T&T: Okeechobee/Lake Stage

[Ken Bloomfield]

I thought that it might be worth posting the following information, as I was 
once somewhat confused (not unusual for me) about Okeechobee depth reports.

The Corps of Engineers often publishes the lake "stage" levels, which Ted 
has been good enough to list below.  However, this can be a bit deceiving if 
not read in the proper context.  The "lake stage" refers to the "NVGD" 
which means "National Vertical Geodetic Datum" and is basically a datum 
snapshot at some period of time (usually many years ago) that was taken to 
be the nominal level of the lake above sea level.  This is the 5-cent 
explanation, and is not so important (you can google "National Vertical 
Geodetic Datum" if you want more).  What is important is that this is NOT 
the depth of the lake, just how high the top of the water is above sea 
level.  For example, from the Corps of Engineers site, here is the data at 
the time of this posting:

Data Ending 2400 hours   27 AUG 2008

  *Today's Lake Okeechobee Stage    =    14.02

 ++Today's Route 1 Navigational Depth w  7.96'
   Today's Route 2 Navigational Depth w  5.36'

While it is great that the lake has come way up to reasonable depths for 
using the Okeechobee, it is important that the bottom of the lake also has 
an NVGD value (never given) but as you can see, the limiting one in the case 
of route #1 is 6.06 feet ASL, and 8.66 feet ASL for route #2.  If you want 
to know what the keel available depth is, then you need to subtract these 
NVGDs from the Lake Stage NGVD.  Good grief!!!  Oh, wait, -->

Thankfully, it is not necessary to keep doing math, just go to:
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/reports/r-nav.html

And you will have the info (as I posted above) immediately.

Ken.

Ken Bloomfield
MTOA# 2062
AGLCA# 3529
M/V Tellico Lady, 50' Marine Trader-Walkaround
Maryville, TN