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Navigation Notice

Posted March 28, 2021

S-131 Boat Lock in Lakeport Reopened

The S-131 Boat Lock near Lakeport is now open. The lock temporarily closed due to required maintenance and repairs. All other navigational locks maintained by the South Florida Water Management District on Lake Okeechobee remain operational.

Posted Jan. 14, 2021

Boat Ramp to Be Temporarily Closed in Highlands County Due to Culvert Replacement

Closure of ramp on PC41 Canal starting Jan. 27 necessary for ongoing maintenance of regional flood protection system

Map location of closure of ramp on PC41 Canal

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will temporarily close a boat ramp in Highlands County starting Jan. 27 in order to replace several culverts as part of ongoing maintenance of the regional flood control system.

The boat ramp is north of State Road 70 where it crosses the PC41 Canal west of the Kissimmee River in Highlands County. The boat ramp is expected to be reopened to the public by May 1 once the culverts are replaced.

Anglers and boaters can access local waterways from several access points through public boat ramps. Visit FWC’s Boat Ramp Finder to find one near you.

Posted Sept. 22, 2020

The S-310 Boat Lock near Clewiston is now operational. The lock's hours of operation are 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. The lock will be closed and not available to pass through after hours. Starting Oct. 1, the boat lock will be open from 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.

The two boat ramps maintained by the City of Clewiston adjacent to the S-310 structure to the west are closed due to ongoing Herbert Hoover Dike rehabilitation work. Check out the FWC Float Boat Ramp Finder to locate nearby boat ramps.

All other SFWMD-maintained navigational locks remain open including:

  • Martin County: S-135 boat lock, J&S Fish Camp
  • Okeechobee County: G-36 boat lock, Henry Creek
  • Okeechobee County: S-193 boat lock, Taylor Creek
  • Okeechobee County: S-65D boat lock, Kissimmee River
  • Okeechobee County: S-65E boat lock, Kissimmee River
  • Glades County: S-127 boat lock, Buckhead Ridge and S-131 boat lock, Lakeport
  • Polk County: S-65 boat lock, Lake Kissimmee
  • Polk County: S-65A boat lock, Kissimmee River
  • Polk County: S-61 boat lock, Lake Tohopekaliga Okeechobee County: S-193 boat lock, Taylor Creek

The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee offer some of the best boating and fishing opportunities in Central and South Florida. Navigation locks throughout this interconnected system ensure that it is accessible by the public for recreation.

Along the route, there are 11 locks maintained by the South Florida Water Management District and five maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

It takes about 15 minutes to lock through most structures. This service is free to boaters locking through during normal operating hours.

 

Navigation Lock Types

SFWMD Navigation Locks on Lake Okeechobee

The District operates five locks on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee and one (S-310) on the south shore near Clewiston. Below are normal operating hours for each lock.

Lock Number Location County Hours
S-135 J&S Fish Camp Martin Oct. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
May 1 - Sept. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
G-36 Henry Creek Okeechobee Oct. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May 1 - Sept. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
S-193 Taylor Creek Okeechobee Dec. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
May 1 - Nov. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
July 4: 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
S-127 Buckhead Ridge Glades Oct. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May 1 - Sept. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
S-131 Lakeport Glades Oct. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May 1 - Sept. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
S-310 Clewiston Hendry Oct. 1 - April 30: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May 1 - Sept. 30: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A map with lock locations on Lake Okeechobee and instructions on how to move through the locks are in the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail & Okeechobee Waterway brochure. Use Frequency 16 on Lake Okeechobee for boating emergencies only.

Contacts:

  • For SFWMD lock operations, contact Advanced Design & Construction Corp., Lock Tender Division, at (863) 532-8042.

For more information:

SFWMD Navigation Locks on the Kissimmee Waterway

All SFWMD locks on the Kissimmee River and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes are operated from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays year-round. Hours of operation on weekends are from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. from March 1 through Oct. 31 and 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.

  • S-65E at Kissimmee River, Okeechobee/Glades County
  • S-65D in Okeechobee/Highlands County
  • S-65A in Osceola/Polk County
  • S-65 on Lake Kissimmee in Osceola/Polk County
  • S-61 on Cypress Lake and Lake Tohopekaliga in Osceola County

A map with lock locations is in the Guide to the Kissimmee Waterway brochure.

Contacts:

  • For SFWMD lock operations, contact Advanced Design & Construction Corp., Lock Tender Division, at (863) 532-8042.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Locks on the Okeechobee Waterway

The Okeechobee Waterway stretches 154 miles from the Atlantic Ocean at Stuart to the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates these five navigation locks on the waterway:

  • S-77, S-78 and S-79, Fort Myers to Moore Haven, Caloosahatchee River
  • S-80 and S-308, Port Mayaca to Stuart, St. Lucie River

The Corps posts information about Okeechobee Waterway navigation locks on its website. Navigation notices from the Corps are also available online.

Contacts:

  • For information about the Okeechobee Waterway, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Operations Office, at (863) 983-8101.