Groundbreaking at EAA Reservoir: A Leap Forward for Everglades Restoration
Palm Beach County, Fla. — In an event that marks a significant advancement in environmental restoration, Governor Ron DeSantis participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new inflow pump station at the EAA Reservoir Project. Situated to the south of Lake Okeechobee, this massive reservoir will have the capacity to store over 78 billion gallons of water, surpassing the size of Manhattan. Annually, it will channel up to 470 billion gallons of purified water into the Everglades and Florida Bay, while also sustaining the Biscayne Aquifer, South Florida’s chief drinking water source.
This ceremony is the 80th milestone event since 2019, recognizing numerous achievements in Everglades restoration projects under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the most in the state’s history.
“Florida reached a historic agreement with the Trump Administration earlier this year to expedite and advance Everglades restoration,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today, I was pleased to announce a milestone in Everglades restoration made possible by our cooperation with the federal government. Florida is now breaking ground on the new EAA Inflow Pump Station, an essential component of the EAA Reservoir project. This is the second Everglades restoration project to commence since the agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers last summer, which has empowered Florida to step up our Everglades restoration efforts. Today’s groundbreaking marks the 80th milestone event in Everglades restoration that has taken place since 2019, thanks to our leadership and commitment to getting this done.”
“The EAA Reservoir is a critical component of Everglades restoration and Governor DeSantis has led the charge on getting this project done,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert. “Restoring America’s Everglades is one of the most ambitious environmental restoration projects ever undertaken and will restore the natural flow of clean water south to where it’s needed most. With every project we are delivering real results on time, under budget and with strong returns for Florida’s taxpayers.”
The newly initiated inflow pump station will house nine pumps, making it one of Florida’s largest pump stations. It will have the capability to transfer approximately 3 billion gallons of water daily from Lake Okeechobee to the EAA Reservoir.
Historically, modifications to Florida’s water systems aimed at flood prevention have disrupted the natural water flow to the Everglades. The EAA Reservoir Project aims to rectify this by redirecting water southwards, thereby restoring ecosystems and reducing harmful discharges into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Upon its completion, the reservoir promises lasting benefits for Florida’s coastal regions and natural habitats.
The groundbreaking today is another crucial step forward following the landmark agreement reached in July 2025 between Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army. This agreement accelerates the EAA Reservoir’s completion by five years, from 2034 to 2029, streamlining federal processes to expedite essential restoration work. In September 2025, the state also celebrated the groundbreaking of the Blue Shanty Flow Way, a critical system designed to deliver clean water southward across the Tamiami Trail into Florida Bay.
Florida’s proactive leadership has led to faster, cleaner, and more cost-effective restoration efforts. Since 2019:
- The C-44 reservoir is complete, the C-43 reservoir is complete, and the EAA Reservoir is being accelerated.
- Annual nutrient reduction has resulted in the removal of over 1.8 million pounds of nitrogen and 770,000 pounds of phosphorus from Florida’s waterways.
- South Florida’s water storage capacity has tripled to 176 billion gallons.
Since his first days in office, Governor DeSantis has prioritized Everglades restoration and water quality improvements. On his second day in office, he issued Executive Order 19-12, committing $2.5 billion over four years for these initiatives. He exceeded this target in his first term with a $3.3 billion investment, more than the previous 12 years combined. In his second term, DeSantis continued this trajectory, with $1.4 billion included in the FY 2025-26 Budget. The state is now set to surpass his $3.5 billion second-term goal, with nearly $8 billion invested in Everglades restoration and water quality since 2019.
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