Lake Okeechobee Conditions Report
March 18, 2008:
According
to the USACE web site, Lake
Okeechobee stage is 10.23’ NGVD,
which is 0.10’ higher than a week ago and 0.10’ higher than a month
ago. The current stage is 0.58’ lower than it was a year ago and
4.27’ below its historical average for this time of year. Reported
inflows cfs include the Kissimmee
River (~1400 cfs), S71 (~150 cfs), S77 (~100 cfs), and the L8
at Canal Point (~650 cfs). No outflows are
reported.
February
water-quality monitoring results are now available. Fourteen of the 25
monitoring stations had sufficient water for sampling. Total P averaged
152 ppb lakewide (compared to 240 ppb in January) and
77 ppb at nearshore stations (compared to 102 ppb in
January). Total suspended solids (TSS) averaged
54 ppm lakewide (compared
to 109 ppm in January) and 26 ppm at nearshore stations
(compared to 31 ppm in January).
Reconnaissance
of the lake shoreline between Harney Pond and Clewiston last week revealed
extensive but patchy beds of Vallisneria americana
growing in about 30-45 cm of water. Plants remain small (< 5 cm
in height) but are exhibiting substantial lateral expansion by rhizomes.
A drop in lake levels below about 9’ NGVD will
dry out many of these newly established beds. The abundance of vascular SAV farther offshore could not be determined due to
moderate turbidity.
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