More Trails Around Lake Okeechobee To Close

PAHOKEE (CBSMiami/AP) — An additional 20 miles of scenic trails around Lake Okeechobee will be closed to the public so repairs can be made to the lake's aging earthen dike.

The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail is an approximately 110-mile trail that circles the lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close about 10 miles of the trail between Belle Glade and Pahokee and another 10 miles between Lakeport and Moore Haven.

The closures will last about 18 months.

Various parts of the trail between Moore Haven and South Bay and between Canal Point and Port Mayaca also are closed.

Officials say the closures are necessary for public safety during construction. Parts of the Herbert Hoover Dike date to the 1930s. High lake water levels significantly increase the risk of leaks or a breach in the dike.

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