At a news conference in South Florida on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a milestone for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project. The project, a key part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), is set to be finished in 2029. “This is the largest environmental restoration in the history of the United States of America,” DeSantis said. All federally funded contracts for the EAA Reservoir have been finalized, paving the way to complete the project by 2029.
“This milestone brings us closer to fulfilling our commitment to restore the Everglades. The July 2025 agreement between the State of Florida and the federal government has streamlined the process with an all-hands-on-deck approach,” DeSantis said. “This is a major win for America’s Everglades and shows the progress our federal and state teams have made in just nine months.” The Army Corps’ announcement confirms that all federally managed contracts required to meet the accelerated 2029 completion goal are now in place, ensuring funding and resources will be secured until project completion.
Under the agreement:
– Construction timelines for the EAA Reservoir have been pushed up by five years. – Florida has taken the lead on key project components while working closely with the Army Corps. – Critical infrastructure, such as the inflow pump station capable of moving 3 billion gallons of water daily from Lake Okeechobee, is already in progress. – Agreements for the outflow pump station are progressing much faster than traditional federal timelines.
According to the South Florida Water Management District, Florida’s water system has been altered over decades to prevent flooding, but at the cost of disrupting the natural water flow to the Everglades. The EAA Reservoir Project aims to correct this by redirecting water south, restoring ecosystems, and significantly reducing harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Once finished, the EAA Reservoir will provide long-lasting benefits for Florida’s coastal communities and unique natural environment.
The EAA Reservoir Project is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. It includes a treatment wetland that purifies water and a reservoir to store excess water from Lake Okeechobee. The project also features canals, stormwater treatment areas, and a reservoir to minimize harmful discharges to the northern estuaries, divert more water south, and enhance water quality in America’s Everglades.
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