South Florida - Friday April 5, 2024: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided not to resume releasing water from Lake Okeechobee east down the St. Lucie Estuary once the current pause in lake releases ends.
USACE Maj. Cory Bell made the announcement to the media during the Friday morning media call on the status of Lake O.
Following growing criticism over the environmental and health impacts of the releases the Corps last week announced a two week pause that took effect last Saturday, March 30.
However Maj. Bell said that tomorrow, Saturday April 6, the Corps would continue with what they're calling beneficial minimal releases west down the Caloosahatchee Estuary in order to prevent salt water from getting into fresh water wells along the Caloosahatchee River.
The Corps began to release water down both estuaries on February 17th in order to lower the Lake level which had risen above 16 feet. However those releases are being blamed for the appearance toxic algae in various areas of the St. Lucie Estuary.
That raised a storm of criticism from Congressman Brian Mast, and other officials, who called on the Army Crops to stop sending water east down the St. Lucie, fearing a repeat of widespread algae blooms that, in past years, had damaged the environment, hurt the local economy and threatened the health of residents.
The USACE Jacksonville District (SAJ) will resume minimal flows west at 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) out of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S79), Saturday, to provide low flows to the estuaries and mitigate stagnant conditions in the canals along the Caloosahatchee River.
READ the news release issued by the USACE Friday IN FULL below:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to resume dry season strategy following trace flows to benefit western canals
The USACE Jacksonville District (SAJ) will resume minimal flows west at 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) out of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S79), Saturday, to provide low flows to the estuaries and mitigate stagnant conditions in the canals along the Caloosahatchee River.
Conditions in the Caloosahatchee basin have become much drier than they had been in previous weeks, leading to zero flows and stagnation in the river.
The USACE Jacksonville District Commander, Col. James Booth, in acknowledgement of the South Florida Water Management District’s request, conferred with numerous stakeholders on the west coast to discuss the change in river conditions. After soliciting feedback, SAJ will continue their two-week effort to allow downstream estuaries to recover while simultaneously mitigating stagnant canal conditions in the Caloosahatchee and maintaining zero flows to the St. Lucie.
After this week the Jacksonville District (SAJ) will resume its dry season strategy to lower Lake Okeechobee prior to the wet season, making beneficial releases to downstream users and environments. SAJ will begin targeting a 7-day average pulse release schedule of 2,000 cfs at W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) beginning April 13th and will continue those targeted releases through the dry season baring any significant changes in conditions. SAJ will also continue zero releases to the east at St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80).
Maj. Cory Bell, Deputy Commander for South Florida, hosted a media call at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the factors that make these minimal releases necessary. To request a recording of the call, please contact publicmail.cesaj-cc@usace.army.mil.