Flows from Lake O into Caloosahatchee to drop again

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will once more reduce the amount of water going from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River.

The new target starting Friday will be 1,425 cubic feet per second, down from 2,800 cubic feet per second, the Corps said. The measurement will take place at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam in east Lee County.

Drier weather has lowered the lake stage and prompted the change. Flows into the St. Lucie River on the east side of the lake will be suspended entirely, the Corps said.

Flows go up and down based on the amount of water in the lake as the Corps manages the aging Hoover Dike that surrounds it. Water from the lake is often cited for environmental issues downstream and around the mouth of the Caloosahatchee in Lee County.

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