Army Corps of Engineers to begin Lake Okeechobee “Recovery Operations” Dec. 7th, triggering discharges to the east and west coasts.
On December 7th, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin discharges from Lake Okeechobee at rates of 1,400 cubic feet per second (CFS) to the east coast (St. Lucie River Estuary) and 2,100 CFS to the west coast (Caloosahatchee River Estuary).
These discharges are part of the Corps’ “recovery operations,” aimed at lowering the lake from its current level of 16 feet to 12 feet. The goal is to provide relief to Lake Okeechobee’s ecosystem, particularly its submerged aquatic vegetation, which has suffered losses from prolonged high water levels.
While lowering the lake’s levels is important, this decision underscores the ongoing challenges of managing an interconnected water system without adequate infrastructure. It’s frustrating to say the least, as these discharges will have significant impacts on downstream ecosystems, primarily in the already vulnerable St. Lucie Estuary.
Ecosystem Impacts: A Fragile Recovery at Risk
Over the past six years (since the major discharge events of 2016 and 2018), limited high-volume discharges have allowed some recovery in ecosystems like the St. Lucie River Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, with seagrass regrowth and improved conditions particularly in northern areas. However, hotspots like Sailfish Flats remain severely impacted, largely due to local basin runoff and proximity to past discharges.
These new discharges threaten to undo progress, putting sensitive habitats and marine life at risk. The St. Lucie, in particular, being much smaller than the Caloosahatchee, will bear the brunt of these impacts, reinforcing the need for better water management solutions.
Additionally, the ongoing presence of red tide on the west coast (which has lingered since Hurricanes Helene and Milton), is something to keep an eye on, as studies have proven that Lake Okeechobee discharges can intensify existing red tide blooms.
A System Under Strain: Trade-Offs and Challenges
These discharges highlight a grim reality: in its current state, the Lake Okeechobee-Everglades system lacks the infrastructure needed to manage water effectively. As a result, decisions often pit one part of the system against another—whether it’s the lake, coastal estuaries, or the Everglades.
Key obstacles include:
- The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), which disrupts historic water flow southward and forces discharges east and west.
- Inadequate infrastructure to store, clean, and move water, leading to these lose-lose scenarios.
Progress and Limitations: LOSOM and the Need for Infrastructure
The Army Corps’ newly implemented Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) represents a step forward compared to past management schedules. And in recent years, far more operational flexibility has helped avoid catastrophic discharges like those seen in 2016 and 2018. In fact, if water managers of late had been operating as they did back in 2016, we almost certainly would have already been enduring major discharges for the past several months.
Indeed, LOSOM is an improvement over past plans, and it will continue to improve balance within the system, especially once it has been in operation for several seasons. However, operational changes alone cannot resolve these systemic issues.
We simply can’t manage our way out of these challenges—ultimately, we must have more capacity built into the system through expanded infrastructure.
The EAA Reservoir, a cornerstone Everglades restoration project, represents the most important long-term solution. This reservoir would:
- Provide critical storage and cleaning for excess water.
- Allow natural water flow southward, reducing harmful coastal discharges.
- Relieve the strain on all interconnected systems.
The Threat of Big Sugar: Blocking Progress at Everyone Else’s Expense
Unfortunately, progress on the critical EAA Reservoir is under direct threat, primarily due to Big Sugar, which controls the majority of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). The sugar industry is actively suing over the reservoir, prioritizing profits over the public good. By doing so, they are effectively standing in the way of one of the most impactful projects to restore balance and reduce the devastating discharges to Florida’s estuaries.
To make matters worse, the sugar industry continues to push short-sighted and damaging proposals, such as a rock mine in the EAA, further jeopardizing critical restoration efforts.
While the rest of the system—including the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries—suffers through devastating discharges and habitat loss, Big Sugar continues to reap profits from a system they are actively stifling, completely insulated from the consequences of the broken system.
The coastal estuaries, the lake, and the Everglades all face adversity year after year due to this limited system, yet Big Sugar is never asked to share in the burden.
