Everglades Get a Lifeline: Massive Reservoir Project Underway

Groundbreaking for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir occurred in February 2023, marking a significant step in Everglades restoration. This ambitious project is designed to store up to 240,000 acre-feet of water, equivalent to over 78 billion gallons, making it the largest reservoir specifically built for this purpose.

The restoration effort aims to correct decades of altered water management that disrupted natural flows from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay. The EAA Reservoir project, a collaboration between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, includes a vast stormwater treatment area and the reservoir itself. It is anticipated to deliver approximately 470 billion gallons of filtered water annually to the Everglades and Florida Bay.

Authorized in 2000 and gaining momentum after Florida's Senate Bill 10 in 2017, the project saw its completion timeline accelerated. Water began entering the treatment area by January 2024, and an agreement signed in July 2025 advanced the target completion date from 2034 to 2029. This accelerated schedule includes the construction of a pump station capable of moving up to 3 billion gallons of water daily.

Scientists underscore the restoration's importance for the Everglades' biodiversity and for supplying drinking water to over seven million South Floridians. The reservoir is expected to mitigate harmful discharges into coastal estuaries, reducing algal blooms and protecting marine life. This initiative is a key component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which encompasses over 50 programs and 68 projects.