El Nino has not given us many sunny Florida days this winter; however, there have been a few. These aerials taken by my husband Ed Lippisch on January 10, 2024, around noon are an example of a rare sunny day. As mentioned in my last post, Lake Okeechobee has not been discharged to the St. Luice River heavily since 2018. Today, on 1-13-23, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Okeechobee is sitting at 16.06 feet. You can see from the 2024 chart below how the lake is creeping up since the new year. The 2023 chart below it, reveals numbers sometimes over 16 feet as well. There are a number of things causing uncertainly regarding lake operations. But on January 16th, 2024 the ACOE Periodic Scientist Call will occur. At this time we will get a clue of the fate of the St. Lucie. Hopefully nothing will change. Until then, you can go to eyeonlakeo.com and watch the numbers in close to real time while you email your favorite elected official.
~All aerials below were taken 1-10-23, Ed Lippisch 
~St. Lucie Inlet with rain plume
~Looking west over Hutchinson Island, Sewall’s Point and Stuart. Just off of south Sewall’s Point is the confluence of the St. Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon
~St. Luice Inlet State Park (L) and Sailfish Point (R) on Hutchinson Island. Note lack of seagrass beds. There were once 700 acres of lush grasses in this area. Also called the Sailfish Flats
