Restoration Timeline
| 2009- |
August
A historic
agreement was signed by the South Florida Water Management
District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved
landmark agreements that will allow federally funded work to
more forward on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Plan.
more
May
On May 13,
2009, the Governing Board of the South Florida Water
Management District approved a revised proposal to acquire
approximately 73,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural
Area.
April
On April 1, 2009,
after gathering key input from the public, legislators and
South Florida's communities and recognizing the nation's
current economic climate, Governor Charlie Crist shared
details of a revised strategy to achieve the historic
River of Grass acquisition. This revised approach
incorporates today's fiscal realities by saving $800 million
at closing, providing ready access to strategically located
acreage for restoration projects and preserving thousands of
jobs.
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| 2008 - |
December
On December 16, 2008, following extensive negotiations, due
diligence and public deliberation, the SFWMD's Governing
Board voted to accept the negotiated proposal to acquire at
least 180,000 of land for $1.34 billion, contingent upon
financing. The proposed transaction is the largest land
acquisition in Florida's history and the single most
important action to protect the Everglades since the
designation of Everglades National Park sixty years ago.
more
November
Governor Charlie Crist announced that Florida water
management officials have agreed to new terms in
their negotiations with the United States Sugar Corporation.
The new terms, subject to approval by the SFWMD, include a
land only purchase of more than 180,000 acres at a purchase
price of $1.34 billion.
more
June
On June 24, 2008, Governor Charlie Crist announced that the
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) would begin
negotiating an agreement to acquire as much as 187,000 acres
of agricultural land owned by the United States Sugar
Corporation for Everglades restoration. The vast tracts of
land in the Everglades Agricultural Area would be used to
reestablish a part of the historic connection between Lake
Okeechobee and America's Everglades through a managed system
of storage and treatment and, at the same time, safeguard
the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and estuaries.
more
February
The Lake Okeechobee Watershed
Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan, a requirement
of the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Plan (NEEPP),
was submitted to Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida
Legislature. more
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| 2007 - |
November
Congress passed the Water Resources
Development Act of 2007, the first WRDA legislation since
2000. The passage authorizes new projects under CERP, as
well as includes necessary language to fund previously
authorized projects at today’s costs. In addition, WRDA
authorizes other vital projects for Florida including the
Indian River Lagoon Project, Picayune Strand restoration,
Site 1 Impoundment Project, dredging projects as well as
water reuse and supply projects.
MORE
October
To date, 52,000 acres of land south of Lake Okeechobee have been
converted into six stormwater treatment areas (STA),
yielding 45,000 acres of effective treatment marsh. During
the last decade, these man-made wetlands, along with
improved farming practices, prevented more than 2,800 tons
of phosphorus from entering the Everglades.
June
Governor Charlie Crist marked another milestone in
Florida’s environmental history, signing a “green” law that
expands the restoration of the famed River of Grass to Lake
Okeechobee and the farthest northern reaches of the
Everglades ecosystem. The bill provides the plan, schedule
and a dedicated infusion of funding for improving and
protecting the health of the northern Everglades, including
Florida’s largest freshwater lake and its surrounding
coastal estuaries.
more
May
The Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 392, the
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP), which
expanded the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act to include
protection and restoration of the Lake Okeechobee watershed
and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers and estuaries.
more
The U.S. Senate passed the 2007 Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA), which is necessary for the continued
restoration of the Everglades. Enacting WRDA 2007 will bring
a number of critical Florida projects that have been
awaiting federal authorization and funding one step closer
to implementation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed
its version of WRDA 2007 in April.
April
On April 3, two teams of kayakers and hikers concluded a
first-of-its-kind wilderness trip entitled: Expedition
Headwaters, An Everglades Journey to Remember. Embarking
from the Rosen Shingle Creek on March 23, the adventurers
traversed 140 miles from Shingle Creek to Lake Okeechobee
over a 12-day period.
more
March
The DEP and
SFWMD released the
2007 South Florida Environmental Report detailing a year of
scientific, engineering and restoration work to improve the
environmental quality of America’s Everglades and the entire
South Florida ecosystem.
more
In March, DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole and President and COO of
Rosen Hotels & Resorts Harris Rosen joined a host of state
and local leaders to launch a first-of-its-kind wilderness
trip entitled:
Expedition Headwaters, An Everglades Journey to Remember.
