Highlands County Board of County Commissioners
welcomes the public to attend a
Public Involvement Meeting and
Informational Open House
Regarding the
Highlands County Rural Area Plan
March 20th, 2008
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Highlands County Agricultural Civic Center Auditorium
4509 George Blvd.
Sebring, FL 33875
The community workshop is being held to make the public aware of the project objectives and to answer any questions they might have. Participation from the public will assure that community issues are addressed.
For more information call Patrick Vanasse at (239) 278-5224
or email him at highlandsstudy@consult-rwa.com
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Highlands County, FL - A lingering water shortage and record-low water
levels in Lake Istokpoga, the fifth largest lake in the State of
Florida, has forced the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
to declare another water shortage emergency for the Indian Prairie
Region.
An emergency order signed this week by SFWMD Executive Director Carol
Ann Wehle calls for an immediate termination of all water withdrawals
directly from Lake Istokpoga or from any of the canals not separated
from the lake by a structure. This order immediately affects four SFWMD
water use permit holders and several dozen area residents, who depend on
Lake Istokpoga for landscape irrigation. Drinking water supplies and
water drawn from wells for irrigation are not affected by this order.
Since the early 1960s, water levels in Lake Istokpoga have been
regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps' regulation
schedule prohibits water releases from Lake Istokpoga and canals
connected to the lake when the lake's water level declines below a
critical threshold. At 38.55 feet above sea level as of this morning,
the water level in Lake Istokpoga is extremely low for this time of year
and more than 0.30 feet below this critical mark.
Earlier this year, as the severity of the regional drought increased,
the District requested and received a temporary deviation to Lake
Istokpoga's regulation schedule to allow releases from the lake down to
a minimum stage of 36.50 feet above sea level to meet downstream
demands. Successful water shortage planning efforts and effective
regional water conservation measures enabled the District to avoid using
the deviation. The District intends to file a new request to the Corps
for a revised deviation, which may provide some relief for users whose
withdrawal points are directly connected to the lake.
Highlands County Code Enforcement staff will be dispatched to the area
this week to identify potential violations until weather conditions
change and the available water supply improves. County Administrator
Carl Cool encourages residents to report violations by dialing (863)
402-6641.
If the basin receives sufficient rainfall and Lake Istokpoga water
levels rise above the critical lake stage, users will be allowed to make
limited withdrawals, subject to Phase III water restrictions already in
place in the area. Conversely, should stages in the lake or adjacent
canals continue to decline, other permitted water users may be affected.
The SFWMD will publish information about which canals may be used for
water withdrawals on a weekly basis each Friday - or on a daily basis
should canal levels continue to drop. This information will be
available via the District's website at www.sfwmd.gov
<http://www.sfwmd.gov/> or by calling the SFWMD at (561) 682-2900 to
hear a recorded message.
"Even though the more densely populated areas of our District are
experiencing above average rainfall, we have never faced a water
shortage in which water levels in both Lake Istokpoga and Lake
Okeechobee are so critically low at the end of the rainy season," said
Terrie Bates, assistant deputy executive director of water resources at
the SFWMD. "Water managers are working diligently to make sure we have
options available if - and when - the water shortage worsens."
Lake Istokpoga covers a total of 27,692 acres, but averages only four to
six feet in depth. Its basin covers 607 square miles (388,480 acres).
Water levels in the lake are highly dependent on rainfall and tributary
inflows. Additionally, this area does not have a large reliance on
groundwater because of the low yields of the area's aquifer and its poor
water quality.
The South Florida Water Management District is a regional, governmental
agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the
state - 16 counties from Orlando to the Keys. It is the oldest and
largest of the state's five water management districts. The agency
mission is to manage and protect water resources of the region by
balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems
and water supply. A key initiative is cleanup and restoration of the
Everglades.
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