SFWMD Governing Board Awards Final Contract to Build Wetland Component of the EAA Reservoir Project
Original Post: South Florida Water Management District | February 11, 2021
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board awarded the final contract needed to build the Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) component of the EAA Reservoir Project. The EAA Reservoir Project reduces harmful discharges to the Northern Estuaries and moves clean water south to the Everglades.
The $175 million contract to create the natural wetland include:
- Two pump stations,
- Inflow and outflow canals,
- Levees,
- Culverts, and
- Earthwork.
Gov. Ron DeSantis made expediting the completion of the EAA Reservoir Project a key priority with one of his first executive orders, Achieving More Now For Florida’s Environment (19-12).
The EAA Reservoir Project is a joint Everglades restoration project between SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The 6,500-acre STA, which is being built by SFWMD, will clean the water to meet state water quality standards before it is sent south. It is expected to be completed by 2023. The 10,500-acre reservoir, which is being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will hold 240,000 acre-feet of water.
The District continues to advance all components of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) all around South Florida to restore the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.