St. Petersburg’s “Mr. Lakes” lays out options to improve Historic Round Lake

The city applied for an irrigation permit with the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

ST. PETERSBURG – The city worker known as “Mr. Lakes” sat in a folding chair and gave a group of concerned Historic Uptown residents their options on what could be done about disappearing Historic Round Lake.

Gintas Zavadzkas came on his personal time to speak at the once-picturesque lake that has shrunk to a “mudpit” over the past few months due to how little rain has fallen. At Monday’s sunset, it nearly resembled its former self after recent rains.

But continuing dry conditions could make it worse for the lake, which is likely man-made. Zavadzkas made it clear that any improvements would be aesthetic, but went over the group’s options to keep up the lake’s appearance.

A geologist and three others from the Southwest Florida Water Management District visited Round Lake about two weeks ago. The problem is, because of the way the area slopes down to the lake, Water Management District workers think there is likely a sinkhole in the lake bottom. So pumping water from another lake could result contaminating groundwater that is used for drinking water.