Posted on April 22, 2021
PORT MAYACA, Fla. (CBS12) — Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District will execute a temporary, minor deviation to the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule April 20-21 as part of the ongoing study by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to find ways to indirectly measure sediment and nutrients transported from the lake to the estuaries.
The deviation will allow up to 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) flow from structures for short periods of time for up to 8 hours on April 20 at the Moore Haven Lock and Dam (S-77) and April 21 at the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam (S-308).
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USACE executed a similar deviation in February to support the same study and expects to do so again in May. This study will help develop a better understanding of how different release schedules may influence nutrient/sediment loading to the estuaries.
“We are excited to find out what USGS and SFWMD learn from this study as they work to better understand the flow of sediment from the lake and into the estuaries,” said Col. Andrew Kelly, Jacksonville District commander. “Finding alternative methods to measure how much sediment moves from the lake into the estuaries is important as we attempt to better understand the system and its impacts on coastal communities.”
USACE is aware of FDEP test results of algae found on the lakeside of the S-308 that contained microcystin at 22 parts per billion, which is above the levels the Environmental Protection Agency recommends for recreational use. Every effort will be made to reduce the need to open the S-80 during the eight-hour period when water may be released from S-308. The maximum possible impact on the lake level is expected to be less than 1/2 inch.
