Posted on October 3, 2025
USACE completes Contract 10A for Florida’s EAA Reservoir Project, a key part of Everglades restoration. The $3.9B initiative aims to store water, reduce discharges and improve water quality in South Florida by 2029, showcasing major progress towards environmental and economic benefits for the region.
The Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) held a ribbon cutting ceremony Sept. 23, 2025, to celebrate the completion of Contract 10A for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project with its federal, state and local partners in South Bay, Fla.
The critical work was an intricate piece of the puzzle for the EAA Reservoir, a major component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) that reconnects Lake Okeechobee water to the central Everglades.
Col. Brandon Bowman, commander of the USACE’s Jacksonville District, said that although Contract 10A “may not be the flashiest part of this massive undertaking … make no mistake, it is essential. It’s the quiet work, the initial effort, that makes the entire reservoir function.”
With the backdrop of a newly constructed 8.3-mi. inflow/outflow canal, a seepage canal and a maintenance road that together provide the essential conveyance as well as protection features for the EAA Reservoir — a project that began in 2023 — the first piece of the massive 10,500-acre reservoir is set.
“The EAA reservoir is called the ‘Crown Jewel’ of CERP — and rightly so,” Bowman said. “The entire project spans 17,000 acres and represents billions [of dollars] in investment. But more importantly, it represents hope. Hope for restoring the Everglades. Hope for sending water south when Lake Okeechobee rises too high. Hope for improving water quality, timing and distribution across South Florida.”
In a news release, the USACE said that when fully complete, the reservoir will store up to 240,000-acre-ft. of water — equivalent to more than 118,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools — reducing harmful discharges to coastal estuaries and delivering clean, fresh water south to the Everglades and Florida Bay.
The massive project spans approximately 16 sq. mi., an area equivalent to the Florida cities of Stuart and Fort Myers put together.
Another key component includes a 6,500-acre stormwater treatment area (STA), which is a central part of the state and federal CERP effort and the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP).
More than 17 million cu. yds. of earthen material was used to construct embankments 37 ft. tall with the ability to store water 23 ft. deep.
Bowman said that beyond their structural importance, the EAA canals will serve a vital protective role by helping to shield neighboring landowners from elevated water tables when the reservoir is full — a testament to the thoughtful planning behind every phase of the effort.
“This isn’t just about infrastructure — it’s about resilience,” said Bowman. “It’s about turning what once seemed impossible into reality. And that reality is being built every day by the dedicated teams at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our incredible partners at the South Florida Water Management District.”
EAA Reservoir Project Could Be Finished in 2029
Among the featured speakers at the event commemorating the wrap up of Contract 10A were Connor Tomlinson, the special assistant to Adam Telle, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; Dr. Larry McCallister, the USACE’s South Atlantic Division programs director; Adam Blalock, deputy secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); and Drew Bartlett, executive director of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).
McCallister highlighted the scale of the Everglades EAA 10A project and lauded the accomplishments of the USACE team, SFWMD, the community, legislators and contractors for their hard work to get to this point.
“It will likely be one of the largest above-ground reservoirs in the nation, and it’s only possible because of strong partnerships between the Corps, the South Florida Water Management District and our contractors,” he added.
The total cost of the Central Everglades Planning Project’s EAA phase is estimated at $3.9 billion, a huge investment in the restoration of the Everglades.
The EAA Reservoir Project benefits both Florida’s environment and economy. In addition to more clean water for the Everglades, the effort is creating jobs and providing a significant boost to the nearby local economies south of Lake Okeechobee.
Work on the storm water treatment area began in 2020 and remains ongoing, with reservoir component construction also progressing. USACE estimates the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir project may be finished by 2029, years earlier than first thought.
In late August, Telle accompanied Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly, the USACE’s deputy commanding general for Civil and Emergency Operations, on a visit to the Everglades Agricultural Area project.
“The complexity of this huge project effort requires the best of us and that’s what we have… a team compiled of the best of the United States Army Corps of Engineers working … in collaboration with the State of Florida, [and] a very capable partner in the South Florida Water Management District, and there’s a lot of work yet to be done,” Kelly said. “But I’m confident that we are getting the engineering right, getting the project management right and we’ve got the right team working on this project.”
The EAA project site is located 27 mi. south of Lake Okeechobee, 45 mi. west of West Palm Beach, 75 mi. east of Fort Myers and 75 mi. northwest of Miami, according to the USACE news release.
