The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District will change target flows from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee beginning Saturday, September 10, as lake levels continue to recede during the wet season and entered the Water Shortage Management Band this week.

“Based on the South Florida Water Management District’s SFWMD’s Operational Position Statement this week, USACE will change the target release plan west of the lake to a seven-day average of zero cubic feet per second (cfs) at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79),” said Col. James Booth, Jacksonville District Commander “We continue to be completely in step with our partners at the South Florida Water Management District, and we will continue to work with them to manage the lake in the best way possible to navigate this extremely unusual wet season. And it is also important to remember that we are just now entering the peak of hurricane season. One major rain event can completely change the conversation.”

At this point in the schedule, the Jacksonville District does not need to make any releases in support of the federal project purposes.

Flows from W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) will be from local runoff. USACE will continue to operate the system for navigation and maintain canal levels for navigation operations so some releases may be seen to support those operations.

The seven-day average target to the East at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80) remains at 0 cfs.