South Florida Water Management District

Today, we celebrated the completion of the C-23 Estuary Discharge Diversion Project, a milestone in Everglades restoration that will transform water quality along the Indian River Lagoon. Since I became governor, we’ve made record-breaking investments in projects to improve water quality by addressing underlying issues. This C-23 Estuary project includes nearly seven miles of new interconnect canal and a pump station that diverts millions of gallons of water every day for treatment and storage, reducing harmful discharges and algal blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary. A more natural salinity gradient in the St. Lucie River and better conditions for the estuary will improve conditions for residents, visitors, and business owners in the area. Florida gets things done, and we’re proud of our infrastructure improvements that preserve and improve the quality of life in our state.

We have a duty to leave this state better to God than we found it, and we have prioritized responsible stewardship of Florida’s natural environment. We have invested nearly $9.5 billion in Everglades restoration and water quality during my administration, and those investments are delivering real results. We’ve broken ground on or completed more than 90 Everglades restoration projects since I became governor. Today, I was proud to announce the latest milestone: the completion of the C-23 Estuary Discharge Diversion Project. The St. Lucie Estuary is a vital resource for Floridians who live, work, and fish in the area, and this project is already improving water quality all along the Indian River Lagoon.

Governor DeSantis Announces Completion of Major Water Quality Project xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1PKqrNRjV…

Today, alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, I was proud to announce that all federally funded contracts have been executed to expedite completion of the EAA Reservoir by 2029, five years ahead of the original timeline. This milestone brings us a step closer to delivering on our commitment to restore the Everglades. Since I took office, my administration has secured nearly $8 billion in investments for Everglades restoration and water quality projects. We’ve tripled the water storage capacity in South Florida, opened the C-43 reservoir, and we’re now working on the Blue Shanty Flow Way project—the last major component to “uncork” the Everglades. The July 2025 agreement between the State of Florida and the federal government has made all this possible by cutting red tape with an all-hands-on-deck approach. We will keep working together to build infrastructure, not paperwork.

Governor DeSantis Makes Major Everglades Restoration Announcement xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1yKAPMnLX…

Governor DeSantis Announces Water Quality and Coral Reef Restoration Grants in Miami xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1ZkJzZNeg…

Florida reached a historic agreement with the Trump Administration earlier this year to expedite and advance Everglades restoration. 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.

Governor DeSantis Makes Major Everglades Restoration Announcement xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1OyKAjAEb…

We are acting on our historic agreement with the Trump Administration to expedite Everglades restoration using federal funds and state expertise. The groundbreaking on the Blue Shanty Flow Way project in Miami-Dade County is a milestone in our Everglades restoration efforts, made possible by this agreement. The Blue Shanty Flow Way will ensure that more water flows from the to-be-completed EAA Reservoir into Everglades National Park and Florida Bay. This project will be ready to go as the EAA Reservoir comes online—at just half the cost of the federal estimate. Our efforts to protect and restore the Everglades have been second to none, and the agreement with the feds will allow us to do even more.

A long-awaited project, first envisioned and authorized decades ago, is finally becoming a reality. The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir is not only fully funded and under construction—it’s moving forward faster than expected, thanks to a new state and federal agreement. The completed EAA Reservoir will deliver major benefits for Florida’s coastal communities, fishermen, tourism industry, and our unique natural environment that we’re conserving for generations to come.