'10 years of progress' Everglades nonprofit, Army Corps marks 2016 water crisis

TC Palm, August 7, 2026

TCPalm featured The Everglades Foundation and its partners at an event marking 10 years since the 2016 water crisis, when toxic blue-green algae blooms covered parts of the St. Lucie River. The blooms were fueled by billions of gallons of harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges, which sent polluted freshwater into the St. Lucie River estuary and Indian River Lagoon.

During a news conference at the Stuart Riverwalk Stage, The Everglades Foundation Chief Executive Officer Eric Eikenberg joined environmental advocates, community leaders, and representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reflect on the progress made since 2016. Speakers included representatives from the Florida Oceanographic Society and Captains for Clean Water, as well as longtime clean-water advocates.

The event highlighted the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir, a critical restoration project now under construction south of Lake Okeechobee. Once completed, the reservoir will help store and clean water before sending it south to the Everglades, reducing the need for damaging discharges to coastal communities. The project’s anticipated completion has been accelerated by five years to 2029.

While the 2016 water crisis demonstrated the devastating consequences of a broken water-management system, the progress made over the past decade shows what can be accomplished through science, advocacy, collaboration, and sustained investment in Everglades restoration.

Read the full TC Palm article here: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2026/08/07/florida-city-stuart-was-catalyst-for-4-billion-everglades-reservoir-eaa-reservoir/91211151007/

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