Lake Okeechobee, << `oh` kee CHOH bee, >> is the largest lake in the Southern United States. Okeechobee is a Seminole Indian word that means plenty big water. The lake lies in south-central Florida and borders the northern part of the Everglades . It covers about 700 square miles (1,800 square kilometers) and has an average depth of 9 feet (2.7 meters).
Cypress swamps and a dike to prevent flooding line the lake’s shores. A system of canals provides outlets to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The canals are vital in supplying water to the urban area along southern Florida’s Atlantic coast.
