Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) sent out a press release on Friday demanding answers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) after it announced it will begin discharges to the St. Lucie Estuary.
The USACE Jacksonville District announced Friday that it would discharge 1,800 cubic feet per second from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary on Saturday (Feb. 17), according to Rep. Mast’s press release.
Protecting the waterways of Florida – especially Florida’s 21st Congressional District – has been one of Rep. Mast’s main priorities since his election to the House of Representatives.
“My concern stems from the current management of the lake, which has kept Lake Okeechobee artificially high during dry periods to benefit the sugar industry at the expense of all other Floridians,” Rep. Mast wrote in his letter to the Army Corps.
He continued, “During the last dry season, for example, Lake Okeechobee never got below 13 feet, and we are now going to pay the price for this mismanagement in the form of dead seagrasses, killed off oysters, and major threats to public health.
“Without the foresight to see medium to long-term impacts of dry season management, the USACE has put all the surrounding communities and the estuaries at severe risk,” said Mast.
Furthermore, the Florida congressman acknowledged the consequences of USACE’s decision to discharge Lake Okeechobee.
“The proposed discharges, 1,800 cfs to St. Lucie Estuary and 4,000 cfs to the Caloosahatchee, will collectively result in dropping Lake Okeechobee by .025 feet per day. At that rate, it will take 40 days to drop the lake by 1’ overall. However, with just nine days of discharges from Lake Okeechobee would negatively affect seagrass that is home to dozens of native species and is the life line food source for manatees. Discharges of 28 days would affect the overall biological health of the estuary, and continued discharges beyond that would affect fish spawning and recreational activities,” wrote Mast.
The letter with Rep. Mast’s concerns was sent to Colonel James Booth, the Jacksonville District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
