The South Florida Water Management District (District) reminds boaters to exercise caution and practice safe boating during the upcoming holiday weekend.
Safety Reminders
Holiday weekends are traditionally a time of increased traffic on South Florida’s waterways. Boaters are encouraged to follow safe boating practices:
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that multiple navigational locks on Lake Okeechobee's north shore will temporarily close at the end of their operating hours tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. As the lake continues to recede, these locks are closing for safety purposes.
Per the navigation notice that was sent out on February 27, 2026, the water level in Lake Okeechobee dropped below 12 feet NGVD or 10.70 feet NAVD and the following locks will be completely closed to navigation 24 hours a day / 7 days a week until specific water levels are met.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that if current dry conditions persist and the levels of Lake Okeechobee continue to recede, the South Florida Water Management District will close or alter the operations of multiple navigational locks on Lake Okeechobee's north shore.
As of today, Friday, February 27, 2026, the water level in Lake Okeechobee is 12.26 feet NGVD or 10.97 feet NAVD.
The G-36 Boat Lock at Henry Creek in Okeechobee County on Lake Okeechobee's North Shore will temporarily close for routine maintenance next week. The boat lock will close on Monday, September 22, 2025 at 9:00 p.m. and is expected to re-open at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
Boaters will not be able to lock through the structure and should make alternate plans.
Anglers and boaters may access local waterways through other public boat ramps. Visit FWC Boat Ramp Finder to find one near you.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that there are multiple boat locks that are re-opening on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee starting Saturday, September 6, 2025. The locks will be open every day of the week.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that starting on Saturday, July 19, 2025, the S-193 Boat Lock at Taylor Creek in Okeechobee County will re-open on weekends only.
The hours of operation will be 5:30 a.m-10:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
The boat lock will remain closed to navigation during the week until specific water levels are met.
Anglers and boaters may also access local waterways through other public boat ramps. Visit FWC Boat Ramp Finder to find one near you.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that starting on Saturday, May 31, 2025, the S-193 Boat Lock at Taylor Creek in Okeechobee County will be closed on weekends. The boat lock was already closed to navigation during the week.
The boat lock is closed because Lake Okeechobee water levels dropped below 11 feet NGVD or 9.70 feet NAVD. The boat lock will re-open to navigation as soon as specific water levels are met.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that the South Florida Water Management District (District) will close certain boat locks at the end of their normal operating hours tonight, Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Water levels in Lake Okeechobee are expected to fall below 12 feet NGVD or 10.70 feet NAVD. The following boat locks will temporarily cease operations and they will be closed to navigation until specific water levels are met.
Boaters navigating to and from Lake Okeechobee should be advised that if current weather conditions persist and the levels of Lake Okeechobee continue to recede, the South Florida Water Management District (District) will close four navigation locks on the north shore for safety reasons.
If the water level in Lake Okeechobee drops below 12 feet NGVD or 10.70 feet NAVD, the following locks will be completely closed to navigation 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
As of today, Friday, April 11, 2025, Lake Okeechobee is at 12.21 feet NGVD or 10.90 feet NAVD.
The S-65A Boat Lock on the Kissimmee River in Polk County will temporarily close next week for a routine inspection.
The boat lock will close at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025, and will remain closed until 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025. Boaters will not be able to lock through the structure and should make alternate plans.
