January 12, 2017
West Palm Beach, FL – Today, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reached a major milestone in its plan to help save Florida Bay, as the Governing Board approved several significant construction contracts. These project components received federal permitting approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in December.
"Today's action by the Board allows us to build on work already underway to deliver real benefits to Florida Bay," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. "We appreciate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' cooperation in the permitting process needed for our Florida Bay plan."
SFWMD Governing Board's Florida Bay plan will send billions more gallons of fresh water each year into Taylor Slough and on to Florida Bay. This means substantial flows of fresh water will reach the Bay to help reduce salinity levels and protect seagrasses that are repeatedly damaged by localized droughts.