Flows from Lake Okeechobee are about to resume, according to The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps says it is due to a rise in water level resulting from Hurricane Irma.
Friday the Corps said it will send as much water as practical through the spillway at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on the east side of the lake and flows will vary based on conditions in the St. Lucie Canal/Estuary.
The Corps also plans to start flows from the lake to the Caloosahatchee Estuary.
“The lake has risen rapidly over the past week,” said Col. Jason Kirk, Jacksonville District Commander in a news release. “With projected inflows, Lake O will rise to around 17 feet. The outflows we will begin [Friday] 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 Corps says the lake is at 14.83 feet and rising.
#USACE to resume flows from #LakeOkeechobee. https://t.co/7btwnpBaEY#Caloosahatchee#IndianRiverLagoon#Irmapic.twitter.com/4lvaWUqqmY
— USACE Jax District (@JaxStrong) September 14, 2017
