The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has reduced the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee River, due to falling lake levels.
Under the 2008 Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (2008 LORS), when the lake drops into the Beneficial Use Sub-Band (typically 12.6 feet), water allocation decisions are based on recommendations from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Today, the lake stage is 12.49 feet, and the current recommendation from the SFWMD is to reduce flows to a seven-day average of 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) as measured at the W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam east of Fort Myers. The change took effect at 7 a.m. today. (May 29).
“As the lake drops, LORS provides a framework to make appropriate decisions based on the recommendations we received from our state partners when the lake level drops below 12.6 feet.” said Jorge Tous, Chief of the Jacksonville District’s Water Management Section. “We will continue to closely monitor flows and make adjustments to discharges as needed.”
For more information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Corps’ water management page at the following website:
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/WaterManagement.aspx
-30-
Release no. 14-025