FORT DENAUD, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday celebrated a major milestone in Everglades restoration with the opening of the Caloosahatchee (C-43) reservoir, a project he called “one of the most significant” in the state’s history.
The governor was joined by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert at Hendry County Emergency Services for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“This is really a significant achievement,” DeSantis said. “Everglades restoration has been central to what we’ve done since I’ve been governor.”
The reservoir, covering about 10,000 acres, can store nearly 55 billion gallons of water. It will capture excess runoff from Lake Okeechobee and surrounding watersheds during the rainy season and release water strategically during dry periods in Southwest Florida.
Since taking office, DeSantis pledged $2.5 billion over four years for Everglades projects and exceeded that with $3.3 billion. In his second term, he promised $3.5 billion and has already delivered $4.6 billion, totaling nearly $8 billion invested in water infrastructure, restoration, and water-quality projects.
“These investments have reduced harmful nutrients in South Florida’s waterways by hundreds of thousands of pounds annually,” DeSantis said. “We’ve tripled South Florida’s water storage capacity to 176 billion gallons.”
The C-43 reservoir is part of a broader effort under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), which aims to restore the ecosystem, improve water quality, and protect coastal economies.
Fort Denaud is located in Hendry County, about 30 miles east of Fort Myers.
[BELOW: Judge dismisses Disney suit accusing DeSantis of retaliation]