Embarking from the Rosen Shingle Creek, two teams of
kayakers and hikers traversed 140 miles from Shingle
Creek to Lake Okeechobee over a 12-day period.
more
February
As environmental leaders celebrated Florida Forever Day
in Tallahassee, the South Florida Water Management District
(SFWMD) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) announced that the state has acquired more than 99
percent of the land needed to complete the state's suite of
expedited projects designed to speed up eight vital Everglades restoration
projects.
more
Governor Charlie Crist joined Senate President Ken
Pruitt, DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole and SFWMD Executive Director Carol Ann Wehle to tour portions
of the St. Lucie River and Estuary. Together with the
Florida Legislature, Governor Crist is making the
restoration of the South Florida ecosystem an environmental
priority. The Crist/Kottkamp recommended budget included
$190 million to improve the health of the Florida
Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee and St.
Lucie estuaries.
more
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| 2006 - |
December
Part of Florida’s ongoing commitment to restore
America’s Everglades, the DEP and SFWMD completed more than 5,000 acres of
additional treatment wetlands to clean water flowing into
the famed River of Grass three weeks ahead of schedule.
more
November
The DEP and the SFWMD celebrated two years of
construction progress on the Picayune Strand Restoration
Project in western Collier County.
more
August
Florida broke ground on one of the most
expansive reservoirs in the world as part of the massive
effort to restore America’s Everglades. The EAA Reservoir
will cover 25 square miles and provide 190,000 acre-feet of
water storage.
more
July
South Florida water managers celebrated the completion of
two 28-acre test cell reservoirs as part of Florida’s
expedited projects initiative. The C-43 (Caloosahatchee
River) West Storage Reservoir test cells will provide
engineers with valuable data that will guide design and
construction of the $338 million C-43 West Storage
Reservoir.
more
Florida received federal approval to begin construction
of a massive reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area
(EAA) - the flagship project of the state’s
suite of expedited projects to fast-track eight key restoration projects.
more
June
Florida broke ground on the Water Preserve Area/Acme
Basin B Discharge project that will improve
the quality of water flowing into the Arthur R. Marshall
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville
District and the SFWMD broke ground on Lake Okeechobee
Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)
pilot, a Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
project.
more
April
The SFWMD Governing Board approved the purchase of the
last parcels of land needed to complete the Kissimmee River
Restoration Project.
more
Completion of the Ten Mile Creek Water Preserve Area, a
critical Everglades Restoration Project, was celebrated. The Ten
Mile Creek Water Preserve Area is one of nine critical
projects authorized by Congress in 1996 to provide immediate
benefits to the south Florida ecosystem.
more
Completion of the Taylor Creek Stormwater Treatment Area
and
construction of the Lake Okeechobee Water Retention and
Phosphorus Removal Project at Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough
critical restoration project were celebrated. The purpose of
these STAs is to reduce phosphorus loadings into the Taylor
Creek basin and Lake Okeechobee.
more
March
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) released the
2006 South Florida Environmental Report providing a summary
of Everglades and South Florida restoration efforts.
more
Florida began construction on the $330 million C-44 St
Lucie Canal Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area test
cells.
more
February
Florida began expanding three treatment wetlands by a
total of 18,000 acres, which will expand treatment capacity
to more than 500,000 acre-feet of water a year.
more
Florida began building the test cells of the plan to
construct the C-43 Caloosahatchee West Storage Reservoir,
which will hold 170,000 acre-feet of water (equivalent to
85,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools!)
more
January
The state of Florida, in conjunction with Martin County,
purchased more than 12,000 acres of land in Martin County.
The land will be used as part of the Florida's suite of
expedited projects, designed to fast track Everglades restoration.
more
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| 2005 - |
October
Former Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet approved
the conveyance of approximately 345 acres to the SFWMD. The
land will be used by the SFWMD as part of the Everglades
Agricultural Area stormwater treatment area project, under the state's program
designed to fast track Everglades restoration.
more
Former Governor Jeb Bush unveiled the Lake Okeechobee and
Estuary Recovery (LOER) Plan, a comprehensive plan to
accelerate restoration and recovery of the largest
freshwater lake in the southeast.
more
June
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began
construction on the second phase of restoration along the
Kissimmee River – the headwaters of America's Everglades.
This phase will backfill 10,000 feet of canal, re-create the
historic river channel and reestablish flows to replenish
11,000 acres of wetlands.
more
February
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
published the first comprehensive report detailing a year of
scientific, engineering and restoration work to improve the
environmental quality of America’s Everglades and the entire
South Florida ecosystem.
more
January
Florida began turning dirt on the first water project
under its expedited projects initiative - building
test water storage areas which will be used to design the
massive Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.
more
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| 2004 - |
October
Florida unveiled an ambitious plan to expedite select
CERP projects to
accelerate the restoration of America's Everglades. Florida
is stepping up the pace to complete eight critical environmental
projects identified in the $10.9 billion plan more than a
decade ahead of schedule.
more
September
The final phase to restore 50,000 acres of wetlands in
the Southern Golden Gates area in America's Everglades
received the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP's) approval .