It’s time to call out this preferential treatment for what it is: an ongoing blockade of progress that sacrifices Florida’s water quality and ecosystems for private gain. The EAA Reservoir represents an opportunity to break this cycle, providing the infrastructure necessary to store, clean, and send water south as nature intended.
Short-term flexibility could offer relief
The Army Corps of Engineers has emphasized that there is flexibility within this discharge plan.
Colonel Bowman, District Commander, affirmed their commitment to closely monitor conditions in the estuaries and adjust operations as necessary.
“We are going to be watching the estuaries very, very closely,” said Bowman. “At any point, we can adjust from the maximums that LOSOM would allow. And at any point, we can terminate recovery operations if we feel that it’s not worth it and it’s not going to be successful or if the conditions in the estuaries change.”
This flexibility provides a measure of hope for minimizing ecological damage. If estuary conditions worsen or if Lake Okeechobee’s levels naturally recede due to evaporation caused by dry weather patterns, the Corps could scale back or even halt the discharges.
With dry conditions predicted in the near term, there is potential for relief if water levels fall sufficiently without the need for extended recovery operations. However, it will be essential for stakeholders and advocates to hold the Army Corps accountable to this adaptive approach, ensuring that the estuaries are not sacrificed unnecessarily in the coming months.
The Corps has formally slated early February as the target timeline for a “Mid Season Assessment Point.”
The Bigger Picture: A Path Forward
This situation highlights the urgent need for system-wide solutions. Without adequate infrastructure, water managers are too often left between a rock and a hard place, forced to make lose-lose decisions, sacrificing one ecosystem for another. The answer lies in projects like the EAA Reservoir, which can restore balance and protect Florida’s waterways for future generations.
These upcoming discharges are a stark reminder of what’s at stake, and why we must continue fighting for continued funding and progress on critical Everglades restoration projects. Together, we can push for meaningful change and ensure that no part of this interconnected system is left behind.
Army Corps of Engineers to begin Lake Okeechobee “Recovery Operations” Dec. 7th, triggering discharges to the east and west coasts.
On December 7th, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin discharges from Lake Okeechobee at rates of 1,400 cubic feet per second (CFS) to the east coast (St. Lucie River Estuary) and 2,100 CFS to the west coast (Caloosahatchee River Estuary).
These discharges are part of the Corps’ “recovery operations,” aimed at lowering the lake from its current level of 16 feet to 12 feet. The goal is to provide relief to Lake Okeechobee’s ecosystem, particularly its submerged aquatic vegetation, which has suffered losses from prolonged high water levels.
While lowering the lake’s levels is important, this decision underscores the ongoing challenges of managing an interconnected water system without adequate infrastructure. It’s frustrating to say the least, as these discharges will have significant impacts on downstream ecosystems, primarily in the already vulnerable St. Lucie Estuary.
Ecosystem Impacts: A Fragile Recovery at Risk
Over the past six years (since the major discharge events of 2016 and 2018), limited high-volume discharges have allowed some recovery in ecosystems like the St. Lucie River Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, with seagrass regrowth and improved conditions particularly in northern areas. However, hotspots like Sailfish Flats remain severely impacted, largely due to local basin runoff and proximity to past discharges.
These new discharges threaten to undo progress, putting sensitive habitats and marine life at risk. The St. Lucie, in particular, being much smaller than the Caloosahatchee, will bear the brunt of these impacts, reinforcing the need for better water management solutions.
Additionally, the ongoing presence of red tide on the west coast (which has lingered since Hurricanes Helene and Milton), is something to keep an eye on, as studies have proven that Lake Okeechobee discharges can intensify existing red tide blooms.
A System Under Strain: Trade-Offs and Challenges
These discharges highlight a grim reality: in its current state, the Lake Okeechobee-Everglades system lacks the infrastructure needed to manage water effectively. As a result, decisions often pit one part of the system against another—whether it’s the lake, coastal estuaries, or the Everglades.
