OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will close several navigation locks on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee due to low water levels. The closures, beginning Tuesday at 8 p.m., are expected to impact boaters and fishermen who frequent those parts of the lake.
Water levels in the lake currently sit at 12.03 feet, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The SFWMD cited current dry weather conditions and safety concerns as the reason for the decision.
WATCH: How are Lake Okeechobee water levels impacting locals?
The closures will impact northern boat locks at J&S Fish Camp, Henry Creek, Buckhead Ridge and Lakeport.
Local fisherman Terry Turveville expressed concern for others in the area.
“That affects a lot of people like living at Taylor Creek and different places," Turveville said. "They can’t get out in the lake unless they go to the Kissimmee River.”
Turveville, who usually fishes in the Kissimmee River, said he won’t be directly impacted but is worried about the potential for continued dry conditions.
“My concern is that if we don’t have a rainy season, then we’re going to get too dry,” Turveville said.
The SFWMD also said that if lake levels reach 12 feet, the Taylor Creek lock will only operate on Saturdays and Sundays from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and if water levels drop to 11 feet, that lock will also be closed completely.
While some anglers won’t be immediately affected, others say the closures will limit access to popular fishing spots.
“Some of these deeper waters that people like to target those fish are behind the locks that are now closing, so they won’t be able to access it,” Ragyn Mohney, a regular fisherman on the lake, said.
Mohney said the announcement didn’t come as a surprise.
“Lake Okeechobee, when it gets so low, it can get very dangerous out there (because of) the rocks,” Mohney said.
The timeline for reopening the locks remains uncertain. SFWMD officials say it will depend on how much rainfall the region receives and where that rain falls.
