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Federal Officials Reduce Draining From Lake Okeechobee

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Federal officials say they are reducing the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee.

Multiple media outlets report the Army Corps of Engineers on Friday started dialing back the dumping of lake water to the east and west coasts.

The corps will bring releases back down to what its own regulation schedule has been calling for after Lake Okeechobee topped 16 feet in early February, prompting officials to exceed the recommended amount of lake water discharge to the coasts.

Jim Jeffords, the Army Corps chief of operations for Florida, says if the lake starts rising again, they may have to increase the flows, but it all depends on the weather.

The Army Corps tries to keep the lake between 12.5 and 15.5 feet above sea level.

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