The completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in Collier County was marked by a ceremony attended by officials from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, along with other partners and stakeholders. The project is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), which aims to restore America’s Everglades.
Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, stated, “Today we celebrated a significant step toward protecting Floridians from flood risk and restoring America’s Everglades. It is a great honor to be here as we mark the completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project, a cornerstone of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Reducing flood risk to Floridians and completing rejuvenation of this natural wonder is a gargantuan challenge, the type that can only be successfully pulled off under the get-it-done leadership of President Trump and his Administration. The amount of time and effort that we are contributing to this project is extraordinary, and the result is a testament to the hard work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, our partners with the State of Florida, and everyone involved in making today a reality.”
Alexis A. Lambert, Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said, “Thanks to the support of Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature and their steadfast commitment to Everglades restoration, we are seeing what is possible when state and federal governments, along with our partners, commit to this work and follow through. This project is already improving water quality and wildlife habitat and helping ensure America’s Everglades are stronger for generations to come.”
Charlette Roman, SFWMD Governing Board Member and Chair of the Big Cypress Basin added: “Historic Achievement. Monumental Day. Collaboration at its finest! We have worked for decades to get to the finish line of this vital Everglades restoration project. I am enormously grateful to every single person who worked on this project every step of the way. The momentum we have seen under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis is truly amazing. In recent years, we have seen many large-scale projects come on-line, with more in the works. Only by working together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and all of our federal, state and local partners and stakeholders can we accomplish these monumental feats of engineering, planning and construction. I am so proud to be a part of the critical effort to restore America’s Everglades and can finally say, we completed the Picayune Strand Restoration Project!”
The Picayune Strand Restoration Project covers 55,000 acres between Alligator Alley and Tamiami Trail in Southwest Florida. Years were spent removing 260 miles of roads and plugging 48 miles of canals in order to restore natural water flow across wetlands in this region.
The restored area will improve water flows into Collier Seminole State Park as well as Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Environmental benefits cited include restored wetlands that enhance habitats for fish and wildlife such as the Florida Panther; reduced drainage impacts on nearby sensitive ecosystems; improved aquifer recharge which helps protect underground water supplies; prevention against saltwater intrusion; reduction in freshwater releases; as well as improved health for downstream estuaries.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection acts as Florida’s primary agency for environmental management—overseeing air quality regulations; managing more than 175 state parks; providing permits for environmental projects; advancing land conservation efforts; supporting resilient communities through restoration initiatives; regulating waste management; offering recreational opportunities statewide; operating out its headquarters in Tallahassee—and serves all regions through statewide protection programs.
Other recent CERP milestones include celebrating its 25th anniversary milestone; completing Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project in Miami-Dade County aimed at improving wetland rehydration; breaking ground on major infrastructure like EAA Reservoir Inflow Pump Station in Palm Beach County capable moving billions gallons per day from Lake Okeechobee into EAA Reservoir by an accelerated timeline due landmark agreement between State Florida & US Army Corps Engineers.
Since 2019 more than 80 major milestones or completions have been achieved on Everglades restoration projects led jointly by USACE & SFWMD.
