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Keeping it swimmable, fishable, and lovable

From an ecological challenge to a healthier lake — and a mission that continues.
CHAPTER ONE: The Challenge

When an invasive plant threatened our lake

Lake Cane faced a serious challenge: hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, was spreading rapidly underwater. Its dense growth threatened the lake's natural balance, making swimming, fishing, and enjoying the water increasingly difficult.

CHAPTER TWO: An unexpected complication

When the solution created another problem

Grass carp were introduced to help control the hydrilla. But too many carp created a new challenge. Their feeding reduced aquatic vegetation beyond what was desirable, threatening the delicate balance of the lake's ecosystem.
We learned that controlling one problem wasn't enough. We needed to restore balance.

CHAPTER THREE: Finding the right balance

Science helped guide the restoration

By combining hydrilla management, grass carp population control, and careful environmental monitoring, Lake Cane began moving toward a healthier balance.
The goal was never to eliminate all aquatic plants or fish. It was to create conditions where native vegetation, aquatic life, and people could thrive together.

CHAPTER FOUR: The power of collaboration

A community supported by science

Lake Cane's restoration became a collaborative effort. Residents, volunteers, environmental specialists, science-oriented companies, and institutions came together around a common goal.
 
Through scientific knowledge, technical expertise, community involvement, and shared resources, we demonstrated what can happen when people work together to protect something they love.

CHAPTER FIVE: The story continues

Restoration is a journey, not a finish line. We need your help

Nature is constantly changing. Hydrilla can return, fish populations need attention, and water quality requires ongoing monitoring.
 
That's why the Lake Cane Restoration Society continues its mission. Every volunteer, every scientific partnership, and every donation helps protect the progress already made and supports the work still ahead.

About us

The Lake Cane Restoration Society (LCRS) is a science-based, educational organization established as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. We improve the environmental conditions of Lake Cane and connected lakes in Orlando, Florida. LCRS's Board of Directors oversees our acquisition of water quality data, setting our goals, and communicating our improvement strategies. We are accountable to our stakeholders in charitable, fiscally responsible, and community-building ways. Keeping Lake Cane swimmable, fishable, and lovable as an example to others requires we protect this precious raw water resource of Central Florida (lakecane.org).

 

Citizen Engagement + Data Innovation + Ecosystem Management 

Lake Cane Restoration Society demonstrates that local waters can be restored through strategic integration of volunteer networks, cutting-edge monitoring technology, and science-based management—all within a framework that respects community values and builds lasting stewardship.

36

Years of Tradition

Lucky's Lake Swim legacy
80+

Active Volunteers

Engaged in hospitality,
monitoring and advocacy

7

Monitoring Methods Comprehensive data

100%

Replicable Model

Ready for adoption

Water Quality & Swimmer-Scientists

Becoming a citizen scientist means actively participating in scientific research and data collection, often in collaboration with professional scientists. This can involve collecting samples, recording observations, and reporting findings.
"Citizen scientists are a key component of our organization. We rely on the dedication and passion of our volunteers to help us collect data and monitor the health of the lake. By working together, we can make a real difference in protecting and preserving this precious resource."

 

Three reasons we show up for Lake Cane 

Keeping it Swimmable
Keeping it Fishable
Keeping it Lovable

Real Time Data - Click on the image below

Our partners

Orange County Goverment

Florida Association of  Native Nurseries

Pammies sammies

American Water Works Association

Florida Lake Management Society

UF institue of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Our Blog and News - Be updated!

Events & More

LAKE CANE GOLDEN MILE 2023  A SUCCESS!

You can watch te recap here. We have edited the main milestones, all the interviews with Directors, Volunteers and some sponsors. We even manage to capture and share the Golden Mile held in Ukraine with some snapshots of pictures and videos.
We are very thankful for all the hard-work made by the volunteers, the board members of LCRS and our generous sponsors.

 LAKE CANE RECEIVED GENEROUS DONATION FROM GRAHAM INC.

From Graham Inc:  "We open our faucets and take for granted that potable water will be available to us. But did you know that 1 in 10 people on this planet lack access to clean water? We need water prediction data – in terms of weather, water availability, and water quality – around the world to help maintain strong infrastructure and thriving communities. Graham, Inc. is committed to being a part of the solution to this problem, starting right in our own backyard. That’s why we are honored to donate to the Lake Cane Restoration Society (LCRS), a science-based, educational organization created as a non-profit corporation to improve the environmental conditions of Lake Cane in Orlando, Florida"

Eat Pray Swim Sunday Service is March 31st

"Eat Pray Swim" is an annual Easter tradition at Lucky's Lake Swim, with service starting at 7:16 AM. Pastor Tom Welch hosts this event, bringing together swimmers and families for a morning of spirituality, fellowship, and community.

