LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says they plan to maintain existing water releases from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee Estuary.
The Corps had resumed water releases on October 5th at a rate of 650 cubic feet per second, averaged over seven days and measured at Franklin Lock and Dam. There had been several months of no water releases before that.
They said Friday that no changes are being made. However, if local basin runoff meets or exceeds the targeted release amounts at W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, no water will be released from Lake Okeechobee at Moore Haven Lock and Dam.
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No scheduled releases through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam are planned at this time.
"Recent rain has supplemented the flow in the estuary," said Col. Andrew Kelly, Jacksonville District commander. "However, lake water is still needed for environmental enhancement of plants and aquatic life. We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the system and adjust as necessary."
Today's stage at Lake Okeechobee is 13.45 feet, down 0.03 feet in the last week, and down 0.08 feet during the past 30 days.
