LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday that drier conditions in Florida are allowing them to reduce the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee into estuaries to the east and west.
Beginning Friday, October 5th, the target flow for water into the Caloosahatchee River will be 2,000 cubic feet per second, and will be cut to 1,500 cfs the following week and to 1,000 cfs the week after that.
Water flowing east into the Sl. Lucie River remains at zero cfs.
"Drier conditions have meant we've been able to move water off the lake, and make it possible to reduce flows to the estuaries," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds, Jacksonville District Deputy Commander for South Florida.
Additional runoff from rain in the local Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie basins could occasionally result in flows that exceed one or both targets.
Lake Okeechobee is currently at 14.41 feet above sea level. During the past week, lake levels receded 0.25 feet, with a 0.20 foot drop in the past 30 days.
