Lake Okeechobee: Lake-O is back to normal mode

[StormTracker]

For those that want to know>>>
From the US Army Corps. of Engineers(COE):

Lake Okeechobee Information

Status of Lake Okeechobee
Today, Lake Okeechobee is at elevation 12.83 ft. NGVD and has risen 0.3 ft in
the past 24 hours with about a quarter of an inch of rain in the Kissimmee
River drainage basin. The lake level rose 1.26 ft during the Tropical Storm
Fay event. This raises the lake level to a low normal level. The lake has
experienced historic low levels for the last several years due to drought
conditions. The average lake elevation based on the period of record,
1965-2006, for today is 14.18 ft.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is operating the St. Lucie Lock and Dam,
Ortona Lock and Dam and the W.P Franklin Lock and Dam to promote drainage of
local basin runoff. The Corps is not planning any releases at this time from
Lake Okeechobee as a result of Tropical Storm Fay.
The Corps has inspected the Herbert Hoover Dike following heavy rainfall in
the area and found no significant issues with the dike as a result of the
storm.

The lake is expected to rise slowly over the next week to reach a level as
high as 13.5 ft by next week. Normally, operating levels for the lake are
between 12.5 and 15.5 ft which is a safe range for the Herbert Hoover Dike
structure.

[DanKellFla]

13.11 feet already. Now, what is going to be done with the water restrictions....

[Aquawind]

13.11 feet already. Now, what is going to be done with the water restrictions....

and rising.. I hope they keep restrictions on forever. We need to change are wasteful ways period.

[StormTracker]

Yeah, one would think that after these last couple of years, we would all be transitioned into the most water-conservative people in the US(if you didn't cheat)! I just hope the lake doesn't get too much water cause then they'll have to drain it AGAIN!!!

[Frank2]

What worries me is that the SFWMD might already be considering a release of Lake water...

Don't be surprised if you hear this in the news...

[DanKellFla]

What worries me is that the SFWMD might already be considering a release of Lake water...

Don't be surprised if you hear this in the news...

<sigh> I wouldn't be surprised. But aren't releases done in conjuctrion with the Army Corps of Engineers?

I agree that the water restrictions should stay in place for lawn watering. But, for farmers, nursery owners and the like, they need to be able to irrigate. I hope our water bill surcharge is removed too. Being penelized for conserving is rediculous.

[Frank2]

As far as I know, the WMD makes the decision for the release of water, but, they do coordinate this with the Army Corp of Engineers as far as the opening and closing of locks and dams are concerned, though I'm sure there are some disagreements when it concerns when and how much...

[StormTracker]

What worries me is that the SFWMD might already be considering a release of Lake water...

Don't be surprised if you hear this in the news...

<sigh> I wouldn't be surprised. But aren't releases done in conjuctrion with the Army Corps of Engineers?

I agree that the water restrictions should stay in place for lawn watering. But, for farmers, nursery owners and the like, they need to be able to irrigate. I hope our water bill surcharge is removed too. Being penelized for conserving is rediculous.

To answer your question:


Lake Okeechobee Operations


A new, interim regulation schedule for the management of Lake Okeechobee water levels was approved by the South Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on April 28, 2008. The new Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule, named LORS2008, replaces the regulation schedule known as WSE (Water Supply/Environmental), which had been in effect since July 2000. One of the primary objectives of the new schedule is to manage lower lake elevations to reduce risk to the Herbert Hoover Dike and to lessen the likelihood of high damaging discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.

The LORS2008, like its predecessor WSE, incorporates tributary hydrologic conditions and hydrologic outlooks into the operational guidance using two Release Guidance Flow Charts. One flow chart guides the determination of discharges to the Water Conservation Areas (Part C), while the other flow chart helps to determine discharges to the estuaries and to tide (Part D). The operational flexibility of the LORS2008 schedule allows for adjustments to be made in the timing and magnitude of Lake Okeechobee regulatory discharges derived from hydrologic conditions in the lake tributary basins and based on climate and hydrologic outlooks.

[abajan]

13.11 feet already. Now, what is going to be done with the water restrictions....

and rising.. I hope they keep restrictions on forever. We need to change are wasteful ways period.

Since Florida gets lots of sunshine (in between the thunderstorms!) and borders the ocean, why not build desalinization plants powered by solar panels?

[DanKellFla]

[/quote="abajan"]Since Florida gets lots of sunshine (in between the thunderstorms!) and borders the ocean, why not build desalinization plants powered by solar panels?[/quote]

Jupiter has a desalinization plant. Desalinization plants for large populations require much more electricity than solar panels can provide. But, I would be happy if the utility company charged me $2 a month to a new plant to be built in 10 years. That would be better than my water going up drastically and suddenly when we are reacting to a crisis instead of trying to prevent one.

[VeniceInlet]

I hope they keep restrictions on forever. We need to change are wasteful ways period.

I agree with this. I think that lawn irrigation should be made illegal. People need to stop growing grass in Florida and instead switch to something like perennial peanut that stays green all year, is soft underfoot, only needs to be mowed twice a year, and needs no supplemental fertilizer or water.

Maintaining "northern-style" lawns in florida is about as stupid as growing palm trees in Chicago.

Nothing in my yard requires supplemental irrigation. I have a Darwinian landscape--if it dies, I just replace it with something hardier.

[HURAKAN]

Lake Okeechobee water level as of Aug 25, 2008

13.41 ft.

