Ecosystem Restoration

Great blue heron in Everglades National Park As a result of the engineering performed as early as the 1880s to make south Florida more habitable, the natural flow of water to—and through—the Everglades was severely altered. The construction of roads, canals, and levees created barriers that interrupt the natural flow of water that’s necessary for the Everglades to survive.

Upon Congressional authorization of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in 2000, the federal government and the state of Florida entered into a programmatic 50/50 partnership to restore, protect, and preserve water resources in central and southern Florida, including the Everglades. The Corps is the lead federal agency and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is the lead state agency in this effort.

In partnership with SFWMD, the Corps is currently planning, designing, and constructing multiple components of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER) program, which includes the CERP—the largest ecosystem restoration program in the world.

Progress made in each respective area supports efforts in the others to deliver essential benefits. Every incremental success complements the overall efforts to restore this national treasure. These efforts will ultimately improve 2.4 million acres of south Florida’s ecosystem (including Everglades National Park), reduce high-volume discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the estuaries, improve water deliveries to the Florida and Biscayne Bays, and enhance water supply.

For additional background information on Everglades restoration efforts, visit: www.evergladesrestoration.gov/

Project Pages

To the right, you'll find a list of links for individual project pages under "Ecosystem Restoration pages." At present, not all projects have pages, but you can find archived information at www.evergladesrestoration.gov.

Request a viewable and a printable (11 x 17) PDF version of the Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS)

2022 Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) Logo


View/download the final 2023 Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS)

The Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) provides the roadmap for sequencing, planning, design, construction and operations of both federal and state projects related to Everglades restoration. 

Ecosystem Restoration Photos

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