
LEE COUNTY
The Lake Okeechobee administration plan that has our leaders threatening a lawsuit is transferring ahead.
The Lake Okeechobee Program Operation Manual, or LOSOM, is the framework for what is to come.
It’s the similar system that had regional leaders calling for change, but Lee County Commission Chair Kevin Ruane mentioned getting any authorized action at this time would be premature.
Nevertheless, we have to hold out and see if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) delivers on the enhancements it hopes to make.
“The takeaway from these days is that our voices have been listened to,” Ruane reported just after the Corps on Monday introduced “Alternative C-C” as its basis for the LOSOM. They dealt with the require for alterations.
“Almost universal communication throughout all the stakeholders, chatting about the Caloosahatchee and perhaps CC didn’t do as good as it ought to have completed in phrases of Caloosahatchee worry,” reported Col. Andrew Kelly, commander of the USACE Jacksonville District.
“But these are all targets that they are making an attempt to point out, not essentially results. So we’re heading to go on to obviously press our concept,” Ruane mentioned.
This subsequent round of adjustments incorporates targets of reducing the pressure to the Caloosahatchee River, maximizing flows south towards the Everglades, and addressing algae.
“So you know, of class, I stay hopeful,” stated James Evans, environmental coverage director at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
Even though hopeful, he claimed they require to preserve strain on the Corps for these goals to appear to fruition.
“The Military Corps of Engineers is likely to have to have the political will to want to harmony this LOSOM strategy for all stakeholders and not check out to guard particular stakeholders at the cost of other individuals.”
Evans reported flows from the Franklin Lock into the Caloosahatchee had been 3,600 cubic toes per 2nd, which is nicely beyond what is protected for the river. What is more concerning is that’s from our personal h2o runoff, not Lake O releases.
He defined which is why it is so vital for the Corps to look at how substantially h2o we been given just from our encompassing spot.