Ochopee, Collier County - Wednesday July 10, 2024: Ground was broken Wednesday morning on the first major feature of the Western Everglades Restoration Project (WERP), the L-28 South Culverts near Ochopee in Collier County.
The culverts will improve the timing and distribution of water to re-establish ecological connectivity and restore hydrologic conditions in Big Cypress National Preserve and western Everglades National Park. Specifically, the culverts will restore and reconnect Water Conservation Area 3A with Big Cypress National Preserve and Lostmans Slough.
This project is taking place in an area of South Florida where Water Conservation Area 3, Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park as well as the Miccosukee Alligator Alley Reservation all come together.
The overall goal of this, and other WERP projects to come, is to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water in the western Everglades in an effort to re-establish ecological connectivity and restore low nutrient conditions. The western Everglades includes a mosaic of habitats and the aim of all the WERP projects is to restore the flow of water, retain habitats for panthers, take away the impact of over-drainage in the natural areas, and maintain flood protection for the developed areas.
WERP is a partnership between the SFWMD, the USACE and the Tribes. Since 2019, the SFWMD and the USACE have celebrated over 70 ribbon cuttings, ground breakings, and major milestones on Everglades restoration and resiliency projects across Central and Southern Florida
"Everglades restoration is working, and we are proving that increased investments and historic momentum are restoring America's Everglades. As we work every day to implement the nation's most ambitious ecosystem restoration effort, I'm proud to see continued progress to further revitalize this treasure," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss. "Every single Everglades project has a benefit to the environment, and expediting these culverts will provide many early benefits to Big Cypress National Preserve and western Everglades National Park.”
“The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida is excited to see this project. The State and Federal government are finally listening to the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes and have committed to cleaning the water and better balancing the flows between the east and the west of the Everglades to create holistic restoration for the entirety of the watershed," said Chairman Talbert Cypress, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.
“This is a momentous first step for the Western Everglades Restoration Plan (WERP) to re-establish ecological connectivity of the southern portion of the C&SF system with the Everglades and improve the ecological resilience of the wetland/upland mosaic,” said Col. James Booth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District commander. “As I prepare to depart command later this month, I am immensely proud of the momentum USACE and SFWMD have created in our Everglades Restoration efforts.”
