DEP'S DAILY UPDATE ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 9, 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.

Latest Actions:

• On Nov. 3, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will suspend flows from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary and reduce flows to the Caloosahatchee Estuary. The target flow for the Caloosahatchee is 1,425 cubic feet per second (cfs) and no water will be released through S-80. Click here for more information.

For more information about the State of Florida's actions on Lake Okeechobee, click here.

 Lake Conditions (Update as of midnight 11/08/16):

Lake Okeechobee Management Information:

The figure above depicts various flood control structures that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the South Florida Water Management District (District) operate. The arrows illustrate the direction of water flow. The yellow arrow indicates discharges that are at levels that allow for salinity to increase, but only into the fair range. The green arrows show the movement of water to the Everglades Agricultural Area, and the movement of water from the water conservation areas into the L-29 canal to avoid potential ecosystem impacts at Everglades National Park. The district began this movement on Feb. 15, 2016, after receiving an order from the Corps at the request of Governor Scott.

Salinity Conditions:

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

St. Lucie Salinity Conditions: Salinity at the U.S. 1 bridge is within the fair range and A1A is within the good range.

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.

Current Conditions: Water levels continue to recede and marsh conditions continue to improve for wildlife. On Oct. 24, the FWC rescinded an order, which provided special regulations for the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA, once again permitting normal public access to the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA. Deer hunting and the general gun-vehicle season remain canceled per Executive Order 16-21.

Everglades WMA (Water Conservation Area 3A):

• Water level for comparison to High Water Closure Criteria (Average of 62/63 Gauges) as of Nov. 8 = 11.04 feet
• High water closure criteria = 11.60 feet
• Regulation schedule = 10.50 feet
  
• Water level for comparison to regulation schedule (Average of 63/64/65 gauges) as of Nov. 8 = 10.41 feet
  
• Recession rate for the last week = -0.13 feet
  
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = decreasing
  

Rotenberger WMA:

• Water level as of Nov. 8 = 12.79 feet
• High water closure criteria = 13.50 feet
• Regulation schedule = 13.25 feet
• Recession rate for the last week = -0.09 feet
  
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = decreasing
  

Holey Land WMA:

• Water level as of Nov. 7 = 11.75 feet
• High water closure criteria = 12.50 feet
• Regulation schedule = 12.00 feet
• Recession rate for the last week = -0.09 feet
  
• Water level trend over the past 3 weeks = decreasing

FWC encourages the public to take an active role in conservation and report any distressed wildlife to the following FWC hotlines: 

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

Rainfall Information:

During the past three days, there has been 0.003 inches of rainfall over the region.

Rainfall Forecast:

Mainly dry and pleasant today. The large-scale weather pattern will not be favorable for rainfall over Florida this week. Deep-layered low pressure over the Northeastern U.S. Coast will send a cold front south through our area tomorrow night and again on Saturday, with little discernable changes to our weather. Next chance for appreciable rainfall is at least 10 days away.

More information about the State of Florida's actions on Lake Okeechobee:

• On July 1, following a directive from Governor Rick Scott, DEP launched a toll-free Bloom Reporting Hotline and established an online reporting form for residents to report algal blooms. Residents are able to call in reports to a new toll-free number at 1-855-305-3903, as well as report information online at www.reportalgalbloom.com.
• On June 29, Governor Scott declared a state of emergency in St. Lucie and Martin counties following an increase in algal blooms in local waterways related to the discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee; on June 30, this order was amended to include Lee and Palm Beach counties as well. This order allows the South Florida Water Management District to redirect the flow of water in and out of Lake Okeechobee. The Governor also directed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to take actions to mitigate the spread of algal blooms. Click here to read the press release.
• On June 30, South Florida Water Management District began closing water control structures in the Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to stop the flow of water from these water bodies south into Lake Okeechobee. This will allow for more storage in the northern lakes and reduce the overall inflows into Lake Okeechobee.
• The District increased Lake Okeechobee discharges from 250 cubic feet per second to 400 cubic feet per second through the C-10A culvert into the L-8 canal.

• On April 29, 2016, the special regulations that limited public access on the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor, Rotenberger and Holey Land WMAs were rescinded. Criteria for rescinding the special regulations are a combination of water levels and wildlife observed on surrounding levees.

• On April 28, 2016, Governor Rick Scott sent a letter to Brigadier General C. David Turner of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requesting continued authorization for increased water levels at the L-29 Canal in Lake Okeechobee.

• On April 20, 2016, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) received two permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will allow the District to plug the L-28 tieback canal and use the existing S-344 water control structure on the west side of the water conservation area to move up to 300 cubic feet of water per second into the Big Cypress National Preserve.
• The permits were expedited in response to Gov. Rick Scott's previous emergency request – allowing the District to deviate from its previous water control schedules.
• This is an additional strategy taken by the SFWMD and the State of Florida in response to unprecedented dry-season rainfall that has filled Water Conservation Area 3A above its regulated levels. This will allow the SFWMD to move even more water south and west out of the conservation area into the Big Cypress National Preserve, improving flood control throughout the system and protecting wildlife habitat in the conservation area.

• The South Florida Water Management District has responded to record dry season rainfall by moving billions of gallons of clean water to relieve high water levels in two critical locations. This unprecedented response includes:
• Water managers began emergency operations on Feb. 15, 2016, to move water from the vast wetlands in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to Everglades National Park. The record rainfall left water levels too high for Everglades wildlife in WCA-3.
• Through mid-April, SFWMD water managers have moved 51.7 billion gallons of clean water from WCA-3 into Northeast Shark River Slough in Everglades National Park.

• 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 view the Executive Order, click here.
  

• 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 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.
• 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 order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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