Florida DEP, FWC issue orders allowing Feds to move more water through Shark River Slough in Everglades

Late Thursday afternoon, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued orders that as per Gov. Rick Scott would permit feds to move more water via Shark River Slough in the Everglades, instead of the coasts.

On Thursday evening Corps officials couldn't be reached to see whether they will release more water south. Previously in the day, the Corps said that it would carry on releases east and west, but may not move water south as the land is already quite wet.

During a Thursday news conference, the Corps talked about water levels at Lake Okeechobee and how such levels are going to impact the Fort Myers-Sanibel region and at St. Lucie on the east coast.

Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds said that they are facing an extreme weather situation. Reynolds sympathized with the impacts people are having on the two coasts, and on agriculture area.

Southwest Floridians are worried that the water releases will have a bad impact on the Caloosahatchee River and Gulf waters, hurting tourism and other businesses.

El Nino has played a huge part in dumping record rains on much of Florida, and meteorologists have been expecting more rain for this area until May.

For weeks the lake has seen a raise as on Thursday, the levels were 16.3 feet above sea level, and Reynolds mentioned that Wednesday was the first time in so many days that the lake really went down.

She said, “For the first time since December we're able to get to a point to where outflows are equal to or exceeds inflows. This is our chance to actually get some of water off of lake before we see another rise with next rainfall event”.