Lake Okeechobee slowly receding

Water continues to flow in from the north

OKEECHOBEE – Concerned about already an already high lake level approaching the Florida “wet” season, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started releasing more water east to the St. Lucie and west to the Caloosahatchee River on Feb. 17.

So why is the lake level still above 16 feet?

For the week of Feb. 19-25, South Florida Water Management District data shows flow from the north added 63,440 acre feet of water to the Big O, and direct rainfall contributed 3,320 acre feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and SFWMD are working on a plan to hold water higher in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes at the end of the wet season in order to have water supply for the restored portion of the river in the dry season. It takes a flow of around 1,400 cubic feet per second to hyrdrate the restored portion of the river. However, this year they had to lower the water level in Lake Kissimmee in order to repair water control structures. That work is expected to take several months, so if there is rain in that basin, the water will be released down the Kissimmee River into Lake O.

Outflow for the week included 69,770 acre feet (to the Caloosahatchee River), 48,400 acre feet east (to St. Lucie and Lake Worth Lagoon), 5,340 acre feet south and 40,390 acre feet removed via evapotranspiration (an combination of evaporation and plant transpiration).