Army Corps wants 'immediate' changes to Lake Okeechobee management

Changes in how Lake Okeechobee is managed are in such an “immediate” need that the Army Corps of Engineers is rushing through rule amendments without public comment — a hastiness that has raised concerns about potential water shortages in Palm Beach County.

The changes to 11-year-old federal guidelines that regulate lake levels are necessary to avoid harmful algae blooms in northern estuaries, according to an internal Corps letter that was circulated among Palm Beach County Commissioners on Monday.

Melissa Nasuti, of the Corps’ planning and policy division, said in the July 10 letter that “due to the nature and immediate need for this deviation, we are not able to solicit public comment prior to signature.”

This year, the Corps used special flexibility to release water from Lake Okeechobee during the dry season in an effort to reduce lake levels so that discharges wouldn’t be needed during summer months when algae is more likely to be present.

The move drew backlash from Glades-area communities, agriculture interests and county and municipal water managers concerned draining the lake too much would leave them with water shortages if there was a drought.

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So they said they were surprised this week to learn there were plans underway to repeat it.

Florida’s Department of Agriculture is asking the Corps to slow down. With the lake below 12 feet there is no reason to rush through a “major change” without public participation, said Cristopher Pettit, director of the state’s Office of Agricultural Water Policy in a Monday letter to the Corps.

“The proposed deviation is a major change in operations that generates additional operational risks for the human and natural environments during both low-water and high-water events,” Pettit wrote.

Lake Okeechobee expert Paul Gray, who is a scientist with Audubon Florida, was unaware of the Corps’ proposals late Tuesday, and said he would need more information before making an evaluation.

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But his initial review of Nasuti’s note led him to believe the changes could be an improvement with the Corps wanting to be more proactive in its approach to releasing lake water to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, and south into water conservation areas in the Everglades Agricultural Area.

The push for changes comes as a blue-green algae bloom has developed in the northern and western sections of Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee discharges can seed the brackish estuaries with algae, while also diluting them with freshwater that encourages algae growth.

“The algae crisis has caused substantial and widespread impacts to Florida communities over the last several years (2016 and 2018) resulting in state declared emergencies in multiple counties,” Nasuti’s letter says. “The proposed action will enhance the ability of the Corps to respond to harmful algae blooms within its authority.”

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U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm City, and Gov. Ron DeSantis advocated for the dry season releases in an effort to get the lake to 10.5 feet above sea level before the rainy season began. Lake ecologists said lower water levels would also help regrow tape grasses decimated by too many years of sun-blocking high water levels.

Under rules adopted in 2008, the Corps tried to keep the lake between 12.5 feet and 15.5 feet above sea level. Last year’s initiative to deviate from traditional rules was promoted as a one-time change while a new lake regulation schedule was negotiated and approved in 2022.

James Yocum, a public affairs specialist with the Corps, said the Corps is now “exploring additional tools to ensure flexibility in our water management operations for the rest of the year, including a deviation from the existing water control plan to release water from a rising lake when harmful algae is not present.”

But the changes with no public input are making some people uneasy. The City of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach rely on lake water during dry times. It's also used to keep groundwater levels stable to prevent saltwater intrusion in well fields.

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“My concern obviously is if they are going to bring the lake down again next year that it has the potential to impact water supply,” said Lake Worth Drainage District Executive Director Tommy Strowd. “The more years you do this, the more times you may run up against a real water supply problem, and at that point the water is gone and everyone is on their own.”

Jeremy McBryan, Palm Beach County's water resources manager, said in a note to county commissioners Monday that a summary of concerns is being developed. West Palm Beach plans to work with the county on drafting the summary.

“We were surprised to hear about the proposed Lake Okeechobee deviation, especially due to the ongoing Lake Okeechobee operations re-evaluation that the Corps started earlier this year,” McBryan said. “We look forward to receiving additional information from the Corps and participating in a public process to better understand the proposed deviation and potential environmental impacts.”

Lake Okeechobee stood at 11.47 feet above sea level Wednesday.

Kmiller@pbpost.com

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