Florida finishes 2,560-acre stormwater treatment area to safeguard Indian River Lagoon

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District have completed a 2,560-acre stormwater treatment area that can store 4,750 acre-feet of water, aiming to protect the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Estuary.

A major component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has been finished: the 2,560-acre Indian River Lagoon-South C-23/C-24 Stormwater Treatment Area, a joint effort by the USACE Jacksonville District and the South Florida Water Management District. Designed to hold 4,750 acre-feet of water, the facility uses wetland vegetation to trap sediment and absorb excess nutrients from agricultural and urban runoff, reducing the risk of algal blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary and the southern Indian River Lagoon.

The site features nearly 44,000 feet of perimeter and interior levees, multiple culverts linking treatment cells, and an interim pump station that will keep water moving until a permanent North Reservoir is built. With earthwork complete, the area is entering a grow-in phase where plants will develop root systems to maximize nutrient removal. Project leaders highlighted the importance of stable salinity for seagrass and young fish, and the broader restoration effort aims to eventually provide over 130,000 acre-feet of storage and restore tens of thousands of acres of habitat.