Groundbreaking at the EAA Reservoir, a major Everglades milestone

February 22, 20231

Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District break ground on the EAA Reservoir, a critical Everglades restoration project.

Today, we celebrate a major milestone in Everglades restoration with the groundbreaking of the long-awaited storage reservoir component of the EAA Reservoir!

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir is the cornerstone project of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and one we have been fighting to expedite since Captains’ founding.

Made up of a 10,500-acre storage reservoir and 6,500-acre Storage Treatment Area (STA), the project will significantly reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers by storing and cleaning excess water from the lake before sending it south to the Everglades, where it once flowed naturally and where it’s needed most.

In keeping with Everglades restoration’s 50/50 cost-share arrangement between the state and federal governments, construction of the project’s two main components has been divvied up between the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), with the Corps responsible for the storage reservoir and the District spearheading the STA.

SFWMD broke ground on the STA, which provides the critical filtration and cleaning capacities, back in 2020, about a year ahead of schedule, and it’s expected to be completed later this year. However, due to the enormity of the storage reservoir, which will hold excess water up to a depth of 20 feet for a total capacity of 240,000 acre-feet, it’s been in the design phase until now.

Now, the Corps has shovels in the ground, digging into construction on the reservoir and adding to the historic restoration progress of late. But it hasn’t always been this way—progress is a relatively new term in the context of Everglades restoration.

The backstory to this big moment…

When CFCW came onto the scene in 2016—16 years after Congress authorized CERP—little progress had been made on the 30-year plan. Zero of the 68 projects had been completed. Everglades restoration was stagnant with no public knowledge of the issues and no political interest in prioritizing Florida’s water quality.

After meeting with scientists and learning about the issues, it was obvious that Everglades restoration was the science-based solution we needed to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and restore the flow of water to the Everglades. So “Why wasn’t progress happening?”

The answer: Everglades restoration is mostly politics. At the time, south Florida’s water management system was rigged to benefit special interests at the expense of everyone else.

https://i0.wp.com/captainsforcleanwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/photo_545606855598335-e1676995702446.jpg?fit=800%2C496&ssl=1
Tackling Tallahassee

Our first involvement in advocacy as a newly founded 501(c)3 education and awareness organization was to urge the Florida state legislature to expedite the EAA Reservoir. On January 11, 2017, we made our first trip to Tallahassee to testify for the first Senate subcommittee meeting on the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee discharges.

The committee heard presentations by scientists, the Army Corps, and the SFWMD, and testimony from conservation organizations, business leaders, and for the first time, fishing guides—all calling for action to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and provide needed water to the Everglades and Florida Bay.

Shortly thereafter, Senate Bill 10 was filed, which would authorize and fund the state’s portion of the EAA Reservoir.

Together with our partners, we fought hard to pass this legislation throughout the legislative process, meeting with state policymakers and mobilizing the sportfishing industry to the State Capitol on April 11, 2017, to demand action.

While we were told a favorable outcome was unlikely, SB 10 PASSED, resulting in our first major legislative victory and the beginning of our uphill battle to restore and protect Florida’s waters by advancing Everglades restoration.

https://i0.wp.com/captainsforcleanwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dscf5070-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1
Progress made, progress still to come

Since SB 10, we’ve helped realize unprecedented progress by focusing on public awareness and education and mobilizing thousands of our supporters to influence water policy outcomes at state and federal levels. And now, construction is well underway on this most important project, the one we’ve fought for alongside our partners and supporters for years.

As we celebrate our 7th Anniversary AND this historic groundbreaking, we know for certain that this is only the beginning—there’s more work to do and more progress to be made. Time and time again, we’ve been successful in achieving what others deem impossible, and it all boils down to one driving force: we won’t stop fighting to protect the waters we love.

The shared passion of our community is unmatched, and because of this, we aren’t intimidated by opposition or afraid to fail. So, we’ll keep calling our shot, turning up the heat where it’s needed, and rallying our army to be a powerful force for change.

We hope you’ll take a few moments to celebrate the EAA Reservoir Groundbreaking with us today. Raise a toast, tell a friend, get out on the water, appreciate this significant milestone—because you are part of the movement that made it possible.

There’s still a long road ahead, as the massive scale of this project won’t see completion until the latter part of this decade, but today is definitely a day to celebrate all the hard work that went into getting to this moment and creating this momentum.

The road may be long, but we’re just getting started and we’re ready for whatever’s ahead. Thank you for standing with us in our mission to restore and protect Florida’s waters for today and tomorrow.

Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District break ground on the EAA Reservoir, a critical Everglades restoration project.

Today, we celebrate a major milestone in Everglades restoration with the groundbreaking of the long-awaited storage reservoir component of the EAA Reservoir!

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir is the cornerstone project of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and one we have been fighting to expedite since Captains’ founding.

Made up of a 10,500-acre storage reservoir and 6,500-acre Storage Treatment Area (STA), the project will significantly reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers by storing and cleaning excess water from the lake before sending it south to the Everglades, where it once flowed naturally and where it’s needed most.

In keeping with Everglades restoration’s 50/50 cost-share arrangement between the state and federal governments, construction of the project’s two main components has been divvied up between the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), with the Corps responsible for the storage reservoir and the District spearheading the STA.

SFWMD broke ground on the STA, which provides the critical filtration and cleaning capacities, back in 2020, about a year ahead of schedule, and it’s expected to be completed later this year. However, due to the enormity of the storage reservoir, which will hold excess water up to a depth of 20 feet for a total capacity of 240,000 acre-feet, it’s been in the design phase until now.

Now, the Corps has shovels in the ground, digging into construction on the reservoir and adding to the historic restoration progress of late. But it hasn’t always been this way—progress is a relatively new term in the context of Everglades restoration.

The backstory to this big moment…

When CFCW came onto the scene in 2016—16 years after Congress authorized CERP—little progress had been made on the 30-year plan. Zero of the 68 projects had been completed. Everglades restoration was stagnant with no public knowledge of the issues and no political interest in prioritizing Florida’s water quality.

After meeting with scientists and learning about the issues, it was obvious that Everglades restoration was the science-based solution we needed to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and restore the flow of water to the Everglades. So “Why wasn’t progress happening?”

The answer: Everglades restoration is mostly politics. At the time, south Florida’s water management system was rigged to benefit special interests at the expense of everyone else.

https://i0.wp.com/captainsforcleanwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/photo_545606855598335-e1676995702446.jpg?fit=800%2C496&ssl=1
Tackling Tallahassee

Our first involvement in advocacy as a newly founded 501(c)3 education and awareness organization was to urge the Florida state legislature to expedite the EAA Reservoir. On January 11, 2017, we made our first trip to Tallahassee to testify for the first Senate subcommittee meeting on the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee discharges.

The committee heard presentations by scientists, the Army Corps, and the SFWMD, and testimony from conservation organizations, business leaders, and for the first time, fishing guides—all calling for action to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and provide needed water to the Everglades and Florida Bay.

Shortly thereafter, Senate Bill 10 was filed, which would authorize and fund the state’s portion of the EAA Reservoir.

Together with our partners, we fought hard to pass this legislation throughout the legislative process, meeting with state policymakers and mobilizing the sportfishing industry to the State Capitol on April 11, 2017, to demand action.

While we were told a favorable outcome was unlikely, SB 10 PASSED, resulting in our first major legislative victory and the beginning of our uphill battle to restore and protect Florida’s waters by advancing Everglades restoration.

https://i0.wp.com/captainsforcleanwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dscf5070-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1
Progress made, progress still to come

Since SB 10, we’ve helped realize unprecedented progress by focusing on public awareness and education and mobilizing thousands of our supporters to influence water policy outcomes at state and federal levels. And now, construction is well underway on this most important project, the one we’ve fought for alongside our partners and supporters for years.

As we celebrate our 7th Anniversary AND this historic groundbreaking, we know for certain that this is only the beginning—there’s more work to do and more progress to be made. Time and time again, we’ve been successful in achieving what others deem impossible, and it all boils down to one driving force: we won’t stop fighting to protect the waters we love.

The shared passion of our community is unmatched, and because of this, we aren’t intimidated by opposition or afraid to fail. So, we’ll keep calling our shot, turning up the heat where it’s needed, and rallying our army to be a powerful force for change.

We hope you’ll take a few moments to celebrate the EAA Reservoir Groundbreaking with us today. Raise a toast, tell a friend, get out on the water, appreciate this significant milestone—because you are part of the movement that made it possible.

There’s still a long road ahead, as the massive scale of this project won’t see completion until the latter part of this decade, but today is definitely a day to celebrate all the hard work that went into getting to this moment and creating this momentum.

The road may be long, but we’re just getting started and we’re ready for whatever’s ahead. Thank you for standing with us in our mission to restore and protect Florida’s waters for today and tomorrow.