The US Army Corps of Engineers increased the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River this week.  That’s because the lake has risen to just over 14 feet in the last week and it’s expected to continue rising in the next six months.

Director of Natural Resource Policy for the Conservancy of southwest Florida, Jennifer Hecker, said unlike in the summer months when large discharges bring pollution and lower salinity to unhealthy levels in the river  discharges are necessary in the dry season.

“We actually have to fight to get environmental releases of water to sustain our river and estuary and that is what we’ve been dealing with the past several months in trying to get the water management district and the US army corps of engineers to provide us sufficient flows to maintain the health of the river,” said Hecker.

Hecker said such environmental releases keep the salt levels in the river from rising so high that they kill off sea grass.  They also keep the river from stagnating and causing algae blooms.  

She said water is not being sent down the St. Lucie River on the east coast because it does not need water during the dry season to remain healthy.

South Florida water managers hold their monthly meeting Thursday at 9:00am in Fort Myers.