SFWMD Receives Federal Review Assessment of Proposed EAA Storage Reservoir Plan

Senate Bill 10, approved by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Rick Scott in 2017, provided funding and direction to the SFWMD to expedite planning, design and construction of the EAA Storage Reservoir, an original component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as approved by the U.S. Congress in 2000.

The goals of the EAA Storage Reservoir project are to reduce damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the northern estuaries by providing additional water storage, treatment and conveyance south to the Everglades where the water is needed.

The SFWMD conducted a study to achieve these goals and address the need for additional water storage, treatment and conveyance south of Lake Okeechobee.

The study was conducted under Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as amended, that allows non-federal entities like the SFWMD to develop feasibility studies. These proposed water resources development projects are then submitted to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA).

The SFWMD-proposed water resource development project was submitted to the ASA on March 30, 2018. The ASA provided a review assessment of the study, determined the SFWMD’s plan for the EAA Storage Reservoir was feasible and made recommendations to Congress.

On May 31, 2018, the SFWMD received the ASA’s review assessment of the study and provided response. The next step is for the Office of Management and Budget to conduct its review.