Kissimmee Watershed Environmental Conditions – 05/13/08

                                                                                                                                           

·        Over the last seven days, the upper Kissimmee Basin received 0.00 inches of rainfall to bring the 30 day total to 0.14 inches (5% of average), and the lower basin received 0.04 inches to bring the 30 day total to 0.08 inches (3% of average) (Daily Rainfall Report 5/12/08).

·        During the last week, releases from the upper basin lakes were adjusted to allow water levels to decline with the regulation schedules.  Releases from East Lake Tohopekaliga (S-59) continued at 250 cfs. Releases from Lake Tohopekaliga (S-61) decreased from 800 cfs to 600 cfs.  Releases from the Alligator Chain (S-60) continued at 50 cfs.  Releases from Lake Gentry were increased to 100 cfs.  Releases from Lake Kissimmee (S-65) were decreased from 700 cfs to 500 cfs.    

·        The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that the Lake Gentry project was completed last week with the removal of 20 acres of cattail and primrose willow tussocks from along the shoreline to upland disposal sites. 

·        In Lake Tohopekaliga, 4,000 acres hydrilla (of 12,000 acres currently estimated on the lake) were treated with a contact herbicide two weeks ago.  Hydrilla in the treatment area is showing signs of herbicide effects.  

·        In Lake Cypress, hydrilla treatment with a systemic herbicide (initiated on April 7) continues.        

·        In the upper basin, snail kites continue to nest on East Lake Toho, Lake Toho, and Lake Kissimmee.  Nests on Lake Toho continue to represent a large fraction of the total number of snail kite nests in Florida

·        Flow has been reestablished to the Kissimmee River for 293 days (S-65 re-opened on 07/18/07).  Flow is approximately 500 cfs at S65 and at S-65C.

·        With the decreased inflow from the upper basin, water levels continue to decline across the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. The water level at PC62, near the upstream end of the Phase I area, has fallen about 0.5 ft in the last week to 36.38 feet.  The headwater stage at S-65C has decreased to 34.45 feet, so that the water surface elevation decreases by 1.93 feet from the upstream end to the downstream end of the restoration project. 

·        Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the river channel of the Kissimmee River ranged from 3.0 mg/L to 9.2 mg/L with an average of 5.8 mg/L. 

 

 


 

 Back to Lake Okeechobee Operations Main Page

Back to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers WSE Homepage