Celebrating a Major Milestone for the Indian River Lagoon-South C-23/C-24 Stormwater Treatment Area

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District (USACE) and South Florida Water Management District (District) celebrated the completion of construction on the Indian River Lagoon-South C-23/C-24 Stormwater Treatment Area.

"All of us want a healthy environment with abundant fish and wildlife. The C-23/C-24 features will help deliver exactly that," said South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Drew Bartlett. "The District prioritizes improving water quality across South Florida, and today's C-23/C-24 STA milestone is another pivotal moment as we work to protect the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. The State of Florida, under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, will continue its commitment to advancing Everglades projects that make a difference for the environment and the quality of life for people in South Florida. We're going to keep up our momentum and continue to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite Everglades projects."

"Today's milestone reflects the steady progress being made to restore one of South Florida's most important ecosystems," said Col. Brandon Bowman, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District. "The successful transition of the Stormwater Treatment Area into operational maintenance, together with the start of construction on the Interim Pump Station, demonstrates the strength of our partnership with the South Florida Water Management District and our shared commitment to delivering lasting environmental benefits for the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie Estuary."

The C-23/C-24 Stormwater Treatment Area, or STA, is designed to treat water from the Canal-23 and Canal-24 Basins.

It encompasses more than 2,500 acres which is almost equivalent to the approximately 3,000 acres protected under the North Fork St. Lucie River Aquatic Preserve.

Its purpose is to reduce the nutrients going to the St. Lucie River Estuary and the southern portion of the Indian River Lagoon.

The STA is a component of the Indian River Lagoon-South (IRL-South) project and part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

Together, the C-23/C-24 Basin features will:

• Capture local run-off from the C-23 and C-24 basins, reducing the nutrients flowing to the St. Lucie River Estuary and the southern portion of the Indian River Lagoon,
• Provide valuable open water, wetland, and upland habitat,
• Include thousands of acre-feet of new water storage, and
• Divert excess water from the basins, helping to rehydrate the floodplain of the north fork of the St. Lucie River and to moderate flows to the estuary and improving salinities.

The C-23/C-24 Stormwater Treatment Area includes:

• Over 2,560 acres with 4,750 acre-feet of storage,
• A total of 43,900 feet of perimeter levee and 13,200 feet of interior levee,
• 1 ungated culvert under CR-613 to connect the western and eastern STA cells,
• 19 individual culverts within the STA, and
• An interim pump station will be built to maintain vegetation prior to the completion of the future North Reservoir.

The Indian River Lagoon Watershed is home to more than 4,300 species of plants and animals. In addition, the Indian River Lagoon is known as the most bio-diverse habitat in North America and has been designated an Estuary of National Significance by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Media Resources
Download Video from the IRL-South C-23/C-24 STA Milestone Event
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