Our board members

Board officers

Lucky Meisenheimer
President

Mark Myers
Vice President

Valerie Anderson

Water Quality Director

Megan Hudak

Treasurer

Sesheta Mwanza

Secretary

Area of Responsibility Leaders (AoRL)

Casey Johnson

Gratitude Director

Samantha ZainoWater Testing Director

Chris StadlerPlanting Director

Robin Perez

César Villanueva

AoRL of Training

Area of Responsibility Leaders (AoRL)

Mike Friedman

Kathleen Fitzgerald

Audrey Carter

Barb Abney

Sheila Mansier 

Board Members

Jacquie MeisenheimerCurator of Photography

Tom WelchPoet Laurate

Gene AugustinePresident Emeritus

Nick HudakChief Digital Officer

Jay MadiganExecutive Director & Director of Fellowship

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-time readings from docks around the lake, tracked over time.
We translate numbers into swim safety, habitat health, and water clarity.
Restoration goals, partner decisions, and transparent community updates.
Yes, our Swimmer-Scientists log readings through the WaterRangers “Lake in a Box” platform — a transparent, public record of Lake Cane's health that anyone can explore.
Choose Florida-Friendly, low-maintenance plants and turf suited to your property's sunlight, soil, drainage, and moisture conditions. Native and drought-tolerant plants are especially valuable near the shoreline because they generally require less irrigation and maintenance while helping reduce erosion and filter runoff before it reaches the lake.
Use fertilizer only when your lawn or plants actually need it, ideally based on a soil test. Avoid unnecessary phosphorus and choose slow-release nitrogen when appropriate. Remember that organic products such as manure and compost also contain nutrients, so they should never be allowed to wash into the lake. Most importantly, maintain a fertilizer-free buffer between your landscaped yard and the water and always follow current Orange County requirements.
Water only when your lawn or plants show signs that they need it rather than automatically following a frequent schedule. Avoid overwatering, make sure sprinklers water plants rather than pavement or the lake, use rain sensors where appropriate, and adjust irrigation according to rainfall and the season. Too much irrigation can carry nutrients and other pollutants into the lake.
Never blow or dump grass clippings, leaves, branches, or other yard waste into the lake, street, gutter, or storm drain. Leave grass clippings on the lawn when appropriate, use leaves and other suitable material as mulch, compost them, or dispose of them through the proper yard-waste collection system. Organic material entering the lake eventually decomposes and can add unwanted nutrients to the water.
Keep as much rainwater on your property as possible so it can soak naturally into the ground. Direct downspouts toward lawns, landscaped areas, rain gardens, or other permeable surfaces rather than toward the lake, driveway, or street. Vegetated buffers, mulch, permeable paving, and healthy groundcover can also slow runoff and help capture sediment and pollutants.
Wastewater should always remain within a properly functioning public sewer or permitted septic system and should never enter the lake or stormwater system. Maintain your system appropriately and pay attention to unusual odors, backups, persistently wet areas, or suspected leaks. If you believe sewage or wastewater may be reaching Lake Cane, report the problem promptly to the appropriate local utility or environmental authority rather than attempting to redirect or discharge it yourself.
Use pesticides and herbicides only when necessary and always according to their labels and applicable local regulations. Start with non-chemical or least-toxic approaches when practical, treat only the affected area rather than the entire yard, and never apply lawn chemicals where rain or irrigation could quickly carry them into Lake Cane.
Use pesticides and herbicides only when necessary and always according to their labels and applicable local regulations. Start with non-chemical or least-toxic approaches when practical, treat only the affected area rather than the entire yard, and never apply lawn chemicals where rain or irrigation could quickly carry them into Lake Cane.
You don't need to own lakefront property to make a difference. You can volunteer, support citizen-science and water-quality monitoring activities, participate in community events, help with fundraising or educational outreach, make a donation, and share responsible lake-care practices with others. Protecting Lake Cane is a community effort, and everyone can contribute.
Start locally: learn about your lake's water quality, identify the organizations and public agencies responsible for it, encourage responsible landscaping and stormwater practices, and involve neighbors in monitoring and conservation. Citizen science, reliable data, community education, pollution prevention, and collaboration with environmental professionals can turn individual concern into measurable action.

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Lake Cane Restoration Society - All rights reserved 2023
6645 Lake Cane Dr, Orlando, FL 32819

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