GROUNDBREAKING: Lake Hicpochee project...

MOOREHAVEN, Fla — The South Florida Water Management District just broke ground on Phase 2 of the Lake Hicpochee Project, which they say is designed to store water and clean it before it reaches the Caloosahatchee and the Everglades.

The district says this expansion adds more than 2,000 acres of new water storage, to bring the total to more than 3,000 acres. Ben Butler with the South Florida Water Management District says it's a key step toward a return to the natural way water used to move through Florida before development changed its flow.

"This project is taking some of that area, rehydrating it, and using that land to help clean and remove nutrients from that water," said Butler.

Drain sending filtered water out of the basin — Drain sending filtered water out basin

Butler says removing those nutrients is vital to the health of Florida’s estuaries. "It helps prevent algae blooms that thrive on excess nutrients, and it also helps water clarity, it helps our fishing, it helps our tourism," he said.

Here’s how it works: once water is pumped into the basin, it can be stored and released during dry months. This helps balance the salinity of the estuaries, which supports ecosystems like oyster beds. It can also give farmers a reliable supply while reducing flooding during the rainy season.

"This little project happening up here in Glades County is a huge help, and one of the major solutions to helping improve the water quality in Southwest Florida," Butler said.

The district expects construction to be complete by mid-2028.