Kissimmee Watershed Environmental
Conditions – 02/19/08
·
Over
the last seven days, the upper Kissimmee Basin received approximately 0.4-0.5
inches of rainfall and the lower basin received 1-1.5 inches of rainfall (Raindar 2/12/08 – 2/19/08).
·
Water
levels in the upper basin lakes are at or below their regulation
schedules.
·
Lake Kissimmee (S-65)
continued discharging approximately 250 cfs to the Kissimmee River. Releases of 300 cfs are being made from Lake Toho
(S-61). No other releases are being made in the upper basin.
·
In the upper
basin, snail kites are nesting on East Lake Toho in addition to Lake Toho.
·
Flow
has been reestablished to the Kissimmee River
for 209 days (S-65 re-opened on 07/18/07).
·
Dissolved
oxygen concentrations in the river channel of the Kissimmee
River ranged from 5.1 mg/L to 8.9 mg/L with an average of 7.2
mg/L.
·
A recommendation
was made last week to begin making releases now from Lake Toho
and East Lake Toho so that the water levels in these lakes would decrease more
gradually to the low pool stage of the regulation schedule by June 1.
Earlier releases and a slower recession rate are thought to benefit the
endangered snail kite during its nesting season. This should also result
in lower discharges for hydrilla treatment in Lake Cypress.
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