The South Florida Water Authority’s study of the Okeechobee deposits continues with minor adjustments.

The Jacksonville County U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to make minor adjustments to the current lake water release schedule from Tuesday, Feb. 21 through Friday, Feb. 24, which will result in the release of water from Lake Okeechobee as part of an ongoing sediment study by the South Florida Water Resources Administration. Management Area and USGS.

The current lake release target is effective from January 20, 2023.

Releases for the upcoming sediment study will only affect Port Lighthouse Lock and Dam and Julian Keene Jr. Lock and Dam as water is released to support the study.

Impacts downstream at the mouth of the Calusahatchee River are not expected due to the short duration of the study.

The aim of the study is to better understand the transport of nutrients and sediments in estuaries under different flow conditions. USACE performed similar deviations in 2021 and 2022 to support the same study.

This important study will help us understand the relationship between suspended sediment concentrations, their origin, nutrient transport, and how this can affect algae development and growth.