The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District is advising boaters on Lake Okeechobee that the low water level is now creating hazardous navigation conditions.
The Corps issued a Notice to Navigation on Thursday (May 25), advising commercial and recreational vessels to use extreme caution while traveling Okeechobee Waterway Routes 1 and 2 between Port Mayaca and Clewiston. Route 1 goes directly across the lake, while Route 2 runs along the southern edge of the lake through Pahokee, Belle Glade, South Bay, and Clewiston.
“We are asking boaters to be mindful of the shallow water and the potential for submerged objects when traveling through the area,” said Gary Russ, Chief of the Corps’ South Florida Operations Office in Clewiston.
Today’s lake elevation is 11.09 feet, which means the navigational depth along Route 1 is estimated at 5 feet, while the depth on Route 2 is estimated at 3.2 feet.
For more information on navigation notices concerning the Okeechobee Waterway, please visit the following website: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/NoticestoNavigation.aspx
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Release no. 17-023