JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As Hurricane Milton makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (USACE), is preparing to respond as needed and providing information on operational adjustments that will take place within the district.
“Our staff is coordinating closely with Federal agencies and Tribal, state, and local government officials in Florida to support local residents and prepare for the impacts of Hurricane Milton on the state, our facilities, and projects,” said Col. Brandon Bowman, Jacksonville District Commander. “We are adjusting our operations to ensure the safety of those who use our facilities and our staff. USACE is ready to deliver on any mission given by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support recovery missions.”
The Jacksonville District Emergency Operations Center is active, allowing the district to devote added attention to the response actions that might be necessary as Hurricane Milton impacts Florida. We have deployed staff to the state of Florida Emergency Operations Center and subject matter experts to areas around the state, and we are working closely with state and local officials to coordinate preparedness and response activities.
Jacksonville District is issuing the following guidance on its operations in south Florida:
- For boaters, the USACE has extended operating hours for its navigation locks for safe harbor passage on the Okeechobee Waterway; locks will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Okeechobee Waterway for as long as it is safe to do so. To ensure the safety of lock operators, USACE will suspend operations when lightning is in the area, or when winds exceed 35 mph.
- Jacksonville District park rangers are monitoring conditions at Corps’ campgrounds and recreation areas. If a county government issues an evacuation order for mobile homes or RV parks in an area where there is a Corps’ campground or recreational facility, rangers will order an evacuation of the facility and advise on shelter locations.
- The Lake Okeechobee level today is 15.50 feet, which is about six inches lower than it was this time last year. We will not make any pre-storm releases from the lake. Hurricane Helene did not bring much rain over Lake Okeechobee and the Central & South Florida system, so the lake has capacity to accept water from this storm. It is important to note that direct rainfall will cause an increase in local runoff along the C-43 and C-44 basins, which in turn will create an increase in volume of water into the estuaries.
- Jacksonville District field staff are conducting our normal pre-storm evaluation of the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee. During the storm, all USACE structures on Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) will be closed and will remain closed until the storm has passed. HHD is safer today than it has ever been going into a storm. Construction on the dike is 100 percent complete - the cutoff wall construction and all the culvert replacements/removals were completed in January 2023.
- Once the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam (S-308) closes as part of these operations, lock operators will only be able to maintain the C-44 canal levels through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80). It is likely local basin runoff will be released through the S-80, but those releases will not include any water from Lake Okeechobee, as S-308 will be closed. The decision to release water from the S-80 is made by the lock operators on the ground in real time to respond to changing conditions.
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Release no. 24-078