The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District held a virtual informational meeting on Oct. 4 to address comments from stakeholders and the public regarding USACE and South Florida Water Management District’s (SFWMD) development of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) Operational Plan.  

The A-2 STA is under construction by the SFWMD. USACE evaluated operational alternatives and selected a preference to facilitate SFWMD’s operation of the STA upon construction completion. CEPP focuses restoration on more natural flows into and through the central and southern Everglades by increasing storage and treatment south of Lake Okeechobee, improving conveyance to the Central Everglades and removing barriers to flow to Everglades National Park.

Lisa Aley, of USACE, said all CEPP components are needed to move more clean water under the Tamiami Trail to Florida Bay.  The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir, which is under construction, will hold water from Lake Okeechobee for release through the A-2 STA south.

The Tamiami Trail, which runs from Tampa to Miami, limits flow south. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is working on a project to raise portions of the road to allow more flow. That project is two years behind schedule and currently estimated to be complete in 2026.

The EAA reservoir projected completion is around 2030.

The A-2 STA could be ready to accept lake water in the 2025 wet season.

Vegetation is currently growing in the STA, under the management of SFWMD staff. Lake water will be used to keep the STA hydrated, as needed, if local rainfall does not suffice.

Before the STA can be officially operational, SFWMD staff must show that it can clean water to the required standard. Water leaving the STA can average no higher than 13 to 19 parts per billion (ppb) phosphorus. The plan for the STA must also go through the federal NEPA process. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)  requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.

Dan Crawford of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said until the EAA reservoir is complete, the goal is for the A-2 STA to treat water from Lake Okeechobee. He said they will only send water to the STA when lake water is flowing into the Miami Canal, and will match releases from the lake to the target level of water going into the STA.  Because the canal already collects some local basin runoff, the water entering the STA will be a mixture of lake water and basin runoff, he explained.

During the public comment period, Newton Cook, of United Waterfowlers, said the STA will treat an estimated 200,000 cubic feet of water per year, which is less than 6 inches on Lake Okeechobee.

He said it may not even be able to treat that much water, because when the water is higher in phosphorus, it takes longer for a STA to clean it.

“The lake is the dirtiest it has ever been,” said Cook. He said keeping the lake level high, as the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) is designed to do, has killed off the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Cattails alone cannot clean the water to the level required for release into Everglades National Park, he added.