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Highlands Today

New Drawdown Request For Lake Istokpoga Being Considered

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By Douglas  Carman | Highlands Today

Published: October 16, 2007

LAKE PLACID — After last week's cut-off against water permit holders using Lake Istokpoga's water, the South Florida Water Management District is preparing a brand new drawdown request.

SFWMD spokeswoman Missie Barletto wrote a press release last week saying they were going to apply to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a "temporary deviation to Lake Istokpoga's regulation schedule" to allow more water than usually permitted from the lake to supply farms and residents downstream.

In other words, Lake Istokpoga's water level could drop down if homes and farms need the water, although given the sluggish approval of the last drawdown request, it could be a few months before that happens.

"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," Barletto said in the e-mailed release.

Dozens of homes and four other permit holders had their permits suspended while SFWMD moved forward with its plans. No details were released concerning the limit of the drawdown, and Barletto said Monday that she had no further information on the pending request.

The U.S. ACE approved a 36.5-foot drawdown limit earlier this year to supply the parched farms and residents with irrigation water in Glades County and southern Highlands county. While SFWMD requested a floor of 35.5 feet, US ACE decided in June that the conditions did not warrant that low a limit. The permit expired two months later, and rains to the south during that time kept SFWMD from releasing the water for water supplies.

Istokpoga's water level stood at an elevation of 38.47 feet Monday, which is a foot down from this point last year. Lake Okeechobee to the south was at 10.08 feet.

Dave Douglass, vice president of the lake watchdog group Save Our Source of Florida Lakes, anticipated the coming dry season would be much harder on the lake than the last one.

He said SOS-FL already contacted U.S. ACE and said they will take it to Gov. Charlie Crist to keep SFWMD from going below 36.5 feet, but he expects a much tougher fight this time around.

"You'll get to a point where you wonder which is more important, habitat or people," Douglass said.

Gary Albin, the owner of the Trails End Fishing Resort in Lorida and a board member of Friends of Istokpoga, said he and the rest of FOI were more prepared for this since SFWMD had contacted them through the process. The last drawdown request in March came as a surprise to Albin.

As for the pending drawdown request?

"It depends on what the wording is and what levels they are seeking," Albin said. "We have to wait and see."

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