The water in Florida’s "Big O" is doing something today that usually makes people nervous. It’s dropping. Fast.
As of January 17, 2026, the Okeechobee lake level today is sitting at 13.10 feet.
If you just looked at the raw numbers, you might think everything is fine. But honestly, if you compare that to the historical average for this specific date—which is usually closer to 14.71 feet—we are nearly two feet below the "normal" mark. We are currently in a weird spot where the lake is low enough to make boaters check their depth finders twice, but high enough that the Army Corps of Engineers isn't exactly panicking. Yet.
Why the Current Level is Actually Kind of Good (For Now)
There is a massive misconception that a "full" Lake Okeechobee is a healthy one. It’s actually the opposite.
When the lake gets too high, like up toward 16 or 17 feet, it acts like a giant blender. The water gets deep, the wind whips up the muck from the bottom, and the sunlight can’t reach the plants. Basically, the lake’s "lungs"—the submerged aquatic vegetation like eelgrass—start to drown and rot.
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Right now, the 13.10-foot level is part of what experts call a "recovery mode." By keeping the water lower, sunlight can finally hit the lake bed. This encourages the grass to grow back.
Scott Martin, a well-known local angler and advocate, has been vocal about this. He’s noted that while we’ve seen some great regrowth on the north shore, other areas like Fisheating Bay are still struggling. If the lake stays too high, that grass never comes back. If it gets too low—say, under 10 feet—all that new growth might just dry up and die. It's a high-stakes balancing act that depends almost entirely on how much it rains in the next 30 days.
The Numbers You Need to Know Today
- Current Elevation: 13.10 ft (NGVD29)
- One Year Ago: 14.63 ft
- Historical Average for Jan 17: 14.71 ft
- The "Danger" Zone: Anything below 10.5 ft (Water Shortage territory)
The LOSOM Factor: A New Way of Moving Water
You've probably heard the acronym LOSOM (Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual). It officially took over in late 2024, and 2026 is one of the first years we’re seeing it really flex its muscles during a dry stretch.
In the old days, the rules for moving water were pretty rigid. Now, the Army Corps has more "flexibility." Today, they are sending about 350 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water west toward the Caloosahatchee River. Why? Because the estuary needs that fresh water to keep the salt at bay. If it gets too salty, the oysters and seagrass out in Fort Myers start to die.
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The interesting part about the Okeechobee lake level today is that under LOSOM, we aren't seeing any regulatory releases to the east (the St. Lucie River). That’s a massive win for Stuart and the Treasure Coast, which have spent decades being slammed with murky lake water every time the lake got too high.
Is a Drought Looming?
Here’s the kicker. The South Florida Water Management District recently reported that rainfall for January 2026 has been much below normal—we're talking about 16% of what we usually get.
La Niña is currently in the driver's seat. For Florida, that almost always means a warm, bone-dry winter. The U.S. Drought Monitor already shows moderate to severe drought expanding across the southern half of the state.
If the lake continues to drop at its current rate (about a tenth of a foot every week or so), we could be looking at a stage level of 9.5 feet by the end of the dry season. That’s when things get ugly. At that level, the "rim canal" becomes a nightmare for navigation, and the massive pumps that send water to the Everglades and the sugar farms start to struggle.
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What This Means for Your Weekend
If you’re planning to head out on the water today, be smart.
- Watch the sandbars. At 13.10 feet, those spots that were safely submerged last year are now barely under the surface.
- Navigation Route 1 vs Route 2. Route 1 (the open water crossing) currently has about 7 feet of depth. Route 2 (the southern rim) is much shallower, hovering around 5.2 feet. If you have a deep draft, stay in the middle.
- The Fishing is actually great. Lower water levels tend to concentrate the bass and crappie into the vegetation edges and the deeper holes.
The Okeechobee lake level today is a reminder that we are at the mercy of the clouds. We’ve had a dry winter so far, and while the lower levels are helping the lake’s ecology "breathe" after years of high-water stress, we are teetering on the edge of a water shortage.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
Monitor the daily stage reports from the USACE Jacksonville District. If you see the level drop below 12.5 feet, expect the South Florida Water Management District to start discussing "Phase 1" water restrictions for landscape irrigation. You should also check the "Notice to Mariners" if you plan on using the locks at Moore Haven or Port Mayaca, as lower levels often lead to restricted locking schedules to save water.