Everglades Forever Act

[5] The Act directed the State of Florida to develop a phosphorus criterion standard for the Everglades Protection Area.

[6] Using data collected from the Everglades Nutrient Removal Project, which acted as a small scale model offering insight into the best implementation of both design and management, the Everglades Construction Project began in the spring of 1997 and was part of an $825 million water quality restoration project included in the Everglades Forever Act.

In an effort to help restore the Everglades ecosystem, the project proposed the construction of 6 flow-through treatment marshes, called Stormwater treatment areas, to help reduce phosphorus levels in water that was bound for Everglades National Park.

Meant to augment the natural filtration abilities of marshes, the plan called for STA construction on more than 40,000 acres of land.

Each of the STA locations are positioned downstream of major agricultural discharge canals therefore ensuring that all water flowing to the Everglades would first have to pass through for treatment.