Repaired Boat Navigation Lock Now Open to the Public
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has completed the Wysong-Coogler structure improvement project in Sumter County.
The extended dry conditions along the Withlacoochee River created an opportunity to perform the improvements to the structure, including replacement of the structure’s air bladders, installation of larger air flow pipes, and several other enhancements to streamline future maintenance.
These improvements will allow the structure to operate more efficiently, reduce required staff time to operate, and restore function to the boat navigation lock, which has not been operational for several years. In addition, the self-service boat lock now functions much faster due to these improvements.
The Wysong-Coogler structure is located on the Withlacoochee River, downstream of Lake Panasoffkee, between Citrus and Sumter counties. Under normal conditions, the gates at Wysong are kept raised to help store water upstream, while still allowing river flows to pass downstream.
Although the project is complete, water levels remain very low along the Withlacoochee River and in area lakes due to extended drought conditions resulting in a 15-inch regional rainfall deficit. A surplus of rainfall is still needed over a long period of time to bring water levels and flows back up to normal conditions.