Happy 2026! After a break the Florida Legislature is back in session and Everglades Restoration is back in the news. About a week ago, my husband Ed asked me what I wanted photographed for the new year, and I replied: “The C23/24 Strom Water Treatment Area in St. Lucie County.”
Ed came back after a morning of flight and said: “I can’t find it.”
“Hmmm, I thought. Maybe because it’s not full of water yet, it is hard to make out?”
After a little more study and pinpointing the entirety of the C23 and C24 Canals we found it! Because the reservoirs are not yet constructed there was little change to the look of the land. Thankfully storm water treatments areas “blend.”
So what “it”?
The C23/24 STA and Reservoirs are the northern part of Indian River Lagoon South. (IRLS) “Indian River Lagoon South” is the St. Lucie River’s portion of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
This is a very important part of the project and like the rest of Indian River Lagoon South has been a long time coming. And though Governor DeSantis did not mention it yesterday in his State of the State speech, it must be funded.
So where are things now?
Both the Army Corps and the South Florida Water Management District are responsible for completing the project.
Drew Bartlett, Executive Director of the South Florida Water Management District noted the following:
~C23/24 Strorm Water Treatment Area is under construction by the Army Corps of Engineers and should be finished in 2026. (above photo)
~C23/24 North Reservoir (to be built by the Federal/ACOE) is ready for construction, but not funded.
~C23/24 South Reservoir (to be built by the State/SFWMD) is ready for construction, but not funded.
~C25 Reservoir (State/SFWMD) is in design and will be ready for construction in 2027.
These giant projects are/have been a shared responsibility. The ACOE and the SFWMD are/have been a team…
The Governor’s last budget request focused on fully funding the rest of the EAA Reservoir and CEPP, very important! But did not include a request for Indian River Lagoon South’s C23/24/25 components. If we’re going to finish the job for the St. Lucie River, “it” will need to be included too.
thanks Ed for finding that the work has not been done . GOV as usual not doing what it says and media covering the lie with misleading headlines . WOW. that’s Jacqui
Hi and thanks! We try to get “the rest of the story” right? 🙂
Thank you Jacqui for placing a spotlight on this STA for the East Coast! South Florida needs more STAs to clean water. You have a special skill and I am happy to see you return your focus on the critically important topic of clean water in South Florida.
Thanks so much. I want to stay involved. Retired or not we can all make a difference! 🙂
Hi there Jacqui Thurlow,
I’m Monte Waldman very good commentary on the C23/24 STA near Indian River Lagoon. I represent a software product I built covering the benefits and costs for all of the areas of the Everglades Restoration Plan. I believe my software covers the CERP and the STA in that area and be helpful for planning the project. Please check it out at,
https: evergladesimpactstudy.com/
Have a great day!
Monte Waldman
754-214-5619
Will do Monte! thank you.
We really enjoyed your travels…what a great escape for us to follow you. Happy you both are back bulldogging our environment here in the backyard again.
Thank you Janet! I know, I’m ready to get back on that boat! 🙂
Hiw can they be “under construction” if there is no funding? What can I do as a concerned citizen to pressure our legislators or responsible parties to secure the funding?
I think the only one “under construction” is the STA and it has been funded. The ACOE is doing this one. The others (the Reservoirs) are ready for construction but not funded. So all is in place to get going…. Certainly there is more to the story behind the scenes….
The C23/C24 STA & reservoirs won’t prevent pollution going into the lagoon & St Lucie River from septic systems in flood zones & in areas of sea rise. We need our legislators to write, pass & fund a bill to REQUIRE them to be converted to sewer systems, not only where sewer is available, but also where they need to be extended. Even the there is a high cost to providing sewer service to these areas it’s very less expensive than the cost of cleanup from the constant overflow of septic systems, including the advanced systems where flooding is expected.
Sewall’s Point where I live is going through this now. We must enter the future…
This is so important to the cause. Thank you for your focus on these important issues.
Thanks!