Major Milestone for Key Everglades Restoration Project Celebrated

At the Stewart Bridge celebrating the completion of the plugging of the Faka Union Canal.

Posted Wednesday, June 12, 2024 8:00 pm

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The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along with many state officials and stakeholders celebrated the completion of an important component of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in Southwest, Florida. The plugging of a major canal is now complete, marking another milestone on this project.

"The Picayune Strand Restoration Project has been many years in the making, and the plugging of this canal marks a significant milestone for this massive project. Under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis to expedite Everglades restoration, the water management district continues to work with its partner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate the filling of canals," said SFWMD Governing Board Member Charlette Roman. “We are so close to completing this important Everglades project which will restore the hydration and ecosystem of this incredible national treasure. The Picayune Strand Restoration Project is near and dear to my heart, and I am so proud of the progress we are making on this project and all of the projects in South Florida."

"Today's celebration is about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completing the plugging of the Faka Union Canal," said Howard Gonzales, Jr., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. "This project has been the essence of our partnership with the SFWMD. Working together, we are successfully advancing Everglades restoration and look forward to the completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in 2025."

The plugging of the Faka Union Canal marks one of the final components needed to accomplish the Picayune Strand Restoration Project's goal of restoring the natural hydrology of over 55,000 acres of native wetlands and uplands on Florida’s Southwest coast. Three out of the four canals are now plugged. The restoration project is expected to result in improved flows of water into Collier Seminole State Park, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge and the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

The project has numerous environmental benefits including:

* Restoration of wetlands that are already making a significant contribution to the landscape of Southwest, Florida

* Restored and enhanced habitat for fish and wildlife including the Florida Panther

* Reduced drainage of adjacent sensitive ecosystems

* Improved aquifer recharge to protect underground water supplies and prevent saltwater intrusions

* Reduced freshwater releases/improved health of downstream estuaries

In January 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 23-06 in Bonita Springs to support Everglades restoration and protect Florida's water resources. The order built on the success of Executive Order 19-12, which was signed in 2019, and also expedited Everglades restoration and water quality improvements. The SFWMD has celebrated over 70 ribbon cuttings, ground breakings and major milestones on Everglades restoration and resiliency projects across Central and Southern Florida since 2019.

The Picayune Strand Restoration Project is a partnership between the USACE and the SFWMD. In 2009, it was the first Project Partnership Agreement that the USACE executed with the SFWMD as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

Pictured from left to right: Project Manager Amanda McKenzie, SFWMD; Environmental Project Manager Mary Fesmire, SFWMD; Brenda Stelzer, Florida Forestry Service; Michael Weston, Florida Forestry Service; Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer Taniel Koushakjian, SFWMD; Executive Director Drew Bartlett, SFWMD; Board Member Charlette Roman, SFWMD; Deputy Engineer for Programs and Project Management Howard Gonzalez, Jr., USACE; Project Manager Stephen Baisden, USACE; Biogeochemist Paul Julian, Everglades Foundation; Chief, Ecosystem Branch Eva Velez, USACE; Chief Programs Officer Michele Arquette-Palermo, Conservancy of Southwest Florida; Director Keith Laakkonen, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; Executive Director Andy Wells-Bean, Audubon Western Everglades; Board Member Meredith Budd, Audubon Western Everglades; Vice-Chair Ellin Goetz, Everglades Foundation; Project Engineer/Superintendent, Operations Division Felix Colon Cardona, USACE; Southwest Florida Program Administrator Jeff Carter, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; and South District Public Information Officer Brooke Keck, DEP.

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