JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District will reduce target releases from Lake Okeechobee through the S-79 into the Caloosahatchee River Estuary, June 4, 2025.
With the onset of the wet season, Recovery Operations have concluded and lake stages are low for this time of year. The USACE will reduce targeted lake releases to 250 cfs at WP Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) in an effort to conserve water in Lake Okeechobee and allow lake levels to rise gradually now that the wet season has begun.
Local basin runoff into the Caloosahatchee River (C-43) is forecasted to be well above this target, which means that observed flows at S-79 will be above this target of 250 cfs. Lake water will be released at Julian Keen Junior Lock and Dam (S-77) in the event that basin runoff is insufficient to achieve flows of 250 cfs at S-79.
Lake Okeechobee has been at or below 12 feet for 51 days and below 11.5 feet for 40 days. Achieving stages below 12 or below 11.5 feet for 90 and 60 days respectively will provide the submerged aquatic vegetation on the bottom of Lake Okeechobee with ideal conditions for regrowth.
If rainfall subsides and the Caloosahatchee River experiences dry conditions once again, the USACE will do everything possible within the current structural constraints to achieve the 250 cfs including potentially lowering the upper pool of the C-43 (between S-77 and S-78) below its optimal level. This will increase the capacity to get water out of S-77, but may cause some navigation challenges. Boaters are encouraged to check water levels prior to making plans at: https://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/currentLL.shtml)
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Release no. 25-035