Okefenokee drought brings out alligators

WAYCROSS, Ga. – A dry spell has lowered the water level dramatically in the Okefenokee Swamp, hindering motor boats and canoes, raising the danger of wildfires and forcing alligators to crowd into the deeper pools in search of fish.

“This is an excellent time to see alligators and other wildlife,” said Martin Bell, manager of the Okefenokee Swamp Park.

Joe Yeager, manager of the Stephen C. Foster State Park on the west side of the swamp, said that normally, three or four alligators hang out around the park’s boat basin, but on several recent nights as many as 75 have slithered in.

Officials emphasize that droughts and wildfires, usually caused by lightning, are part of the natural cycle of the Okefenokee, a 438,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Georgia that attracts 350,000 to 400,000 visitors a year.

“This is just the ebb and flow of that water regime,” said Jim Burkhart, a ranger at the refuge. “The animals are all specially adapted to this. They know what to do. This is nothing earth-shattering or new.”

Weeks of below-normal rainfall have lowered the swamp’s water level by about 1.3 feet and reduced the flow in two rivers – the St. Marys and the Suwannee – that originate in the swamp.

“Folks are having trouble motor boating on both rivers,” Burkhart said. “Lots of sandbars that are normally covered are exposed.”

Canoes and motor boats are still available for rent, but people in motor boats have to paddle them down a 2,000-foot canal to reach Billy’s Lake, which still has enough water for boating. Guided boat tours have been canceled, and signs have been posted to keep motorboats out of shallow areas.

The refuge has not had any significant fires so far, but the staff is on alert.