In 1992, Congress authorized the Water Resources Development Act to implement the Kissimmee River Restoration. The restoration project is cost-shared by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE). The Riverwoods Field Lab serves as the central staging area for the SFWMD's research and monitoring of the project.

The Kissimmee River Restoration Project will restore the integrity of the river by backfilling the middle third of the river to restore flow and the lost benefits of the original pre-channelized system. The project will restore over 40 square miles of river/floodplain ecosystem including 43 miles of meandering river channel and 27,000 acres of wetlands.

SFWMD scientists have developed a comprehensive evaluation plan to measure the success of the restoration project. Click here to learn more about the Restoration Sequence. As a part of the Restoration Project, two of the six water control structures will be removed. Late in June 2000, the S65B Lock and Dam Structure was removed with a Big Bang! Click here to see photos of this exciting event!

To learn more about this exciting project, you can visit the South Florida Water Management District's Kissimmee River Restoration Project web page .