July 21, 2006 Digging is set to begin in southern Florida next month for what will be one of the world's largest man-made reservoirs, a 62-billion-gallon capacity project designed to nourish and protect the Everglades. Calling it the "flag-ship" project, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is touting the initiative, scheduled to be completed by 2010, as a milestone for Everglades restoration and a preclude to future plans. "It just brings us one step closer into our restoration efforts and meeting our goals," said Julie Greenberg, a spokeswoman for the South Florida Water Management District, a regional agency that oversees water resources. The reservoir, to be situated in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), just south of Lake Okeechobee, will provide a new option for redirecting and storing Lake Okeechobee water releases, reducing the threat upon the surrounding environment, Greenberg said. With Florida Governor Jeb Bush slated to attend the ground-breaking ceremony, construction on the project, which will cover roughly 25 square miles and cost about $400 million, is set to begin August 2, , Greenberg said. The state got the nod of federal approval for the endeavor last week when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided the proper construction permit to the South Florida Water Management District, which will construct the reservoir. The initial idea for the project, part of Florida's Acceler8 initiative—a plan to fast-track eight key restoration projects—dates at least as far back as 1999. According to Greenberg, benefits will be seen in a range of components of the comprehensive restoration process, including the storage of storm-water runoff, additional water to supply the Everglades, and further protection from regional floods. The most important of these, Greenberg says, is the storing of regulatory releases from Lake Okeechobee. This opinion was echoed in an earlier release issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen Castille, who touched on the advantages provided by the stored water. "By acquiring this permit and beginning construction, Florida is keeping its promise to restore the famed River of Grass and protect Florida's statuaries," Castille said in a press release. "Water storage is a key element to the restoration process, not only for controlling water releases but also for flood protection and wildlife habitat restoration."

When completed, the new reservoir will hold approximately 62 billion gallons of water—equivalent to about 5.1 million swimming pools.