Army Corps signs record of decision for LOSOM
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ South Atlantic Division commander signed the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) record of decision on Aug. 12, completing the final step in the approval process to allow the Jacksonville District to implement LOSOM in place of Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule 2008 (LORS08) for the management of the lake.
“We appreciate all the hard work and dedication the Jacksonville District put into making this happen,” Commander Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner said. “This district set a high bar for others to follow navigating this process remarkably well and being led by an extremely talented team.”
The Army Corps reported that LOSOM represents a significant shift in operational philosophy to a systemwide benefits approach. Lake level management will be focused on making beneficial releases at times and in quantities that improve water supply availability and enhance fish and wildlife in the region. It also improves the ability of water managers to use systemwide analysis to adapt to real-time conditions to make informed decisions on lake releases, and the plan facilitates more robust, structured communication and collaboration between the Army Corps and stakeholders, as operational decisions are made.
“Our nation made a $1.8 billion investment in the rehabilitation of Herbert Hoover Dike to allow development of a new operating manual that balances the needs of the entire system,” Jacksonville District Commander Col. Brandon Bowman said. “LOSOM was developed over five years in collaboration with more than 50 stakeholder groups, and the value of that time investment, the cooperation it took to develop the plan and the trust that was built with stakeholders matches that significant monetary investment.”
“Historic. Collaborative. Important. We have worked for five years to get to the record of decision, and we are finally here,” South Florida Water Management District Board Chairman Chauncey Goss said. “I’m proud of the South Florida Water Management District staff who worked with the team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) was implemented in a manner that reduces harmful discharges into our estuaries, sends more water south to benefit the environment and meets the needs of our communities. I want to thank everyone who engaged in this process over the years, especially all of our stakeholders and members of the public who contributed to its development every step of the way.”
The Army Corps reported that it started the process of developing LOSOM to replace LORS08 in 2019 with a series of 10 public scoping meetings around the state. The Jacksonville District made extensive stakeholder coordination the backbone of LOSOM development, from National Environmental Policy Act scoping in 2019, through the alternative development and evaluation phases in 2020 and 2021, and during the development of operating criteria, and review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2022. The engagement ensured a variety of perspectives on balancing the project purposes were represented and informed the selection of the LOSOM plan.
“LOSOM is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together and remain dedicated to open and transparent communication. This was a hallmark of the LOSOM planning process and will continue as we move into implementation of the operating plan,” LOSOM Project Manager Tim Gysan said. “Our team appreciates the time each of our stakeholders spent with us expressing their goals and asking tough questions as we kicked off the planning back in 2019, bearing with us as we were forced into virtual meetings by COVID, and wading through more than 500,000 model runs of data through four iterations to finalize the LOSOM operating plan.”
In total, the five-year process included 10 scoping meetings that generated over 22,000 comments, 23 full project delivery team meetings with dozens more sub-team and technical meetings, six educational webinars, two water management workshops and multiple roadshows to meet with stakeholders in their communities.
The Army Corps reported that the final EIS and Water Control Plan were released for public review on May 24 and the plan was sent to the South Atlantic Division for approval on July 19. LOSOM took effect as of Aug. 12, and the Jacksonville District will continue to communicate and collaborate with its partners and stakeholders as it works on implementation of the plan.