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View Full Version : What happens at Okeechobee Lake when S H i T Happens?



Lenny
09-26-2004, 01:27 AM
Obviously, by a maps sake at least, this is a big Lake.

What happens around there when a hurricane strikes? What, basically, happens on an inland Lake?

:confused:

Seriously, this is getting a bit ridiculous. The alphabet has 26 letters. At this rate, we might need an "adendum" ...

Formula Jr
09-26-2004, 04:04 AM
Yeah....He heh he hehee hehehehhehehehhhehehehehehehehhe
Florida sucks.
Hehehehehehehehehehh ehhehehheheheheheh hhheh
Florida... hhehehe Florida sucks.........

Florida Like Sucks!, Man. He Hehe he heHe he he hehehehhh.......

Fish boy
09-26-2004, 06:30 AM
Lenny,
the intracoastal waterway is a large waterway that traverses through the state of floida. I live on the intracoastal on the west coast of Fla near tamap bay. The intracoastal runs south (also north over here) and goes across the state, through lake okeechobee, and down the east coast. I could take my boat from my house down to poodle in Miami and not hit the gulf of mexico or atlantic ocean if I wanted.

When the US army corps of engineers made this water way, they installed several locks on the waterway in the inland areas including one right on the south east side of lake okeechobee. The locks are sort of like the double doors on businesses- one side opens, you drive your boat in, that side closes and then the other side opens and you drive your boat out. WHile in the lock, the water level may go up or down 10 ft or more (sometimes less).

The net result is that the corp of engineers can raise or lower and control the level of water in the inland area waterways, including the level in lake O. They generally try to lower the levels when large storms head this way through the locks and dams.

fish

Moore Haven lock (near okeechobee} (http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/recreation/locks/Moore%20Haven%20fact%20sheet.pdf)

More info on waterway and additional lock stuff (http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/recreation/)

BUIZILLA
09-26-2004, 06:50 AM
The lake level stood at 15.8' as of Friday, and they were worried about the Hoover Lock mainly, but it can handle/contain a rise to 30' lake level. It was predicted to have a 6'-8' rise at the worst, to about 23', or about a 6'-7' window of *rise safety*, as they call it... So, things should be okay... :confused: After Frances moved through, the containment generator/pumps have been running 24-7 pumping about 2 million gal/minute through just one station alone. There are about 60 massive pump stations in the southern tri-county area alone... 60 x 2,000,000 = ?? per/minute.
The Moore Haven lock is actually in the SW quadrant of the lake, allowing traverse to LaBelle/Ft Myers area. Don't confuse a lock with a pumping station... I would think they would be scared ****le$$ to open ANY of the several locks, until the level came back down to 17'-18', for fear of not being able to contain the backpressure to close the lock again...

boxy
09-26-2004, 07:12 AM
Jim, if I understand what you are saying, the locks in the Intercoastal are just used to control levels, and not used to traverse rapids ? Is that correct ? All of the locks on our waterway are used to traverse a section of rapids, so the main river flow goes over the rapids, and the boats go through the locks, and therefore the lockmasters can control flow through sluice gates , and dump water through the rapids section without opening the locks...... does that make any sense ?

gcarter
09-26-2004, 07:27 AM
Your right Boxy.
The lake is the second largest lake entirely inside the US. And it's very shallow, which increases the potential for roughness tremendously.
You have to plan your transit as the locks only open at specific times. The timing works pretty well for a speed of 20-25 MPH. I didn't have to wait for more than 20 min. at any lock.
It's an experience I would reccomend for anyone. :yes:

Fish boy
09-26-2004, 07:54 AM
everyone is right. As I understand it, the locks control the level, and the pumping stations make drastic alterations when the quantity of water must be changed.

I brought a boat back across just before Frances, and had to wait at some locks for over an hour. Everyone was bringing their mega-yachts and other vessels from the east coast to the west coast. At times there was merely a few feet between 100+ft boats. Needed a shoehorn, but saw some really impressive nav skills from the captains.

Sucks being behind a blow boat though cause they cruise at .00000012 mph, and absolutely go bezerk if you try to pass them. Guess I would be pissed too if my boat was that slow and I was running from a storm (did I just throm all the board comedians a meatball?)

BUIZILLA
09-26-2004, 08:03 AM
Boxy, this is south F_L_A, we don't have any rapids... it would stand to reason to me that the water evac tunnels around the locks we have, could, and prolly are, used to drain the water levels accordingly anyways. The BIG problem with Okee, is that during this storm the actual lake *height* was about 5' different from one area of the lake to the other over a 55 mile span due to pressure differentials of where the eye passed.. that creates a pressure and volume reservoir imbalance, that while only temporary, I would suspect to tax the level maintaining for a brief period. The SFWMD does a really good job, overall, for maintaining the water canal structure, in the south part of the state. The Corps of Engineers also play a BIG part in this, but the SFWMD makes the play by play calls.

JH

mattyboy
09-26-2004, 08:19 AM
we have locks in nu york we use dem to keep our stuff safe, some people even use dem on bagels ;)

the land of paradise should be called the land of roll the dice and take your chances :eek:

be careful down there guys

MOP
09-26-2004, 08:41 AM
I have driven along the south end of Okeechobee it is a bit awe inspiring and spooky, a huge earthen dike holding back billions of gallons of water and below flat land with mostly cane fields as far as the eye can see. If it did burst it would be catastrophic it would devastate a major portion of Florida.

Like all shocked that our Southern Boys are getting hammered again!

God Bless

Phil

Lenny
09-26-2004, 10:24 AM
Great info everyone :yes:

Cuda
09-26-2004, 10:36 AM
Your right Boxy.
The lake is the second largest lake entirely inside the US. :yes:


I've read that it was the second largest. When I was in gradeschool, they taught us it was the largest. What is the biggest lake in the US? The Big O is 600 sqare miles.

gcarter
09-26-2004, 10:39 AM
Is it Lake Michigan?

Fish boy
09-26-2004, 10:43 AM
What is the biggest lake in the US?

Riki Lake :jestera:

mattyboy
09-26-2004, 10:44 AM
LMAO :rlol:

5-6 foot swells all the time too I heard

Cuda
09-26-2004, 10:50 AM
Riki Lake :jestera:


Lol! I needed that laugh this morning. :)

Rootsy
09-26-2004, 07:30 PM
yes the largest contained lake within the US is Lk Michigan... at a WHOLE LOTTA square miles...

boxy
09-26-2004, 08:50 PM
:biggrin.: :biggrin.: :biggrin.:

rchevelle71
09-26-2004, 08:59 PM
Jes got an ermail from a friend on the lake..Why u gots to post stuf i sent u???

ToonaFish
09-26-2004, 09:05 PM
Jes got an ermail from a friend on the lake..

I'll bet the actuality is even more hysterical...

Bunches,

Celene "haven't heard of an ABC since the one in Lakeland got busted"

Lenny
10-28-2004, 01:51 AM
and here is some of the result...

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/10/27/hurricanes.okeechobee.ap/index.html