Kissimmee Watershed Environmental Conditions – 12/16/08:

 

·        Over the last seven days, the upper Kissimmee Basin received 0.67 inches of rainfall to bring the 30 day total to 1.16 inches (46% of average) and the lower basin received approximately 0.78 inches to bring the 30 day total to 1.25 inches (63% of average). (Daily Rainfall Report 12/15/08).

·        Stage in Lakes Kissimmee, Hatchineha and Cypress is now 1.35 ft below regulation schedule and stage in Lakes Tohopekaliga and East Tohopekaliga is 0.4-0.5 ft below regulation schedule.

·        Discharge from Lake Kissimmee is approximately 300 cfs and discharge at S65C is 450 cfs.

·        Water levels on the floodplain in the restored section of the Kissimmee River have increased slightly due to local inflows.  Water levels range from dry in the northern part of Pool B/C to 1.8 feet in the area immediately north of S65C. 

·        Stage in C-38 north of the current backfilling project is approximately 7-8 ft higher than south of the backfilling due to water being conveyed around the active construction.  In the event of increased inflows through S65A, culverts can be opened to pass additional water around/through the construction area.

·        Wading bird numbers were down significantly from October. Only two small flocks of blue-winged teal were observed. Most of the birds were observed in Pool B in one large flock at the south end of the backfilling construction area on the west side of C-38, in the large wet prairie area within the Bombing range fence. This area would be dry if we were not conveying water onto the floodplain in this area to bypass the active construction zone. 

·        Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Kissimmee River were well above levels of concern over the past week.

 

 


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