Caloosahatchee/St. Lucie water releases not as bad as expected

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday cut flows to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

Flows to both rivers were maximized at the end of last week in preparation for several inches of rainfall throughout the South Florida Water Management District, which includes 16 counties and starts in Orlando and ends in the Florida Keys.

“Lake Okeechobee has fallen over the past 48 hours,” said Candida Bronson, from the Corps office in Jacksonville. “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.”