Water-Related News

Environmental conditions improve in Lake O and estuaries

WEST PALM BEACH – As predicted, the dry season has brought less than average rainfall, according to the report given by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Chief District Engineer John Mitnik at the Feb. 10 SFWMD Governing Board Meeting.

For the dry season to date, rainfall is about 1 inch below average, Mitnik said. The basin with the largest deficit was over Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 1 and STA-2. The Miami Dade basin had a surplus of rainfall.

SFWMD is recommending corps continue 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) releases to the Caloosahatchee River, he said.

Typically lake levels tend to slow in their recession in February, and then pick up the recession again in March.

“Once that natural lake recession starts picking up, we will revisit and re-evaluate that 2.000 cfs will reconsider,” he said.

The corps made some recent changes to move more water south of the lake, Mitnik continued. The flow formula calls for about 1,100 cfs under the Tamiami Trail.