In November, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the construction phase of Restoration Strategies. During the event, held at Hendry County's C-139 Flow Equalization Basin, the pump was turned on in celebration! The 11,000-acre basin will store runoff and improve the ability of Stormwater Treatment Areas 5/6 to remove nutrients and send more clean water into the Everglades. 

The multi-faceted Restoration Strategies project is a collaboration between the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, composed of 13 projects initially funded in 2013 to improve water quality for eight million Floridians, restore ecological balance, and provide recreation opportunities. 

Countless partners attended the event, including the Army Corps of Engineers, the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of Indians, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

This article originally appeared in the 2024 Winter Naturalist.