Jacksonville, FL -- The USACE Jacksonville District (SAJ) will resume minimal flows west at 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) out of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S79), Saturday, to provide low flows to the estuaries and mitigate stagnant conditions in the canals along the Caloosahatchee River.
Conditions in the Caloosahatchee basin have become much drier than they had been over the preceding weeks leading to zero flows and stagnation in the river.
The USACE Jacksonville District Commander, Col. James Booth, in acknowledgement of the South Florida Water Management District’s request, conferred with numerous stakeholders on the west coast to discuss the change in river conditions. After soliciting feedback, SAJ will continue their two-week effort to allow downstream estuaries to recover while simultaneously mitigating stagnant canal conditions in the Caloosahatchee and maintaining zero flows to the St. Lucie.
After this week the Jacksonville District (SAJ) will resume its dry season strategy to lower Lake Okeechobee prior to the wet season, making beneficial releases to downstream users and environments. SAJ will begin targeting a 7-day average pulse release schedule of 2,000 cfs at W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) beginning April 13th and will continue those targeted releases through the dry season baring any significant changes in conditions. SAJ will also continue zero releases to the east at St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80).
Maj. Cory Bell, Deputy Commander for South Florida, hosted a media call at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the factors that make these minimal releases necessary. To request a recording of the call, please contact publicmail.cesaj-cc@usace.army.mil.
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Release no. 24-019