The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have reopened spillway gates at three dams along the Caloosahatchee River — and boaters need to pay attention.
The spillways were opened this week to restore the downstream flow of freshwater, which is necessary to counteract the tides pushing saltwater up the river. If incoming saltwater meets no outgoing freshwater resistance, and the spillways are open, the saltwater will travel too far upstream, which can wreak environmental havoc within the delicate river ecosystem.
The spillways are now open at the Julian Keen Jr. Lock and Dam, the Ortona Lock and Dam, and the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam. The structures stretch from Moore Haven downriver to just east of Fort Myers…