One approach being developed for dairies in the Lake Okeechobee area involves incorporating culture of aquatic species such as Tilapia, paddlefish, baitfish (fish used as bait for recreational fishing), freshwater clams, and plants to provide additional nutrient assimilation, and in addition produce secondary crop income (Fig. 2). In this scenario, modifications to the water treatment ponds and ditches would be necessary as follows: 1) addition of more efficient solids removal equipment; 2) reshape pond bottom and slopes of anaerobic pond to facilitate removal of sludge accumulation in
anaerobic pond; 3) renovate aerobic pond bottom to allow periodic fish harvesting; and 4) modify ditches and to enable culture and periodic harvest of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea.