Will Treasure Coast canals and Lake O be lowered with Hurricane Idalia?

Ed Killer, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read

Hurricane Idalia will not cause canal levels to be lowered for C-23, C-24, C-25 or C-44 canals in Martin and St. Lucie counties, the South Florida Water Management District told TCPalm in an email Tuesday. Likewise, Lake Okeechobee's level will not need to lowered for this storm, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Based on storm forecasts from the National Weather Service, the hurricane is expected to make landfall Wednesday along Florida's Nature Coast as a Category 2. Residents of that area have been preparing for flooding from rain and storm surge, and wind damage.

In 2022, SFWMD had to discharge water from local canals prior to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in September and November, respectively.

Toxic algae is polluting the C44-Canal at the Timer Powers Park boat ramp in Indiantown, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, at 14100 S.W. Citrus Blvd. The state found 800 micrograms per liter of microcystis aeruginosa in the cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, according to water samples the Department of Environmental Protection took Aug. 3.
Toxic algae is polluting the C44-Canal at the Timer Powers Park boat ramp in Indiantown, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, at 14100 S.W. Citrus Blvd. The state found 800 micrograms per liter of microcystis aeruginosa in the cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, according to water samples the Department of Environmental Protection took Aug. 3.

The canals empty into the St. Lucie River (C-23, C-24 and C-44) in Port St. Lucie and the Indian River Lagoon (C-25) in Fort Pierce.

"Water levels in the C-23, C-24 and C-25 canals are in the low range setting with no further adjustments needed at this time. Water levels in the C-44 have not reached the point where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has requested that the SFWMD start pumping into the C-44 reservoir. The forecast does not indicate significant rainfall for the Upper East Coast. The District is monitoring the flood control system closely and will make any further operational adjustments as warranted," based on noon Tuesday information, Randy Smith of the SFWMD told TCPalm.

The Army Corps of Engineers said:

  • With the current storm forecast, we do not expect to make pre-storm releases from Lake Okeechobee.

  • If we get a tropical storm warning on the lake, we will close all structures on the lake during the storm to maintain the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. At this time, no warning has been issued by the National Weather Service, so we intend to operate normally.

  • We are expecting 2-4 inches of rain due to this system over the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, and even less over Lake Okeechobee itself, which is... a normal amount of wet season rainfall. Of course, we are watching the track of the storm and forecasts very closely and will update everyone with any changes to our water management strategy for Lake Okeechobee.

  • The district plans to continue holding weekly media calls to keep the public informed of lake operations and may opt to make additional virtual news conferences as needed during the storm recovery.

Additionally, the lock at St. Lucie Lock and Dam, and all locks on the Okeechobee Waterway, will operate normally from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. If there is lightning with 5 miles, lock operations will stop until no lightning is observed for 30 minutes. Lock operations will stop if winds exceed 35 m.p.h. For more information on locking boats through the Okeechobee Waterway, go to SAJ.USACE.ARMY.MIL.

Ed Killer covers the water for TCPalm. Email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Will Lake O and canals be lowered ahead of Hurricane Idalia?