SJRWMD approves temporary change in Apopka discharges

To reduce the effects of a drought and continue to improve water quality in Lake Apopka, the St. Johns River Water Management District's Governing Board today approved temporarily eliminating discharges of water through the Apopka-Beauclair and Burrell locks and dams in Lake County.

The Board approved a five-month test measuring the effect of reducing discharges on lake levels in the Harris Chain and Lake Apopka by reducing the discharge at Apopka-Beauclair from 23 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 0 cfs and changing the minimum discharge at Burrell from 28 cfs to 0 cfs.

Central Florida is in the early stages of a drought and the winter forecast is for lower than average rainfall. Holding more water back in Lake Apopka is expected to keep the lake's level higher than it otherwise would be, which is expect to positively impact water quality.