Fresh water from Lake Okeechobee is now being released into the St.
Lucie River at a rate of 1,800 cubic feet per second, according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
TONIGHT - A SIGHT NOT SEEN INQUITE SOME TIME.
THE RETURN OFLAKE OKEECHOBEE RELEASES.WHILE THE ARMY CORPS OFENGINEERS SAYS THE MOVE LOWERSFLOODING RISKS FOR NEARBYHOMES - ITS RAISING CONCERNSABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTALIMPACT.
WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'SDEREK LOWE HAS MORE ON THOCLOSELY WATCHING JUST WHATHAPPENS ALONG THE TREASUCOAS<< LL TOP: RIGHT BEHIND ME ATTHE ST LUCIE LOCK IN STUART ISWHERE WATER FROM LAKEOKEECHOBEE IS BEING FED INTOTHE ST LUCIE RIVER FOR THEFIRST TIME IN NEARLY 2 YEARS.PKG: 19:17 JORDAN SCHWARTZ,OWNER, OHANA SURF SHOP WE HAVEEXPERIENCED ONE OF OUR BESTYEARS IN OUR 14 YEARS WE'VEBEEN OPEN.
AT THE OHANA SURFSHOP NEXT TO STUART BEACH,BUSINESS HAS BEEN GOOD FOR THEPAST TWO SUMMERS WITH ZERODISCHARGE FROM LAKEOKEECHOBEE.
13:03 JORDAN OSEAGRASS OUR COMING BACK SOHEALTHY, OUR FISHING HAS BEENUNREAL THIS YEAR.
JORDANSCHWARTZ IS THE OWNER OF THESANDY SHOP THAT SELLSSURFBOARDS AND FISHING BAIT.HE'S WORRIED ABOUT THEENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
19:33JORDAN THE MINUTE YOU HEARDISCHARGES IN THIS TOWN, IFYOU'VE LIVED HERE LONG ENOUGH,YOU'RE SCARED.
THE ARMY CORPSOF ENGINEERS SAID ON WEDNESDAYTHAT WATER WOULD BEGIN FLOWINGAT 1800 CUBIC FEET PER SECONDTO HELP PROTECT HOMES AROUNDTHE LAKE FROM FLOODING.
53:55JOHN MAEHL, ECOSYSTEMRESTORATION MANAGEMENT MANAGERTHIS IS A BLOW, FOR SURE..JOHN MAEHL IS THE ECOSYSTEMRESTORATION MANAGER FOR MARTINCOUNTY.
HE SAYS DISCHARGESFROM THE LAKE DON'T HELP THEALREADY OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OFFRESHWATER COMING FROM LOCALCANALS.
5:35 JOHN EVEN WITHOUTLAKE DISCHARGES, THAT WATERCOMES WITH HIGH NUTRIENTS, ITCOMES WITH SOMETIMES FECALBACTERIA THAT MAKES IT NSAFE TO RECREATE IN THE WATER.AND THAT BUSINESSES, NOT JUSTON THE COAST, COULD SUFFER ASA RESULT.
9:10 JOHN THERE'S SOMUCH OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY THATDEPENDS ON WATER AND WATERQUALITY SPECIFICALLY.
12:29JORDAN YOU'RE DEALING WICOVID.
YOU'RE DEALING WITHISSUES FROM THAT AND NOWYOU'RE GOING TO BE DEALINGWITH WATER ISSUES AS WELL.
LLTAG: JOHN SAYS GIVEN THE TIMEOF YEAR AND THE COLDER WATERTEMPERATURES COMPARED TO THESUMMER, THAT BLUE GREEN ALGAEIS NOT LIKELY TO BLOOM.REPORTING IN STUART, IM DERELOWE WPTV NC5
The Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that discharges from Lake Okeechobee will continue for at least another week.
