JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Oct. 25, 2012) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has temporarily suspended water releases from Lake Okeechobee as part of its preparations for impacts from Hurricane Sandy.
The Corps is closing gates at Moore Haven and Port Mayaca, where water from the lake has been released into the Caloosahatchee River and St. Lucie Canal. The closure of the gates is a temporary measure, and water releases are expected to resume after the storm passes after impacts to public safety can be assessed.
“We are stopping the releases temporarily in the interests of public safety,” said Lt. Col. Tom Greco, Jacksonville District deputy district commander for south Florida. “It is standard procedure to close these gates during a storm to allow the Corps maximum flexibility in adjusting to conditions that have the potential to change rapidly.”
No adjustment of levels in the St. Lucie Canal is expected. The Corps will continue to allow basin runoff from the Caloosahatchee River and St. Lucie Canal to pass through the W.P. Franklin Lock (S-79) near Fort Myers and the St. Lucie Lock (S-80) near Stuart.
Today, the lake stage is 15.82 feet. The lake is currently within the Low Operational Sub-Band, but within 1 foot of Intermediate Band of the 2008 Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule.
For more information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Corps’ water management page at the Jacksonville District website:
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/WaterManagement.aspx.
Release no. 12-079