DEP'S DAILY UPDATE ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2016
CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

DEP'S DAILY UPDATE ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE

In an effort to keep Floridians informed of the state’s efforts to protect the environment, wildlife and economies of the communities surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is issuing a Lake Okeechobee status update each weekday. These updates will help residents stay informed of the latest rainfall and lake level conditions, as well as the latest actions by the State of Florida and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Summary of the State of Florida’s Actions:

• On March 3, 2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will reduce the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee beginning this weekend. For more information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Corps’ water management website here.
  

• On March 2, 2016, Governor Scott announced that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) would immediately activate a business emergency operations center. DEO began to assess the impact the federal government’s water releases from Lake Okeechobee is having on businesses.
• The program, managed by DEO, began surveying businesses affected by the water releases and is sharing the results with various state and local agencies to implement appropriate disaster relief programs. Affected businesses should complete a Business Damage Assessment survey that will be used to determine which emergency support programs might be beneficial to aid recovery efforts in the area. Local and state officials will use this information to provide any needed assistance programs.
• The survey can be obtained here by selecting the “Lake Okeechobee Discharge” event.

• On Feb. 26, 2016, Governor Rick Scott signed Executive Order 16-59, which declares a state of emergency in Lee, Martin and St. Lucie counties, following heavy rainfall that has resulted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers frequently discharging water from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. This is a result of inadequate funding by the federal government. Governor Scott called on the Obama Administration to fully fund the more than $800 million in needed repairs to the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike to safely hold water to prevent these discharges. To date, the State of Florida has invested $880 million more than the federal government is required to provide for clean water to the Everglades. To view the Executive Order, click here.
  

• The South Florida Water Management District continues to take additional steps to lower water levels within its regional water management system. Click here for more information.
  
  • Water managers are moving up to 96 million gallons of water per day into the C-4 Emergency Detention Basin in southern Miami-Dade County.
  • Also in Miami-Dade County, pump stations are being utilized at the S-25B and S-26 structures to help maximize discharges to tide from the Miami Canal.
  • The District is injecting up to 5 million gallons of water per day into the Hillsboro Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Pilot well in Palm Beach County.
    

• By raising the L-29 canal level, per an order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and at the request of Governor Rick Scott, the South Florida Water Management District has been able to move approximately 11.55 billion gallons of clean water (water that meets water-quality standards) into the northern portions of Everglades National Park, as of midnight on March 3, 2016.
  

• On Feb. 15, 2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to Governor Scott’s request to raise water levels in the L-29 canal in order to move water south through Shark River Slough to ease the effects of flooding in the Everglades.
• The South Florida Water Management District began operation of the
  S-333 structure at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2016, after the state received an execution order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

• On Feb. 11, 2016, Governor Rick Scott requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers take immediate action to relieve flooding of the Everglades Water Conservation Areas and the releases of water from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Click here to read the letter.
  
• The Governor requested that the Corps raise the level of the L-29 canal to
  8.5 feet so that substantial volumes of water be moved from Water Conservation Area 3 to Everglades National Park through Shark River Slough.
  
  
• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued orders on Feb. 11, 2016, that would allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with this request. Click here to read the orders.

 Lake Conditions:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Update:

The FWC continues to monitor water levels and the status of wildlife in three Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in South Florida within the Everglades ecosystem. The three areas, Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA, Holey Land WMA and Rotenberger WMA, encompass 736,881 acres. These WMAs provide important habitat for a diversity of imperiled wildlife species, including the Everglades snail kite, Everglades mink, little blue heron, tri-colored heron, snowy egret, white ibis, wood stork and limpkin, as well as native and abundant species like American alligators, white-tailed deer and marsh rabbits.

• FWC’s monitoring efforts include periodic wildlife and habitat surveys. FWC staff continues to watch water gauges to monitor high water levels and the impacts and stresses they may be having on areas like the Everglades tree islands, which are critical to the survival of Florida wildlife species. High water levels can seriously impact nesting and feeding activities of our native birds and make large and small mammals much more vulnerable to disease, starvation and predation. The condition of habitat on tree islands is an important indicator for the level of stress being experienced by wildlife.

• As of March 3, 2016, water levels within the three WMAs previously listed have continued to remain above or near FWC criteria for special regulations that limit public access. Water levels in all three WMAs continued to recede slightly during the past 24 hours.
  

Everglades WMA:

• Water level (average of 62/63 gauges) as of March 3 = 11.94 feet
• High water closure criteria = 11.60 feet
• Regulation schedule = 10.09 feet
  
• Recession rate for the last week = (0.09) feet
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = dropping
  

Rotenberger WMA:

• Water level as of March 3 = 13.11 feet
• High water closure criteria = 13.50 feet
• Regulation schedule = 12.78 feet
  
• Recession rate for the last week =  (0.10) feet
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = dropping

Holey Land WMA:

• Water level as of March 3 = 12.33 feet
• High water closure criteria = 12.50 feet
• Regulation schedule = 11.49 feet
  
• Recession rate for the last week = (0.10) feet
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = dropping
  

Wildlife surveys conducted on WMA levees and tree islands during the past week suggest use by a variety of wildlife continued to increase, even though water levels in two of the WMAs have receded below criteria for special regulations. Surveys also indicate that fawning season has begun, which will continue during the next few months.

As long as water levels remain high, conditions of upland areas as well as the wildlife dependent on them will continue to be impacted. As of March 3, this high water event has lasted 34 days.

As a result of FWC’s continued observations, the special regulations that limit public access for the three WMAs will continue. As water levels drop significantly below the established criteria, wildlife will have delayed reactions and conditions typically do not improve for at least a week or more. Once conditions improve for wildlife, FWC will recommend an order to rescind the current special regulations.

Members of the public should report any distressed fish or wildlife to the following FWC hotlines:

• Wildlife Alert Hotline: 1-888-404-3922 or Tip@MyFWC.com
• Fish Kill Hotline: 1-800-636-0511

Salinity Conditions:

Caloosahatchee Salinity Conditions: Salinity (based on optimal conditions for adult oysters) is in the good range at Sanibel, in the fair range at Shell point and in the poor range at Cape Coral.

St. Lucie Salinity Conditions: Salinity at the U.S. 1 bridge remains the same and continues to be in the poor range.

Rainfall Information:

In January 2016, South Florida experienced the wettest January on record since recordkeeping began in 1932. Over the past three days, there has been a trace amount of rainfall (0.003 inches) over the region.

South Florida Water Management District's Rainfall Forecast:

Rainfall for the current week is forecast to be below average. Scattered showers east today.  A cold front currently across Central Florida will push through the area during the day today. Shower coverage with this front is limited due to a lack of moisture and energy, but daytime heating should still develop some scattered showers mainly east this afternoon as the front moves through. Temperatures will drop just a few degrees behind the front and then northeast winds will bring some spotty showers east on Saturday ahead of a reinforcing front. This reinforcing front should move through the area Sunday, bringing dry conditions Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. A more active pattern is expected to return beginning next weekend when a cold front is forecast to move into the area, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall. 

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