PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
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UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE SYSTEM OPERATING MANUAL (LOSOM)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
The purpose of the current LOSOM effort is to re-evaluate and re-define operations for the Lake Okeechobee regulatory discharge schedule that takes into account additional infrastructure that will soon be operational. County staff have been heavily engaged in the process and will update the Board on recent meetings with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and upcoming opportunities for stakeholder input.
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DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PREPARED BY: Name: John Maehl
Title: Ecosystems Restoration and Management Division Manager
REQUESTED BY: John Maehl
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
The Federal Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (WRDA 2018) authorized the USACE to commence planning for an updated Lake Okeechobee management and regulatory discharge schedule to replace the current schedule. The current schedule was developed with the primary objective of reducing the risk of failure for the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD). The dike repairs are scheduled to be complete near the end of 2022 and the USACE is planning to complete and implement the new management schedule in coordination with the completion of the HHD repairs.
Management of Lake Okeechobee is of particular concern to Martin County because one of the primary outlets that have been used by the USACE to discharge excess water is through the St. Lucie River and Estuary (SLE) and through the St. Lucie Inlet. After leaving the inlet, the fresh and nutrient rich Lake discharges can reach the near shore reef. The schedule that prescribes management of the Lake has a significant impact on the volume and duration of damaging lake discharges to the SLE. Martin County has taken a proactive stakeholder role in the development of the new schedule and will continue to advocate as much as possible...
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