“SFWMD Governing Board, U.S. Army Corps Make Tremendous Progress on Kissimmee River Restoration Project”

“Decades-long partnership to restore miles of Kissimmee River to historic conditions enters its final phases of construction and monitoring”

To read the entire press release use this link.

Orlando, FL — A crucial undertaking generations in the making, the Kissimmee River Restoration Project is now within sight of the finish line.
     “The Kissimmee River is part of the heart of Florida and key to the restoration of America’s Everglades,” said South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, we are restoring the river and protecting it for the enjoyment of generations of Floridians to come.”

And don’t forget:

Don’t forget all the hard work by SFWMD to save birds like our Cape Sabal Seaside Sparrow:

“Because of the Migratory Bird Act and the Endangered Species Act, we don’t have the ability just to say, ‘Oh, they’re [endangered birds] in the way, but we need to put water quality first. . .’ ”.

And don’t forget about a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee:, a former SFWMD governing board member said:

“To say that the reservoir will save the Everglades and prevent coastal discharges is wishful thinking that can’t be backed by science.” [emphasis added]

Communities south of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County are on sewage systems. Why are there still communities using septic tanks along the Indian River Lagoon? That should be a national embarrassment.

What about the Herbert Hoover Dike and residents in Western Palm Beach County?

Don’t forget Chris McVoy, PhD, an expert on Everglades Restoration, said. . .

. . . from an article in the Tampa Bay Times:

McVoy also questioned how the new reservoir will release unpolluted water into the Everglades when the state’s current treatment areas for stormwater are already at capacity.
     He noted that Negron’s bill didn’t specify where the water will flow out of the reservoir, and pointed out that both the Everglades and the sugar companies may wind up fighting over who gets that flow in dry times.
     “That’s a barn-door size loophole,” McVoy said.
     The thing to remember about the reservoir in particular and Everglades restoration in general, he added, is that “this whole thing is part science and part what you can get politically.” [emphasis added]

You decide:

Is “part science” mixed with politics a good enough reason to spend ±$2B (that’s “B” as in billion) on a reservoir that may or may not even work? We’ll just have to wait and see. Is that sound science?