The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects that the entire Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir project could be finished by 2029.
“Listening to Everglades Foundation’s Chief Science Officer Steve Davis describe this new project was incredible,” said WBOB morning show host Roger Henderson.
Henderson was referring to a recent interview conducted with Steve Davis about a new canal that will connect the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir to Lake Okeechobee.
“This is something,” David said. “It’s 13 miles long and it will allow lake water to be stored and make its way south to the Everglades.”
Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation, praised the Army Corps for its partnership. One of the many success stories Eikenberg tells audience members is over the last several years, many projects that have started are finishing up early, adding cost savings to the taxpayer. Eikenberg says this canal project should be completed years earlier than first planned.
“This has been a decades-long effort to restore the natural flow of water across South Florida, connecting Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir,” said Eikenberg. “This will allow cleaner and filtered water to be stored and sent south.”
“This is a massive undertaking. It’s generational at this point,” said Col. Brandon Bowman with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Colonel also highlighted the amount of work, billions of dollars, and tens of thousands of man-hours that are contributing to the project.
Steve Davis said not only is the canal 13 miles long, but it will stand about 37 feet high and cover just over 200 feet across at its base.
“It will reduce the need for harmful discharges to the east and west coasts that can trigger toxic blue-green algae blooms. Sending it south, storing it, cleaning it, and flowing it to the Everglades benefits all of us,” Davis said.
