Martin County was fortunate to “dodge the bullet” of category 4 Hurricane Matthew, but as long as the St Lucie Indian/River Lagoon is attached to Lake Okeechobee via the C-44 canal, the river cannot. She is shot in the chest each time.
These photos taken yesterday morning by my husband, Ed, show the discharges, like blood, gushing out of the St Lucie Inlet. Melodramatic personification? Perhaps, but true.
A press release by the Army Corp of Engineers on October 7th stated:
“Lake Okeechobee continues to rise; today’s stage is 15.93 feet…
The Corps has resumed discharges from Lake Okeechobee after suspending them during the storm. Water managers have removed target flows and will release as much water as practical through Moore Haven Lock (S-77) located on the west side of the lake, and the Port Mayaca Lock (S-308) located on the east side of the lake…
‘We anticipate inflows to the lake will increase as a result of Hurricane Matthew,’ said Col. Kirk. ‘Therefore, we must maximize outflows in order to slow the rise in the lake and be as prepared as possible for additional hurricane season uncertainty…”
“Additional uncertainty?” Not for the river.
As the Corp has been discharging from the lake since January 29th, 2016 and now the gates are wide open to save life and property south of the lake, the St Lucie did not really dodge a bullet at all. She is hemorrhaging once again.
Until Lake Okeechobee is redirected south as God designed, “dodging a bullet” in Martin County remains an illusion.
Hurricane Matthew: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Matthew
ACOE Jacksonville: Today LO is at 16.04 feet: http://w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/reports.htm
*Thank you to my husband, Ed Lippisch and his Extra 300, and my brother, Todd Thurlow’s computer skills –whose images made this blog post possible.
Thank you so much for sharing this, I will do likewise…Thank you for all you are doing, we appreciate it so much…
Thank you Joanne! Appreciate your comment and your reading my blog! Thanks so much!
Very surreal and gruesome photos of the river and lagoon. 🙁
Mark L. Woodruff Indiantown, FL ________________________________
Thanks and great to hear from Indiantown. I love Indiantown.
Jacqui, where did you evacuate to for Matthew?
W.E. “Ted” Guy, Jr.
643 SW Fuge Rd
Stuart, Fl 34997
(772) 287-4106 (home)
(772) 485-1866 (cell/car)
guywe2@gmail.com
I did not. I obeyed my husband…..:)
Is it just me, or does the Army Corp of Engineers come across like they don’t give a rip? Who is really behind this foolishness is the question. I have a good idea…
These tragic things are happening across our nation and no one is listening to ‘we the people’. Our nation is in trouble and our leaders thumb their noses. I honestly don’t know how people without God handle all this without imploding. My faith is in Christ, so at the end of the day I can say, “Lord, I don’t like what I see, and I know you hate it too, but I will trust in you, for you have promised to return and make it right. Until then, make us wise to follow only you, and no other. For there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”.
In some ways the ACOE is like a slave to Congress. They have no voice of their own really. They do their job…Military style. Congress must listen to the People….the ACOE is just “a soldier going off to war.” I do know and believe that slowly under the radar the men and women of the ACO are changing the way things are addressed. This slow change. They have actually gotten much more aware of the SLR/IRL plight in my opinion. I think many want to “help” but can’t really say so…But I do see how it seems “they don’t give a flip…” We must keep working and know that we are helping better things even if we cannot see it….Faith….:) Thank you so much for reading the blog and for your comment.
Thank you for continuing your battle for the river and our coastline. The reefs and estuaries are the main victims here.
On Oct 10, 2016 11:13 AM, “Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch” wrote:
> Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch posted: ” Martin County was fortunate to “dodge > the bullet” of category 4 Hurricane Matthew, but as long as the St Lucie > Indian/River Lagoon is attached to Lake Okeechobee via the C-44 canal, the > river cannot. She is shot in the chest each time. These phot” >
Yes the reefs are sometimes not mentioned enough. Mark Perry has really been working on that the past few years. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for your ever wonderful, amazing coverage of the irritating IRL issues and educational posts. The pictures are worth millions of words. Keep up the good work. Thanks to the skilled pilot and computer guru.
Thank you! I could not do this blog alone that’s for sure.