About 2 ft. below historical average for this time of year.

Pre Fay: 11.34 ft
Post Fay: 13.41 ft

Thanks to Fay: 2.07 ft

[DanKellFla]

I hope they keep restrictions on forever. We need to change are wasteful ways period.

I agree with this. I think that lawn irrigation should be made illegal. People need to stop growing grass in Florida and instead switch to something like perennial peanut that stays green all year, is soft underfoot, only needs to be mowed twice a year, and needs no supplemental fertilizer or water.

Maintaining "northern-style" lawns in florida is about as stupid as growing palm trees in Chicago.

Nothing in my yard requires supplemental irrigation. I have a Darwinian landscape--if it dies, I just replace it with something hardier.

Brilliant.... Palm Trees in Chicago. What is perennial peanut, where can I get it, and do you think that a HOA will allow it? I totally agree with you about the lawns. Who are we trying to kid. We live in the sub-tropics. Just accept it.

My parents (in West Palm Beach County) had some member of their HOA board that wanted to turn their street into something like "back home." That is, a tree lined street with a beautiful lush canopy. People tried to explain to the board why that was a bad thing. But, they had a one vote majority at the time. That was 2002. They forced all 220 zero lot homes to plant trees in the front yard that were a minumum of 10 feet tall. Almost everybody choose Bouganvillas. Not exactly a tree, but it would pass the requirements. Obviously, Frances and Jean taught everybody why you don't want a large tree in your front yard.

[x-y-no]

What worries me is that the SFWMD might already be considering a release of Lake water...

Don't be surprised if you hear this in the news...

If we get another major rain event from what looks likely to be Gustav, then levels could get high enough to raise concerns about dike failures.

It's a very difficult balancing act.

[HURAKAN]

Lake Okeechobee water level as of Aug 26, 2008

13.63 ft.

Thanks Fay.

[HURAKAN]

Lake "O", S. Florida Taken Off Drought Status
CBS4.Com - For All Your Weather Needs
MIAMI (CBS4) ― As parts of central and northern Florida still deal with flooding caused by Tropical Storm Fay, all that rain has led to one positive effect; the water level in drought-stricken Lake Okeechobee has risen to above 12 feet for the first time since January 2007.

As of Monday, August 25, the lake levels were at 13.41 feet.

On Friday, the U.S. Drought Monitor removed Lake Okeechobee from drought status along with the rest of South Florida.

Some South Florida locations and the Kissimmee River Valley saw between three and 12 inches of rainfall from the storm. It's not only important for the rain to fall directly into the lake but also west and north of the lake because it drains into the Kissimmee Basin. The Kissimmee Basin is where most of the lake's water comes from and authorities predict lake levels will rise even more as rainfall from Fay drains south from the Kissimmee Basin.

The lake is a backup drinking water source for 5 million people but its levels have been alarmingly low lately, less than 11 feet for 511 straight days during the sustained water shortage of the past two years.

Despite the rise in lake water levels, it does not mean the water shortage is over. Authorities say the lake was in the same situation a few years ago, before this crisis started. Consequently, the South Florida Water Management District is moving forward on permanent water use restrictions.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

[Aquawind]

This is good news..but with alot of wet season and hurricane season left we maybe whimpering in water for the coming months. Feast or Famine..were pigging out of late..time to get back on a balanced diet pronto.

[StormTracker]

Lake "O", S. Florida Taken Off Drought Status
CBS4.Com - For All Your Weather Needs
MIAMI (CBS4) ― As parts of central and northern Florida still deal with flooding caused by Tropical Storm Fay, all that rain has led to one positive effect; the water level in drought-stricken Lake Okeechobee has risen to above 12 feet for the first time since January 2007.

As of Monday, August 25, the lake levels were at 13.41 feet.

On Friday, the U.S. Drought Monitor removed Lake Okeechobee from drought status along with the rest of South Florida.

Some South Florida locations and the Kissimmee River Valley saw between three and 12 inches of rainfall from the storm. It's not only important for the rain to fall directly into the lake but also west and north of the lake because it drains into the Kissimmee Basin. The Kissimmee Basin is where most of the lake's water comes from and authorities predict lake levels will rise even more as rainfall from Fay drains south from the Kissimmee Basin.

The lake is a backup drinking water source for 5 million people but its levels have been alarmingly low lately, less than 11 feet for 511 straight days during the sustained water shortage of the past two years.

Despite the rise in lake water levels, it does not mean the water shortage is over. Authorities say the lake was in the same situation a few years ago, before this crisis started. Consequently, the South Florida Water Management District is moving forward on permanent water use restrictions.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Thanks for the updates HURAKAN!!!

[Patrick99]

All the canals in my area have been dumping water; I've noticed the floodgates open, and the water levels very low. I think SFWMD is making yet another mistake.

They overreact so much when some rain threatens.....and then we have a few months of dry weather in the spring, and there's no water, because they flushed it all out back in August and September. Nature gives us enough water, we just waste it.

You watch....all it will take to drop the Big O again is a few months of normal January-May dry weather.

[Storm Contractor]

The USACE shoulders a large part of the blame for the lake levels reaching all time lows. They made a knee jerk reaction to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons and drained several feet off of the lake in early 2006. Add to that the reduced rainfall totals and that is where the record lows came from. The USACE is probably throwing a party to celebrate getting the huge gorilla off of their back for that poor choice made in 2006.