SOUTH BAY, Fla. — Ron DeSantis on Monday announced that all federally funded contracts for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir have been fully executed, marking a significant step forward in one of the state’s largest environmental restoration efforts.
The announcement was made alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is partnering with the state on the project.
According to state officials, the completed contracts are expected to accelerate construction of the reservoir, with a projected completion date of 2029—approximately five years ahead of the original timeline.
The EAA Reservoir is considered a central component of the broader Everglades restoration initiative, which aims to improve water storage, reduce harmful discharges to coastal estuaries, and restore more natural water flow to the Everglades ecosystem.
DeSantis said the milestone represents progress toward long-term environmental goals tied to restoring the Everglades, a vast subtropical wetland system in South Florida that has undergone decades of ecological degradation due to development and water management practices.
State officials have described the reservoir project as one of the most critical infrastructure efforts within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a multi-decade federal and state partnership.
The announcement comes as Florida continues to invest heavily in Everglades restoration and water quality improvements, which collectively represent one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the United States.
