The South Florida Water Management District (District) is celebrating another outstanding year for Everglades restoration and water quality projects in Florida.
DID YOU KNOW: The District, together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, continues to accelerate key projects that are improving the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water to the Greater Everglades ecosystem.
ACCELERATING EVERGLADES RESTORATION: Restoring America’s Everglades is the world’s most ambitious ecosystem restoration effort. Our District team is proud of the significant progress that continues to be made to implement projects that support the ecological health of this unique ecosystem.
The District has celebrated more than 80 ribbon cuttings, ground breakings and major milestones on Everglades projects since January 2019.
MAJOR PROGRESS IN 2025 INCLUDES:
✅ Recognized the 25th Anniversary of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the incredible progress that has been made in transforming how water moves across Florida.
✅ Celebrated the completion of the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project, a major CERP project. This project improves the health of Biscayne Bay and aids in wetland rehydration — building coastal resiliency and improving water quality in this area of Miami-Dade County.
✅ Broke ground on the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Inflow Pump Station in Palm Beach County, which will have the capability to move approximately 3 billion gallons of water per day from Lake Okeechobee into the EAA Reservoir.
✅ Broke ground on the second phase of the Lake Hicpochee Project in Glades County, a key component of the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program.
✅ Broke ground on the Blue Shanty Flow Way in Miami-Dade County, a vital system that will deliver clean water south across Tamiami Trail and into Florida Bay.
✅ Start-up of the Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir in Hendry County.
✅ Start-up of the Miller Pump Station at the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in Collier County. The project is revitalizing more than 55,000 acres of native Florida wetlands that are critical to the health of the Everglades ecosystem. The Picayune Strand Restoration Project will be complete in January 2026, which means that another major CERP project will be complete.
MOMENTUM CONTINUES TO GROW: In July 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army reached a landmark agreement to accelerate Everglades restoration, including the EAA Reservoir. This agreement supercharges Everglades restoration by accelerating the EAA Reservoir’s construction timeline by five years—from 2034 to 2029.
LEARN MORE: The District remains committed to continuing the momentum and accelerating key restoration projects that safeguard and protect Florida's environment.
As we celebrate the new year, we encourage you to visit SFWMD.gov/Restoration to learn more about Everglades restoration.