The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will resume flows from Lake Okeechobee Friday morning to stem the rise in the water level resulting from Hurricane Irma.
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The Corps will aim to release the equivalent of up to 4,000 Olympic sized pools of lake water each day toward the St. Lucie River through the spillway at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam. Flows will vary based on downstream conditions in the St. Lucie Canal/Estuary.
There is no scheduled end date for the releases.
The Corps will initiate flows from the Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee Estuary as soon as capacity exists downstream.
"The lake has risen rapidly over the past week," said Col. Jason Kirk, Jacksonville District Commander. "With projected inflows, Lake O will rise to around 17 feet. The outflows we will begin tomorrow morning will help stem that rise though it will not stop it. With so much of hurricane season remaining, we want to slow the rise to the extent possible so we retain storage for future events."
The releases are what so many people on the Treasure Coast fear will hurt their livelihoods and recreation.
While experts do not believe an algae crisis will result, there's no guarantee.
The Treasure Coast Rowing Club will be watching the water conditions closely.
“I remember vividly rowing through some of these swaths of algae and you just get the stench of it," said varsity rower, Haven Rose.
Toxic algae was a major issue for the team last summer.
"It's not a good way to row. Very dangerous," Rose said.
The team has enjoyed a season with much cleaner water this year.
Varsity Capt. Shannon Major says she expects the quality of the water to change within days of the water releases.
"It just takes what used to be a fun sport and makes it become a safety hazard.”
Hurricane Irma already kept them out of the water for a week. The storm's rain threatens to keep them grounded if algae returns.
“There's going to be a difference in the water quality. It is just inevitable," Major feared. "Best case scenario is we just take these few days before there’s an impact and practice as much as we can.”
