Kissimmee Watershed Environmental Conditions – 04/01/08

 

·        Over the last seven days, the upper Kissimmee Basin received 0 inches of rainfall to bring the 30 day total to 3.22 inches (99% of average), and the lower basin received 0.02 inches to bring the 30 day total to 3.48 inches (121% of average) (Daily Rainfall Report 3/31/08).

·        The discharge from Lake Kissimmee (S-65) continues at approximately 2000 cfs to continue a gradual water level recession and provide flow to the Kissimmee River.  Releases from Lake Toho (S-61) were decreased to 500 cfs.  Releases from East Lake Toho were decreased to 180 cfs.  Releases continue from Lakes Myrtle, Preston and Joel.  No other releases are being made in the upper basin.

·        In the upper basin, snail kites continue to nest on East Lake Toho, Lake Toho, and Lake Kissimmee

·        A whooping crane continues to nest on Lake Kissimmee.

·        Flow has been reestablished to the Kissimmee River for 251 days (S-65 re-opened on 07/18/07).

·        The increased inflow from the upper basin continues to inundate a portion of the floodplain in the Phase I area of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. 

·        Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the river channel of the Kissimmee River ranged from 2.1 mg/L to 6.6 mg/L with an average of 5.1 mg/L.

·        Last week the interagency team continued discussions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s request for a deviation to the regulation schedule to hold water levels in Lake Toho 0.5 ft above the schedule line until June 1.  The deviation request is intended to improve snail kite nesting on Lake Toho by reducing the amount of time that water levels are below 53.5 ft.

·        On Tuesday-Thursday of this week, a dye study is planned for Lake Cypress to examine water circulation patterns within the lake in preparation for treating hydrilla next week with a new systemic herbicide, penoxsulam.  

 


 

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