On December 16, 2008, the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board voted to accept a contract with the United States Sugar Corporation to acquire more than 180,000 acres of agricultural land for Everglades restoration. This historic transaction provides water managers with the unprecedented opportunity to store and treat water on a scale never before envisioned for the benefit of America's Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and estuaries.
With full public involvement, the first phase of River of Grass restoration project planning is under way. Through a series of Water Resources Advisory Commission Issues Workshops, the Phase 1 planning process will determine viable configurations for constructing a managed system of water storage and treatment to support ecosystem restoration efforts.
Information generated during this first phase will be utilized by the Governing Board to support decision making related to the land acquisition and will provide the basis for more detailed future planning phases.
PHASE II PUBLIC WORKSHOPS Announced May 20: Due to resource constraints, the River of Grass Phase II Planning process has been temporarily deferred. Workshops will resume in the near future. Check back for more details.
Kissimmee
