They are going to resume releases this weekend
With Lake Okeechobee approaching 14.5 feet, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District will resume water releases this weekend as part of its continued efforts to manage flood risk throughout south Florida.
The discharges are scheduled to resume Friday (July 13). The target flow for the Caloosahatchee Estuary is a 14-day average of 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as measured at Moore Haven Lock (S-77) located in the southwest part of the lake. The target flow for the St. Lucie Estuary is a 14-day average of 1,800 cfs as measured at St. Lucie Lock (S-80) near Stuart. Additional runoff from rain in the St. Lucie basin could occasionally result in flows that exceed the target.
“Over the upcoming 14-day period, we will operate with discharges slightly lower than the limits in LORS (Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule),” said Col. Jason Kirk, Jacksonville District commander. “We will implement pulse releases with variable flows that simulate rainfall events in an effort to reduce some of the environmental impacts.”
Today, the lake stage is 14.48 feet, up 1.65 feet from its 2018 low which occurred May 13. The lake stage today is the third highest for this date in the 11 years since the 2008 LORS was adopted. Under current conditions, LORS authorizes USACE to discharge up to 4,000 cfs to the Caloosahatchee (measured at S-77) and up to 1,800 cfs to the St. Lucie (measured at S-80.....
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We have received permission to open the S-12 structures on July 13, which will help increase flows from the overfull Water Conservation Area 3A into Everglades National Park,” said Kirk. “The Water Management District is slowing flows into the lake from the Kissimmee River and other points north, and moving as much water as they can to tide and to other storage areas at points south.”