BELLE GLADE, Fla. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District on Wednesday, as part of the ongoing construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project, completed one of the largest controlled construction detonations ever conducted, a critical component of Everglades restoration. USACE will efficiently use the onsite material produced by detonation to construct a dam from natural materials that meets dam safety standards.
The operation was the largest non-electric shot loaded, connected, and fired in a single work shift for the project and involved approximately 2,700 drilled holes, 140,000 pounds of explosive material, and the movement of nearly 270,000 cubic yards of earth to advance construction activities at the reservoir site, including a rock dam.
The operation moved enough material to fill more than 80 Olympic-size swimming pools or require more than 20,000 20-ton dump truck loads. If lined up bumper-to-bumper, those trucks would stretch nearly 140 miles, roughly the distance from Belle Glade to Orlando. This material is being processed onsite to build a rock dam.
The carefully planned detonation was conducted by trained professionals under strict safety protocols and represents another major milestone in accelerating construction of the EAA Reservoir Project, which is now targeted for completion by 2029.
"This historic detonation is epic American greatness in action and is the loudest evidence yet that President Trump is the Everglades President,” said Adam Telle, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. “Under the President’s leadership, we’re Building Infrastructure Not Paperwork and moving at Trump Speed to deliver this reservoir by 2029, five years ahead of schedule. With this lighting quick pace, the State of Florida’s partnership, and the U.S. Army’s unparalleled engineering expertise, we are constructing the new bedrock for South Florida's economy and one of America’s most precious resources, way ahead of schedule.”
The EAA Reservoir is designed to store and move water south from Lake Okeechobee to the central and southern Everglades when it is needed most, reducing releases to coastal estuaries while supporting ecosystem restoration efforts across South Florida.
The project is one of the largest ecosystem restoration efforts underway in the United States and is a key component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
To view and download b-roll from today’s detonation visit:
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