16.67. +.11. lots more rain on the ay
Lake O hits highest level since 2005, raising concerns its dike could fail
Rainfall from Hurricane Irma has pushed the water level in Lake Okeechobee to its highest point since 2005. Now, with more wet weather in the forecast, nearby residents fear a collapse of the 80-year-old dike around the lake.
“If the dike fails, it would be catastrophic for our communities,” a south-of-the-lake group called the Everglades Agricultural Area Farmers said in a news release this week.
As of Tuesday, the lake had hit 16.56 feet, exceeding last year’s high of 16.4. That put it at the highest level since Hurricane Wilma hit 12 years ago, when it topped 17 feet. By Wednesday it had crept up to 16.67 feet.
“The rate of rise has accelerated,” Campbell said Thursday.
The lake’s highest recorded level was nearly 18½ feet in 1947, the result of an unnamed Category 4 hurricane that slammed into Fort Lauderdale.
Lake water has for years slowly seeped through the earthen embankment. But once the water level reaches a certain point, the pressure inside the dike begins forcing even more water out at the bottom, often carrying sand and debris with it, a dangerous situation.
“Any time we get above 17½ or 18 feet, we have seen issues with increased seepage,” Campbell said.
That’s why the Corps has to step up its inspections, to watch for any sign of a breach.
“The seepage can cause a weak spot and it could cause a chain reaction that could cause a collapse of the dike,” explained Tommy Strowd, an engineer who held a variety of top positions at the South Florida Water Management District from 1996 to 2014.