More water headed into Caloosahatchee: What it means for our estuary

Reporter: Elizabeth Biro Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

Southwest Florida cringes every time the mention of releases from Lake Okeechobee comes up. There are concerns about what’s in the water and whether it will dirty our shoreline or even fuel blue-green algae blooms.

It’s a balance. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t want to harm the coastal estuaries but unfortunately the lake has been too high for some time now. It stands just below 16 feet and they want it down to 12 before the rainy season starts.

The Whitley’s know how delicate the balance is between the two water ways. They live half the year by Lake Okeechobee and the other half in Southwest Florida.

Raymond Whitley sees what happens when the lake gets too high.

“Well, for one thing, it kills the grass. It definitely hurts the fishing when it’s deeper,” said Whitley.

He’s also seen what can happen when too much water is released from the lake.

“A lot of dead fish, and it’s not nice,” said Whitley.

The decision-makers are the Army Corps of Engineers. Starting in December releases from the Franklin Lock and Dam, Whitley’s boating spot, will go up.

“So it’s a fairly small jump, going from 2000 to 2100 cfs. That’s right at the threshold where science has told us that anything over that 2100 is damaging,” said Daniel Andrews with Captains for Clean Water.

The army corps is paying close attention to algae on the lake and in the coastal estuary as they work to lower the lake from 16 feet to 12 feet.

Something the corps and Captains for Clean Water both want.

“If you’re able to lower the lake while not causing any harm to the environment, then we will have less damaging releases in the summer,” said Andrews.

Andrews says the key is more infrastructure like the EAA reservoir that can hold water south of the lake not send it east and west.

Protecting the lake and estuaries takes balance and tough decisions. It’s a job Whitley doesn’t want.

“No ha, I enjoy fishing and riding the boat,” said Whitley.

But Whitley knows we need it so he can enjoy fishing in both.

The increased releases are expected to begin on December 7.

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