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Concerns Lake Okeechobee discharges are coming soon

Posted at 8:41 PM, May 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-23 04:15:54-04

Too much rain too fast.

We know that's bad for farmers who can't get their crops and now we know it's bad for people living along the St. Lucie Locks.

Are Lake Okeechobee discharges coming soon?

At Ohana Surf Shop, Jordan Schwartz is trying to find ways to keep himself busy with the rain.

However he's worried about something else.

"Discharges for sure," said Schwartz.

Right now the Corps is discharging billions of gallons of C-44 Canal water from western Martin County.

A Corps spokesperson says they having discussions about potential releases, but no decisions have been made yet.

Lake levels are approaching 14 feet and the South Florida Water Management District confirmed inflows from the Kissimmee River are coming into the lake.

"Now it can quickly go up over his next couple if days it can jump u a half a foot pretty easily," said Mark Perry with Florida's Oceanographic Society.

The Corps likes to have the lake between 12.5 and 15.5 feet.