more
June
Florida officially adopted a phosphorus criterion of 10
parts per billion (ppb) for the entire freshwater area of the Everglades. The
rule establishes the process for improving water quality and
restoring the natural system in the famed River of Grass.
more
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) broke
ground on close to 1,000 acres of treatment marshes to
clean water flowing into Lake Okeechobee.
more
May
Water managers completed the first phase of the Kissimmee
River Restoration project that will
restore 27,000 acres of wetlands and reestablish a more
natural flow of water to 43 miles of river when completed.
more
April
Florida signed off on a joint plan by the state and
federal government to protect the Indian River Lagoon. When
complete, the project will restore more than 53,000 acres of
wetlands, reduce pollution and provide water storage to
return a more natural flow of freshwater to the St. Lucie
Estuary and Indian River Lagoon.
more
February
Florida began moving water through the world’s largest
constructed wetland, STA 3/4. The South Florida Water
Management District (SFWMD) began operating the 17,000-acre
treatment marsh that uses "green" technology to filter
nutrients from
water flowing into the famed
River of Grass.
more
The Everglades Radio Network (ERN) was launched to inform
travelers about what they are seeing as they cross the
Everglades on “Alligator Alley".
more
January
Water managers began moving water to restore a natural
flow to the Northwest Fork Loxahatchee River with the G-160
structure. As part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
Plan (CERP), the structure provides essential freshwater to
the eight mile Loxahatchee River and flood protection to
residents in Palm Beach County.
more
Florida presented the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan (LOPP)
to the Governor and Legislature on January 1st. The
plan contained a schedule for implementing the
subsequent phases of load reduction needed to achieve the
Lake Okeechobee Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
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| 2003 - |
November
Mercury concentrations found in fish and
wading birds in America's Everglades have dropped by 60 to
70 percent since 1991.
more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on the Ten Mile Creek Stormwater
Treatment Area. The project is increasing protection for the
St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon by improving water
quality and providing needed water storage in the region.
more
October
Florida donated the last parcel of state-owned property
needed to complete the massive expansion of Everglades
National Park launched by former President George H. W. Bush
in 1989. A total of 42,000 acres of state land was donated
to the federal government to accomplish plans to increase
the size of the park by 109,000 acres.
more
Florida began restoring a more natural flow of water to
more than 50,000 acres of wetlands in America's Everglades,
known as
Picayune Strand, seven years ahead of schedule.
more
June
The South Florida Water Management District accelerated clean up by using a
Periphyton-Based Stormwater Treatment Area (PASTA). The
“green” technology is used in one of the six man-made
treatment marshes that filter pollution from water entering
the Everglades.
more
May
The Florida Legislature boosted Florida’s commitment to
Everglades restoration by appropriating a record $225
million for implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Plan (CERP).
more
April
The Florida House of Representatives voted by an
overwhelming bipartisan majority to support amendments to
the Everglades Forever Act, which provide clear
environmental benefits for America's Everglades.
more
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| 2002 - |
December
The South Florida Water Management District
Governing Board approved the purchase of a ready-made
reservoir that places restoration efforts ahead of schedule.
more
January
Former President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb
Bush signed an agreement that will reserve water for
environmental restoration under state law as a condition to
receiving federal money to pay for half of the $10.9 billion
project.
more
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| 2000 - |
December
Former President Clinton authorized the Water Resources
Development Act of 2000, committing a multi-billion dollar
budget to the CERP.
more
June
The Florida Legislature passed the Lake Okeechobee Protection
Act, a phased, comprehensive program designed to restore and
protect the lake.
more
May
The Florida Legislature passed the Everglades Restoration
Investment Act to fund the state’s 50 percent of its
cost-share with the federal Government for implementing the
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
more
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| 1997 - |
The South Florida Water Management District
completed construction of the first of six filtering
wetlands known as Stormwater Treatment Areas.
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| 1996 - |
Farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area implemented
Best Management Practices.
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| 1994 - |
The Florida Legislature passed the Everglades Forever
Act, which directed the state to develop a
phosphorus criterion for the Everglades Protection Area,
implement a best management practices program and construct
stormwater treatment areas.
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| 1992 - |
The Settlement Agreement was approved and directed
Florida to construct 32,000 acres of stormwater treatment
areas with a phosphorus discharge concentration of 50
parts per billion and outlined specific monitoring stations and formulas
for evaluating phosphorus levels in the Loxahatchee Refuge and
Everglades National Park.
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| 1991 - |
The Florida Legislature passed the Marjory Stoneman
Douglas Everglades Protection Act to restore the Everglades
and a settlement agreement was reached.
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| 1988 - |
A Settlement Agreement was reached between the federal
state governments regarding water quality
standards in Everglades National Park (ENP) and Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). Former Florida Governor
Chiles committed Florida to cleaning up the Everglades.
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