Corps to decrease Lake O flows into Caloosahatchee

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reduced the flow of water from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee River, the Corps announced Monday.

The new target flow to the Caloosahatchee estuary is 6,500 cubic feet per second as measured at the Moore Haven Lock and Dam. Friday, the Corps announced that it was maximizing flows, meaning the output could have gone as high as 9,000 cubic feet per second.

Flows peaked at somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 cubic feet per second this weekend, Corps spokesperson John Campbell said.

“Lake Okeechobee has fallen over the past 48 hours,” said Candida Bronson, acting operations division chief for the Jacksonville District of the Corps.  “With drier weather in the forecast over the coming days in the area, we believe the immediate threat of a large rise in the lake stage has passed.  However, we will continue to monitor and adjust as necessary.”

Flows go up and down based on the amount of water in the lake as the Corps manages the aging Hoover Dike. Water from Lake O is often cited for environmental issues downstream.