Corps to maintain flows from Lake Okeechobee at current rates

Published June 23, 2016

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will continue discharges from Lake Okeechobee at the current rates that have been in place since late May.

The target flow for the Caloosahatchee Estuary remains unchanged at 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as measured at Moore Haven Lock & Dam (S-77) located on the southwest side of the lake.  The target flow for the St. Lucie Estuary remains at 1,800 cfs as measured at St. Lucie Lock & Dam (S-80) near Stuart.  Additional runoff from rain in the St. Lucie basin could occasionally result in flows that exceed targets.

“The amount of water coming into the lake continues to outpace the water we’re releasing,” said Jim Jeffords, Jacksonville District Operations Division Chief.  “As long as the lake keeps rising, we must continue to do what we can to slow the rise in accordance with our water control plan.”

Today, the lake stage is 14.92 feet, up 0.12 feet since last week and more than a foot since the lake hit its low for 2016 of 13.64 on May 17.  The Corps will continue to monitor conditions and adjust flows as necessary.

For more information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Corps’ water management website at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/WaterManagement.aspx

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Contact
John Campbell
904-232-1004
john.h.campbell@usace.army.mil

Release no. 16-046