JACKSONVILLE -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District will reduce flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee River on April 19. The new target flow, measured at the W.P. Franklin Lock (S-79) is 650 cubic feet per second (cfs).

The W.P. Franklin Lock is more than 43 miles from the Julian Keen Jr. Lock (S-77) at Moore Haven. The target flow at the S-79 includes local basin runoff. Consistent with the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), the maximum allowable releases under current conditions are:

A. up to 2,100 cubic feet per second (cfs) at S-79 to the Caloosahatchee River Estuary (CRE)

B. up to 1,400 cfs total St. Lucie Estuary (SLE) inflows (S-80 + S-97 + S-49 + Gordy Road)

C. up to 300 cfs to the Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL) at S-271 and S-352,

D. up to maximum practicable south at S-351 and S-354.

Beginning April 19, Jacksonville District will reduce Lake Okeechobee releases through the S-79 into the Caloosahatchee River Estuary from a target pulse of 1,000 cfs to a target pulse of 650 cfs. Releases to the St. Lucie Estuary and Lake Worth Lagoon remain at 0 cfs and maximum practicable releases south will continue.

USACE began releases under Recovery Operations on Dec. 7, 2024. The goal of recovery is to lower Lake Okeechobee water levels before the onset of the wet season to allow for recovery of the lake ecology, specifically submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). The operational strategy for these operations slowly brings water levels down by making moderate, non-harmful releases to the estuaries, while also sending maximum beneficial flow south to the Everglades.

Lowering water levels allows light to penetrate to the bottom and allow SAV to germinate and regrow during the Spring and summer. Regrowth of SAV in Lake Okeechobee will reduce water turbidity and nutrient concentrations.

The goal is to keep the lake level below 12 feet for 90 days or below 11.5 feet for 60 days. Lake O hit 12 feet on April 16. On April 18, the lake level was 11.87 feet.

USACE continues to monitor the environmental conditions in both estuaries and will adjust Lake Recovery Operations as needed. Even if flows are reduced or halted, this does not end Recovery Operations. Recovery Operations conclude with the start of the wet season.

The Caloosahatchee River needs freshwater flow from the lake during the dry season to prevent saltwater intrusion. The South Florida Water Management District has set the minimum target at 457 cfs. However, in the past Lee County officials have called for a minimum of 800 cfs to 1,000 cfs to maintain optimal salinity levels in the Caloosahatchee Estuary.

Releases through the Julian Keen Jr. Lock (S-77) could exceed the target at the W.P. Franklin Lock (S-79) because some water leaves the river for water supply or via evapotranspiration between the locks. For example, for the seven-day period ending April 18, the target flow at the S-79 was 1,000 cfs, but the average flow through the S-77 was 1,330 cfs.