Congressman Garcia Celebrates the Army Corps’ Decision to Move Forward on Canal C-111 South Dade

Washington, DC – The Army Corps of Engineers announced today that they have reached an agreement allowing Everglades Restoration to resume in South Dade after nearly two years of project delay.

Over the past several months, Congressman Garcia has personally relayed the importance of completing Canal C-111 South Dade – an element of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan – to Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, Assistant Secretary Jo Ellen Darcy of the Army Corps, and other agency and administration officials.

“I am thrilled by the joint decision of the Army Corps and South Florida Water Management District, and look forward to swift movement on C-111 Canal construction. This canal will prove critical to the health of the Southern Everglades and Florida Bay, and provide much needed protection to the agricultural fields that drive our regional economy,” said Garcia.

Canal C-111 South Dade is one of the most critical Everglades Restoration projects to South Miami-Dade, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys. The canal connects restorative water flow projects in the Northern Glades with critical ecosystems to the South – including Taylor Slough, which has seen an estimated 75% decrease in water intake, and northern Florida Bay, where salinity levels and water quality have been drastically affected by a failed drainage system.

Not only will this lead to improved conditions in Everglades National Park, Florida Bay, and for supported plant and animal life, it will also provide critical flood protection to South Dade’s large farming community. Growers just west of the park have long suffered from failed crops and inundated agricultural fields due to excessive water run-off in bordering, occupied areas. C-111 South Dade will divert water to the east, away from the agricultural fields and various low-lying crops that support South Florida’s economy.