everglades Agricultural Area) – Fertile farmland south of Lake Okeechobee dominated by sugarcane production. Its drainage and runoff have significantly impacted water quality.
Herbert Hoover Dike – A massive levee encircling Lake Okeechobee, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prevent flooding after devastating hurricanes in the 1920s.
La Zafra – Spanish term for the sugarcane harvest season, often used to describe the intense, exhausting labor cycles of cane workers.
LORS (Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule) – The schedule used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage lake levels for flood control, water supply, and ecological health.
Muck Soil – Rich, organic soil formed from decomposed plant matter, exposed when wetlands were drained. Highly fertile but vulnerable to oxidation and erosion.
Phosphorus/Nutrient Runoff – Excess nutrients, particularly from fertilizers, that flow into the lake via canals, promoting harmful algal blooms and ecosystem imbalance.
Seminole Wars – A series of three conflicts (1817–1858) between the United States and the Seminole people in Florida. Lake Okeechobee was a strategic refuge during these wars.
Shaman – A spiritual leader or healer among Indigenous peoples, often serving as a bridge between the physical world and the spirit world.
Snail Kite – An endangered raptor species that feeds primarily on apple snails and depends on healthy wetland ecosystems around the lake.
SWIM (Surface Water Improvement and Management Program) – A Florida program initiated in the late 1980s to improve water quality and manage aquatic ecosystems, including Lake Okeechobee.
Zoning and Drainage Districts – Governmental mechanisms used to manage land use and water flow in areas surrounding the lake, often favoring agriculture and development.