The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has authorized the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to continue the next phase of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (PSRP), which will restore historic water flow and enhance wetlands in the western Everglades.
The PSRP is a project component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, commonly called CERP. Once completed, the PSRP will reestablish historic water flows, reduce unnatural freshwater inflows, improve the water quality of coastal estuaries and restore ecological connectivity in the area.
PSRP aims to reverse the effects of a failed residential development that partially drained the area during the 1960s. By plugging 48 miles of canals, which will include the Faka Union and Miller canals, and removing 250 miles of crumbling roads, the project will remove water blockages and restore flow to 55,000 acres of Picayune Strand.
As a result, restored wetlands will create essential habitat for a variety of natural vegetation and wildlife, including the endangered Florida panther.