Key obstacles include:
- The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), which disrupts historic water flow southward and forces discharges east and west.
- Inadequate infrastructure to store, clean, and move water, leading to these lose-lose scenarios.
Progress and Limitations: LOSOM and the Need for Infrastructure
The Army Corps’ newly implemented Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) represents a step forward compared to past management schedules. And in recent years, far more operational flexibility has helped avoid catastrophic discharges like those seen in 2016 and 2018. In fact, if water managers of late had been operating as they did back in 2016, we almost certainly would have already been enduring major discharges for the past several months.
Indeed, LOSOM is an improvement over past plans, and it will continue to improve balance within the system, especially once it has been in operation for several seasons. However, operational changes alone cannot resolve these systemic issues.
We simply can’t manage our way out of these challenges—ultimately, we must have more capacity built into the system through expanded infrastructure.
The EAA Reservoir, a cornerstone Everglades restoration project, represents the most important long-term solution. This reservoir would:
- Provide critical storage and cleaning for excess water.
- Allow natural water flow southward, reducing harmful coastal discharges.
- Relieve the strain on all interconnected systems.
The Threat of Big Sugar: Blocking Progress at Everyone Else’s Expense
Unfortunately, progress on the critical EAA Reservoir is under direct threat, primarily due to Big Sugar, which controls the majority of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). The sugar industry is actively suing over the reservoir, prioritizing profits over the public good. By doing so, they are effectively standing in the way of one of the most impactful projects to restore balance and reduce the devastating discharges to Florida’s estuaries.
To make matters worse, the sugar industry continues to push short-sighted and damaging proposals, such as a rock mine in the EAA, further jeopardizing critical restoration efforts.
While the rest of the system—including the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries—suffers through devastating discharges and habitat loss, Big Sugar continues to reap profits from a system they are actively stifling, completely insulated from the consequences of the broken system.
The coastal estuaries, the lake, and the Everglades all face adversity year after year due to this limited system, yet Big Sugar is never asked to share in the burden.
It’s time to call out this preferential treatment for what it is: an ongoing blockade of progress that sacrifices Florida’s water quality and ecosystems for private gain. The EAA Reservoir represents an opportunity to break this cycle, providing the infrastructure necessary to store, clean, and send water south as nature intended.
Short-term flexibility could offer relief
The Army Corps of Engineers has emphasized that there is flexibility within this discharge plan.
Colonel Bowman, District Commander, affirmed their commitment to closely monitor conditions in the estuaries and adjust operations as necessary.
“We are going to be watching the estuaries very, very closely,” said Bowman. “At any point, we can adjust from the maximums that LOSOM would allow. And at any point, we can terminate recovery operations if we feel that it’s not worth it and it’s not going to be successful or if the conditions in the estuaries change.”
This flexibility provides a measure of hope for minimizing ecological damage. If estuary conditions worsen or if Lake Okeechobee’s levels naturally recede due to evaporation caused by dry weather patterns, the Corps could scale back or even halt the discharges.
With dry conditions predicted in the near term, there is potential for relief if water levels fall sufficiently without the need for extended recovery operations. However, it will be essential for stakeholders and advocates to hold the Army Corps accountable to this adaptive approach, ensuring that the estuaries are not sacrificed unnecessarily in the coming months.
The Corps has formally slated early February as the target timeline for a “Mid Season Assessment Point.”
The Bigger Picture: A Path Forward
This situation highlights the urgent need for system-wide solutions. Without adequate infrastructure, water managers are too often left between a rock and a hard place, forced to make lose-lose decisions, sacrificing one ecosystem for another. The answer lies in projects like the EAA Reservoir, which can restore balance and protect Florida’s waterways for future generations.
These upcoming discharges are a stark reminder of what’s at stake, and why we must continue fighting for continued funding and progress on critical Everglades restoration projects. Together, we can push for meaningful change and ensure that no part of this interconnected system is left behind.