Will Elsa prompt water discharges from Lake Okeechobee?
South Florida and the Treasure Coast are closely monitoring the track of Hurricane Elsa and whether it will impact our weather early next week. SPECIAL COVERAGE: Protecting Paradise  The system is scheduled to be downgraded to a tropical storm before threatening Florida's coast sometime Monday or Tuesday. As is the case whenever a tropical system approaches Florida, the Army Corps of Engineers and other experts are evaluating the water levels of Lake Okeechobee. MORE: Latest details on Elsa | Track Elsa  The delicate balance of managing the lake becomes trickier during hurricane season since a tropical system can dramatically cause the rise of water levels in a short period of time. Lake Okeechobee's water level is currently at 12.82 feet as of July 1. This figure is a slight rise from the 12.79-foot level on June 1 as the summer rainy season ramps up in Florida. MORE: Why Elsa is such an unusual storm  The Army Corps has not made any announcements regarding any possible water discharges from the lake ahead of Elsa. Previous water releases have helped to produce toxic blue-green algae along the St. Lucie River and Estuary in years past, causing backlash from environmental groups and Martin County residents for years. Toxic algae has also been a problem this year for residents on the C-51 canal in Palm Beach County, prompting multiple health alerts. Multiple health alerts for algae have also been issued for Lake Okeechobee over the last few weeks, including one on Friday for the Pahokee Ramp. Reporter Meghan McRoberts is working on this story and will have a full report on NewsChannel 5 at 5:30 p.m.  Scripps Only Content 2021