Lake Okeechobee Water Level

Above sea level causing an end to the releases to the st.
Lake okeechobee water level. Lucie canal at port mayaca. The normal water levels on the lake in the winter time range in the 14 16 feet above sea level. In 2004 lake levels increased to a very high elevation after four hurricanes passed over south florida. The army corps tries to keep the lake level below 15 5.
Levels were lowered primarily via the only available outlets to coastal estuaries. Daily elevations are an average of the four gage readings from the interior of the lake. Despite its impressive size the lake is shallow with an average depth of only 9 feet. With a surface area of 730 square miles it is the largest lake in the southeastern united states.
Lucie lock is 0 cubic feet per second cfs. The water levels on lake okeechobee will fluctuate 3 5 feet per year. Lake okeechobee means big water in the seminole indian language an appropriate name for a water body whose opposite shore can t be seen from the water s edge. Lake okeechobee waterways have been in the news a lot recently.
Current lake level is. Water level of florida s lake okeechobee between january 2016 and september 28 2017 compared to historical levels from 1931 2016. Data ending 2400 hours 04 sep 2020. Lake okeechobee and navigation depth report.
Its water is somewhat murky from runoff from surrounding farmlands. Army corps of engineers regulates and reports the official daily water levels of lake okeechobee and these major water bodies and areas within the south florida water management district. The normal water level on lake okeechobee in the summer months range in the 12 15 feet above sea level. The federal project depth for the okeechobee waterway is 8 from the atlantic intracoastal waterway near stuart fl via okeechobee lake route 1 to fort myers fl then 10 from ft.
Currently no water is flowing into the st. Lake okeechobee lake okeechobee has dropped below 12 ft. The floor of the lake is a limestone basin with a maximum depth of 13 feet 4 m. Unfortunately these discharges were very damaging to the estuaries.
It is used for navigation municipal water supply irrigation and flood control. The army corps of engineers targets keeping the surface of the lake between 12 5 and 15 5 feet 4 and 5 m above sea level. The target rate at the st. Lake okeechobee kissimmee river basin everglades water conservation area 1 loxahatchee national wildlife refuge.
Myers to punta rassa and then 12 to the gulf of mexico. Total usable capacity is 2 860 000 acre ft between elevations 10 5 and 17 5 ft.