Everglades System Status Report Available for Public Review

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, the two implementing agencies of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), have announced publication of the 2014 System Status Report (SSR), a comprehensive report evaluating monitoring data within the Everglades ecosystem.

This multi-agency report evaluates current monitoring data from different geographic regions within the Everglades ecosystem to determine if the goals and objectives of CERP are being met. The SSR incorporates data collected by the Restoration Coordination and Verification (RECOVER) Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP) pro­gram for CERP, data from CERP projects, and data provided by RECOVER partners.

The 2014 System Status Report’s Executive Summary provides an overview of the report, several key findings about current ecosystem status and restoration project performance, and how the report was developed to support CERP implementation.

In addition to assisting decision-makers with the timing of planning and implementation of CERP features, the 2014 System Status Report will also provide input into the 2015 Report to Congress, required by the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. Produced every five years, the intent of the Report to Congress is to inform the highest levels of the U.S. government on the progress made toward the goals and objectives of CERP.

The CERP is a joint effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District and the local sponsor, the South Florida Water Management District.

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Press Release, August 12, 2014