FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will maintain target flows announced last week to the Caloosahatchee River as part of its efforts to manage water levels at Lake Okeechobee. However, the decision will be reviewed again early next week.
Last week, the Corps announced target flows to the Caloosahatchee Estuary at a seven-day average of 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as measured at W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) near Fort Myers, and a target flow of 0 cfs for the St. Lucie Estuary as measured at the St. Lucie Lock & Dam near Stuart (S-80). Flows could be exceeded by runoff from rain that accumulates in the Caloosahatchee or St. Lucie basins—those flows will be allowed to pass through structures as necessary.
“We are working with the South Florida Water Management District to move water to the south,” said Lt. Col. Tom Greco, Jacksonville District Deputy Commander for South Florida. “We will review conditions and operations early next week and make adjustments as necessary.”
Today, the lake stage is 16.01 feet. It is currently in the Operational Low Sub-Band (but within 1 foot of Intermediate Sub-Band) of the Corps’ water control plan, the 2008 Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS). Under current conditions, LORS authorizes the Corps to discharge 3,000 cfs to the Caloosahatchee and 1,170 cfs to the St. Lucie.
For information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Jacksonville District water management website page at
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/WaterManagement.aspx.
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Release no. 14-064