Lake Okeechobee water releases resume

Water releases at Lake Okeechobee have resumed.

NOW.

FOR LIVE ASSISTANCE YOU CANCALL 1-866-OUR VOTE.

THAT’S866-687-8683FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY TWOYEARS... LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATERRELEASES HAVE RESUMED...THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERSSTARTED RELEASING WATERTODAY.... BEGINNING WITH 1800CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.

THEY SAYTHIS IS TO HELP PROTECT HOMESAROUND THE LAKE FROM FLOODING..BUT ONE OF THE BIGGER CONCERNSFOR MANY... IS WHAT IT WILL DOTO OUR WATER QUALITY.THE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATIONMANAGER FOR MARTIN COUNTY SAYSTHESE DISCHARGES DON’T HELP THEALREADY OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OFFRESHWATER COMING FROM LOCALCANALS... AND BUSINESSES, NOTJUST ON THE COAST, COULD SUFFERAS A RESULT***SOT***Even without lake discharges,that water comes with highnutrients.

BUTT There’s so muchof our local economy thatdepends on water and waterquality specifically.

You’redealing with covid.

You’redealing with issues from thatand now you’re going to bedealing with water issues aswell.EXPERTS SAY BECAUSE OF THE TIMEOF YEAR AND THE COLDER WATER,BLUE GREEN ALGAE IS NOT LIKELYTO BLOOM.LAST MONTH, U.S. CONGRESSMANBRIAN MAST URGED THE ARMY CORPSOF ENGINEERS TO FINDALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD PREVENTDISCHARGES TO THE ESTUARY..

HEHAD THIS TO SAY FOLLOWING THEANNOUNCMENT OF THE RELEASES..."THE FACT THAT WE AVOIDEDDISCHARGES UNTIL NOW, INSTEAD OFGETTING THEM FOR MONTHS ON ENDSTARTING AROUND THE 4TH OF JULY,IS PROOF THAT ALLOWING LAKEOKEECHOBEE TO LOWER NATURALLYDURING THE DRY SEASON WORKS.THE FACT THAT WE’RE GETTINGDISCHARGES AT ALL IS PROOF T