GLADES COUNTY, Fla. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say they're closely monitoring conditions of the dike around Lake Okeechobee as Hurricane Dorian is expected to pass nearby this week.
Dorian is currently off the coast of Florida near Palm Beach County and is expected to head north, skirting the east coast of Florida as it heads towards the Carolinas.
They told Fox 4 on Monday that initial indications were a potential lake level rise of up to 3 feet over the next 30 days, and that is what they continue to plan for. That includes direct rain over the lake and inflow from north of the lake.
They won't be making any pre-storm releases from the lake itself, but have been working with partners at South Florida Water Management District to reduce the water in canals to build capacity in anticipation of the storm.
They do anticipate the need for high-flow releases after the storm, but will evaluate downstream flooding conditions before making any releases.
In preparation for the storm, the Corps of Engineers sent inspection teams to the dike, and they reported no issues. They expect the dike to perform well based on the forecast.
