South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) staff feels good about their ability to provide protection from potential impacts caused by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Matthew.
Water managers reported Wednesday the regional flood control system is in a good position to do its job.
"We began preparing the system several days in advance of the storm by moving water to create more capacity for expected heavy rainfall," said SFWMD Chief Engineer John Mitnik. "Equipment has been checked, crews are stationed at major pump stations and we stand ready to respond to this event."
Depending on the storm's path and rainfall received, water managers will make adjustments to water control structures as necessary, District personnel said. Water levels and flows are monitored around the clock by field staff and the Operations Control Room in West Palm Beach.
Engineers have also been using the newly operational A-1 Flow Equalization Basin, a storage reservoir in western Palm Beach County, to hold both rainfall and accept water from Lake Okeechobee.
In a WJNO-West Palm Beach radio interview Wednesday with Joel Malkin, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio confirmed SFWMD's fingers-crossed confidence in its readiness.
"I talked to the Army Corps of Engineers last night about their water levels and where it’s at," Rubio said. "They feel generally OK about what the situation is for them, but then they feel like they have assets in place to deal with any sort of contingency where the water comes over the top or if there’s any, God forbid, failure of the dike. ... But you worry about that part of it as well, because (Matthew) is going to drop a lot of water, it’s a wet event."
Here's what else the District's pre-storm preparations included:
- Inspecting key parts of the flood control system
- Ensuring adequate fuel supplies for pump stations and other equipment
- Readying staff and equipment for storm assignments
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls releases from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries.
According to the Army Corps, the lake fills up much faster than South Florida's vast system of canals and pumps can drain water out to sea. Just one tropical storm can boost the lake 3 feet.
Inspectors on Tuesday were checking out the stability of the dike protecting Lake Okeechobee. The 30-foot-high mound of rock, shell and sand that surrounds the lake is undergoing much-needed repairs and an upgrade the Corps claims will not be completed until 2025.
The water level in Lake Okeechobee, said Corps spokesman John Campbell, is already higher than the peak range officials try to maintain (between 12.5 and 15.5 feet above sea level). "The lake at its current position is not comfortable but ... there's no immediate threat of failure," he said.
Further in anticipation of Matthew, the SFWMD is adjusting its hours for keeping locks open and it is closing three recreation sites.
Navigation locks on Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River will remain open Thursday depending on the track of the storm. To ensure safety, lock operations will be suspended when lightning is in the area or when winds exceed 35 mph. Staff says lock operations will resume when practical and safe following the storm.
The SFWMD's DuPuis, Allapattah and Hungryland (including Nine Gems) management areas in Martin and Palm Beach counties are temporarily closed under an executive order from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Information on when they will be reopened will be posted on the District's website as soon as possible after the storm.
For more information on navigation and recreation closures, visit www.sfwmd.gov/recreation. For updates on the District's response to Hurricane Matthew, follow @SFWMD_EM on Twitter or visit www.sfwmd.gov.
For updates in case of an emergency, residents and visitors can follow the District's emergency management Twitter feed (@SFWMD_EM ) or www.sfwmd.gov.
