Sept. 6, 2017

SFWMD Announces Lock Closures for Lake Okeechobee and Kissimmee River as well as Recreation Closures for Hurricane Irma
 
West Palm Beach, FL - In anticipation of Hurricane Irma, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is adjusting hours for navigation locks on Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River as well as temporarily closing public lands to recreation within all 16 counties served by the District.

All SFWMD navigation locks on Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River will operate during normal hours on Thursday. To ensure safety, all lock operations will be suspended at noon on Friday. Lock operations will resume when practical and safe following the hurricane. A full list of SFWMD-operated locks is available at www.sfwmd.gov/navigation.

Navigation locks on the Okeechobee Waterway are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For the status of those locks, check navigation notices from the Corps.

All SFWMD managed-land and lands managed in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be closed to public use under an emergency order effective 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 8. Information on all reopenings will be posted on the District's website after the hurricane.

For more information on navigation and recreation closures, visit www.sfwmd.gov/navigation and  www.sfwmd.gov/recreation. For updates on the District's response to Hurricane Irma, follow @SFWMD_EM on Twitter or visit www.sfwmd.gov.
Media Contact: 
Randy Smith  |   rrsmith@sfwmd.gov    |  Office: 561-682-2800  |  Cell: 561-389-3386
The South Florida Water Management District is a regional governmental agency that manages the water resources in the southern part of the state. It is the oldest and largest of the state's five water management districts. Our mission is to protect South Florida's water resources by balancing and improving flood control, water supply, water quality and natural systems.

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