Army Corps delays LOSOM announcement by two weeks

Corps says it needs more time to evaluate input

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District is delaying by two weeks the announcement of a new schedule to manage Lake Okeechobee, Lt. Col. Todd Polk said during a South Florida media conference call Friday.

Corps officials cited the need for more time to evaluate input on data, including what will determine when, where and how much lake water is sent to the St. Lucie River for roughly the next decade. The announcement is now expected Nov. 16.

The scheduling change comes one day after the Corps heard a broad range of feedback from Lake O's stakeholders, including the Treasure Coast community, on what they think the current proposed plan gets right — and also what it gets wrong.