| Okeechobee Waterway | |
| Location: | South Florida |
| Country: | United States |
| Length Mi: | 154 |
| Locks: | 5 |
| Status: | Open |
| Navigation Authority: | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Start Point: | San Carlos Bay |
| End Point: | Indian River Lagoon |
The Okeechobee Waterway or Okeechobee Canal is a relatively shallow artificial waterway in the United States, stretching across Florida from Fort Myers on the west coast to Stuart on Florida's east coast. The waterway can support tows such as barges or private vessels up to 50feet wide x 250feet long which draw less than 10feet, as parts of the system, especially the locks may have low water depths of just ten feet. The system of channels runs through Lake Okeechobee and consists of the Caloosahatchee River to the west of the lake and the St. Lucie Canal east of the lake.[1]
Geologically and geographically, the north bank of the canal is the official southern limit of the Eastern Continental Divide.
It was built/finished in 1937 to provide a water route across Florida, allowing boats to pass east–west across the state rather than traveling the long route around the southern end of the state.
Lake Okeechobee and the Okeechobee Waterway Project is part of the complex water-management system known as the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project. The projects cover starting just south of Orlando and extending southward through the Kissimmee River Basin to the Everglades National Park to Florida Bay.[1]
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages five locks and dams along the Okeechobee Waterway.
The St. Lucie lock was built in 1941 for navigation and flood-control purposes. In 1944, the connecting spillway structure was built for flood and regulatory flow control through the St. Lucie Canal to manage the water level in Lake Okeechobee.[2]
The Port Mayaca Lock and Dam was built in 1977 for navigation purposes, to permit the raising of water levels in Lake Okeechobee, and to moderate the effects of higher lake stages along the St. Lucie Canal.[3]
The Ortona Lock and Dam were constructed in 1937 for navigation purposes.[4]
In 1934, the locks were dredged by Captain James B. Cox, who worked on the Hoover Dike, with Robert Pierce as engineer. The first lockmaster was Jack O'Day, then Captain Cox, afterward.[5]
The Moore Haven Lock and Dam were constructed in 1935 for navigation and flood-control purposes.[6] [7] The lock was renamed Julian Keen Jr. Lock and Dam. Effective: 06/18/2021 Notice to Navigation 2021-014
The W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam were constructed in 1965 for flood control, water control, prevention of saltwater intrusion, and navigation purposes.[8]