The chart below provides a good visual of 2016 Lake O releases though the C-44 Canal from S-80 comparing 2016, 2013, and 2015. S-80 discharges include the surrounding man-made basin as well as releases from Lake Okeechobee. This info has been compiled by my brother, Todd Thurlow, http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOLiveData/ via SFWMD. (Automatic updates every 7 days.)
In order to fix a problem, you have to know what the problem is…..yesterday’s visual makes clear to all the problem. Don’t be mistaken, this problem although overwhelming, can be greatly alleviated –“fixed.”
In March of 2015, the University of Florida published: OPTIONS TO REDUCE HIGH VOLUME FRESHWATER FLOWS TO THE ST LUCIE AND CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARIES AND MOVE MORE WATER FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE TO THE SOUTHERN EVERGLADES. This was an independent technical review by the University of Florida Water Institute.
The 134 document summarizes three things necessary to give relief to the estuaries:
- 200,000 acre-feet of water storage within the St Lucie River watershed. (*For C-23, C-24, C-25 and C-44 canal alone—not including releases from Lake Okeechobee through C-44 JTL)
- 400,000 acre-feet of water storage within the Caloosahatchee watershed.
- approximately 1,000,000 acres of water storage distributed north and south of Lake Okeechobee.
Senate President Elect Joe Negron’s plan for land purchase in the EAA fulfills part of #3. This reservoir would be “dynamic,” meaning that in simple terms it would hold, clean, and move water south to the Everglades. In other words, it would move multiple acre feet over time.
Our St Lucie River is degrading in ways that may not be reversible. We must work for land purchase south of Lake Okeechobee to begin to alleviate the destruction. —We must not just support, but also help Joe Negron. Get ready for Florida’s legislative session 2017.
News Press: http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/08/09/sen-negron-unveils-plan-buy-land-south-lake-o/88454356/
TC Palm, Tyler Treadway: http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/health/2016/08/25/expert-sen-negrons-reservoir-plan-needs-more-projects-policies-to-stop-lake-okeechobee-discharges/89563826/
*JTL added for clarity
Jacqui, In the rainy season, which is when we suffer, mosf of the discharges originate from the lake at Port Mayaya, NOT S80. Tyler gets it mixed up too.
And Negron’s vague circles have little relevance compared to the needed Flowway as outlined by the
U.S. Corps in ’94 and over and over at the RiversCoalition.org.
Yes I’m aware of that Karl. Thank you. I wanted to use Todd’s chart. I’ll ask him for one from S-308. His data now includes S-80 and S-308. I appreciate your comments. I do the best I can.
Hi Karl – The S-308 (Port Mayaca) data is here: http://www.thurlowpa.com/LakeOLiveData/S-308.htm
The chart is still a comparison to past S-80 flows.
This query spreadsheet I made is still in development stages. I wasn’t quite expecting Jacqui to post it yet 🙂 but, hey. Get the info out there! Of course I will need to add the SFWMD DBHYDRO credit and the usual “all data is provisional and subject to change.”.
I hope to eventually move this to a cleaner web site with links to the other structures, S-308, S-49@ C-24, S-48@ C-23 etc. — Maybe add a “live” stacked graph showing the percentage of inflows from the various sources over time.
I thank Gary Goforth, Mark Perry and others for helping me understand how to interpret the raw data from the SFWMD.
It is great information displayed in an understandable way. Thank you so much Todd.