On Thursday, February 12, the SFWMD Governing Board voted to approve the Picayune Strand and Fakahatchee Estuary Water Reservation Rule which protects all water needed for the environment in this huge, 55,000 acre Everglades restoration project.  The first of a series of such rules to be adopted by the State for all restoration projects under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the Picayune Strand Reservation defines how to measure what water is needed for the restored environment both on site and within the entire watershed, and commits to both protecting this water from withdrawal and monitoring for any harm.  It also sets the precedent for approaching such rules on the other projects, the next being the Kissimmee River restoration.  In addition, the Rule is a requirement of all projects that intend to have shared costs between the state and federal government – a vital facet of Everglades Restoration.  There was considerable opposition from several sources in the process including a water utility that may challenge the rule, but strong support from Audubon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Everglades Foundation and other allies resulted in an important victory for Everglades Restoration.

For more information on this new rule, go to the SFWMD website.