Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a plan to increase water releases from Lake Okeechobee in an effort to reduce Lake Okeechobee’s water level. South Florida Water Management District Communications Director Sean Cooley released the following statement:
“The South Florida Water Management District recognizes that Lake Okeechobee’s level is higher than normal for this time of year as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares the lake for the upcoming wet season. Late last year, Hurricane Ian and other storms brought record rainfall to the Lake Okeechobee watershed, which caused lake levels to rapidly rise.
“The District recognizes the importance of taking action to further lower lake levels now and supports lowering lake levels by delivering water out of the lake in a way that is not stressful to downstream environmental conditions. The District will continue to take all available actions to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in lowering lake levels like moving water south into the Everglades, making water supply deliveries, and moving non-stressful deliveries of water to the Lake Worth Lagoon. Lowering lake levels now helps reduce the chance of high-volume releases of lake water in the summer season.
“During this effort to lower Lake Okeechobee’s water level, the District would not support the delivery of water when harmful algal blooms are present. The Corps has indicated that they agree with the District.
“Improving water management remains a top priority for the District. We remain steadfastly committed to expediting water storage and Everglades projects including the EAA Reservoir, C-43 Reservoir, Indian River Lagoon- South Reservoirs, and water farms—all of which will reduce the need for water releases to the estuaries. We’ll continue evaluating systemwide conditions to balance water management.
“Environmental conditions, including lake levels, can change week to week. That is why it is important that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers revisit their decision on a weekly basis.”