Corps to decrease water flows from Lake O

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will reduce water flows from Lake Okeechobee beginning Friday, the agency announced Thursday afternoon.

The news comes in the wake of Gov. Rick Scott’s declaration of a state of emergency in four counties, including Lee County, because of algae blooms in waterways that flow from the lake through those counties.

The state of emergency allows South Florida Water Management District to reduce some of the flows coming into the lake, Col. Jason Kirk said in a statement announcing the decision on the water levels.

“It has been a challenging year for south Florida,” Kirk said.  “Our water managers have dealt with such large quantities of rain and runoff entering the lake that it would cover the entire state of Delaware in two feet of water. However, after visiting with local elected officials in Martin County yesterday and viewing the algae first hand, we felt compelled to take action, even though we need to remain vigilant in managing the level of Lake Okeechobee.”

The condition of the water has disturbed many, including Brett Cox, a charter fishing captain who’s a member of an advocacy group known as the Southwest Florida Clean Water Movement.

“Three feet of water and you can’t see the bottom, when normally this is like Key West water, very bright green, bright blue tint, clear as day, you can see starfish and conchs,” he said while in a boat off Fort Myers Beach. “You can’t even see your feet in this. So not normal, not normal at all.”

Even more alarming sights are on the east coast, where thick, toxic algae is readily apparent and emits an overwhelming smell. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, addressed reporters after touring contaminated areas.

“Right now as you just smelled right there with the rotting algae, this is an emergency, Nelson said. “And were asking them to stop the flow of water into Lake Okeechobee and get as much out into the canals to the south so you don’t have to release into the Caloosahatchee River in the west and the St. Lucie on the east.”

Mary Radabaugh, the manager of a marina that connects to the St. Lucie River, said the algae is affecting her business.

“It is a horrible, horrible situation,” Radabaugh said. “We are starting as of this week to have phone calls with people saying, ‘I’d rather wait until the water clears up. I don’t want to bring my boat in it.'”

Radabaugh said she believes reduced flows won’t solve the problem but will provide relief.

The Corps said it will begin a pulse release with a new target flow for the Caloosahatchee Estuary of 3,000 cubic feet per second averaged over seven days as measured at Moore Haven Lock, located in the southwest part of the lake. The new target flow for the St. Lucie Estuary will be a seven-day average of 1,170 cubic feet per second as measured at St.
Lucie Lock near Stuart, according to the corps.

Today, the lake stage is 14.90 feet, up more than a foot since the lake hit its low for the year of 13.64 on May 17, the corps said.