PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — Bay County officials are preparing for some annual maintenance to protect the county’s supply of drinking water.
Each year the county draws down the water level in Deer Point Lake.
The lake’s normal level stands is about 5 feet deep, the drawdown will drop it to 2 and a half feet.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommends the drawdown every winter.
The lower water level exposes aquatic weeds to the freezing temperatures and kills them.
“We won’t kill most of the vegetation, so people can use the lake recreationally. We want to do it so the homeowners can use the lake and the people that use the lake, other than the homeowners can use it also,” said Bay County Utility Services Water Division Superintendent Sean Lathrop.
The lower water level also gives Deer Point homeowners a chance to repair their docks and seawalls.
Officials are also banning homeowners from using fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides while the water level is down.
The drawdown begins next Monday, Nov. 20. and will last for 100 days.
