EAA Reservoir's STA Completion Celebration

January 25, 2024

Gathering To Celebrate A Collaborative Effort

Eric Eikenberg, CEO, and Carlos de la Cruz, Jr., Foundation Board Chairman, joined Governor Ron DeSantis and Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and many other stakeholders at the ribbon cutting for the first phase of the 6,500-acre Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) for the EAA Reservoir.

A Needed Solution For Everglades Restoration

This STA will clean the dirty water in the reservoir before it is ultimately sent south to the Everglades and Florida Bay. 

Well Received Progress

This celebratory occasion emphasized the widespread support for the EAA Reservoir project as highlighted by the bipartisan federal and state attendees. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is the lead federal agency for Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), while the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is the lead state agency.

What is a Storm Water Treatment Area (STA) and Why are they Important for Everglades Restoration?

Stormwater treatment areas (STAs) are large, engineered wetlands that remove phosphorus from water and sequester it in the soil. The EAA Reservoir will store excess Lake Okeechobee water so it can be cleaned in an adjacent STA and then sent south to nurture the Everglades and Florida Bay. The EAA Reservoir will also supply freshwater for the Biscayne Aquifer, which is the source of drinking water for millions in South Florida. 

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