Corps of Engineers approves Lake O flow south to Everglades

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – Additional water from Lake Okeechobee could be headed to a reservoir in the Everglades as part of emergency action, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Monday.

The reservoir is located west of Miami, according to authorities.

Increased flow to the Everglades reservoir will raise the water level of the L-29 canal from 7.5 feet to 8.5 feet and will allow more water to be moved from Water Conservation Area 3 to the Everglades National Park, the Corps of Engineers said.

More than 3.7 billion gallons of lake water is being released daily into the Caloosahatchee River. About 2 billion gallons are also being released to the east coast through the St. Lucie River.

The approved plan to increase flow south of Lake Okeechobee will not immediately alter the amount of fresh water released into Southwest Florida, John Campbell of the Army Corps said.

The Corps of Engineers have said they cannot afford to stop the releases because water levels rise even after rainfall has stopped.

Private property owners may face “potential flooding from higher canal levels” but state authorities received permission to grant increased release flows south, the Corps of Engineers said Monday. The Miccosukee and Seminole tribes were also consulted.

The Corps of Engineers’ decision was a response to the Feb. 11 request from Gov. Rick Scott to raise water levels to help alleviate flooding in the Everglades Water Conservation Areas and limit the release of water from Lake Okeechobee.

 

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