Celebrating a Milestone in Everglades Restoration
Pictured from L-R: Ben Butler, SFWMD Governing Board Member; Edward Ornstein, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Tina Osceola, Acting Executive Director of Operations of the Seminole Tribe of Florida; “Alligator Ron” Bergeron, SFWMD Governing Board Member; Jeaneanne Gettle, Environmental Protection Agency Acting Regional Administrator; Charlette Roman, SFWMD Governing Board Member; Drew Bartlett, SFWMD Executive Director; Chauncey Goss, SFWMD Governing Board Chairman; Sen. Jonathan Martin; Karson Turner, Hendry County Commissioner; Adam Blalock, DEP Deputy Secretary.
HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. – In a remarkable feat of engineering and collaboration, the South Florida Water Management District has announced the completion of the C-139 Flow Equalization Basin Project. This marks the end of the construction phase for the Everglades Restoration Strategies Project, uniting a host of local, state, and federal agencies, including the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The Restoration Strategies initiative, established in 2012, was born out of an agreement between Florida and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enhance water quality in the Everglades. This comprehensive plan encompasses 13 projects, featuring over 6,000 acres of constructed wetlands and more than 115,000 acre-feet of water storage, designed to improve water treatment and storage for the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
“This is a massive achievement! Today, I was honored to join many of my colleagues to celebrate the completion of construction for the Everglades Restoration Strategies Project,” said Chauncey Goss, Chairman of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board.
Talbert Cypress, Chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, acknowledged the project’s significant impact, stating, “The Tribe and other environmental groups fought hard in the courts in past decades to ensure that the water quality in its lands was not being negatively impacted by untreated runoff. This project, among many others led by the District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are substantial steps towards fulfilling the court-mandated obligation to improve water quality in the Everglades.”
The Seminole Tribe of Florida echoed similar sentiments, with Tina Osceola, Acting Executive Director of Operations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in reaching this milestone.
EPA Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle highlighted the collective effort over the past three decades to remove harmful nutrients from the Everglades, stating, “While we know we still have work to do to meet our ultimate water quality goals, the progress made is truly remarkable.”
Senator Jonathan Martin expressed gratitude for the unified efforts to protect Florida’s natural resources, while Adam Blalock, Deputy Secretary for Ecosystem Restoration at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, praised the state’s ongoing investment in environmental preservation.
The C-139 Flow Equalization Basin Project itself is an 11,000 acre-foot shallow reservoir that manages local basin runoff and enhances water quality by controlling the flow to the Stormwater Treatment Area 5/6. This initiative is part of Florida’s broader commitment to ecosystem restoration, including other significant projects like the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project and the Caloosahatchee Reservoir Project.
Media Resources:
Download Video from the Ribbon Cutting
Download High Resolution Photos from the Ribbon Cutting
Download High Resolution B-ROLL of the C-139 Flow Equalization Basin Project
Media Contact: Randy Smith | [email protected] | Office: 561-682-6197 | Cell: 561-389-3386
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