JACKSONVILLE – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District published an updated version of the RECOVER (REstoration COordination & VERification) Interim Goals and Targets Report July 1 using improved models and data not available in the initial report.

RECOVER is a multi-agency team of scientists, modelers, planners, and resource specialists who organize and apply scientific and technical information to support the objectives of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). RECOVER periodically reviews the Interim Goals and Targets first established in 2005 using new information and computer models not available during previous efforts.

“It’s critical that we continually improve our predictive measures with more effective computer models,” said Gretchen Ehlinger, a senior biologist with the Jacksonville District. “We have to use modern methods to provide scientifically defensible predictions of how CERP projects will meet the goals of improving the quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of flows through the system.”

The 2020 update to the goals and targets are broken into four scenarios:
• Existing Baseline Conditions: the state of the system as of 2017;

• 2026: The expected state of the system assuming projects authorized in the 2018 IDS for 2026;
• 2032 Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP): the expected state of the system including the shallow A-1/A-2 Flow Equalization Basin (FEB) as originally authorized in CEPP; and,
• 2032 Post Authorization Change Report (PACR): the expected state of the system assuming the now authorized CEPP Everglades Agricultural Area A-2 Reservoir/Stormwater Treatment Area.

The report is available online at www.saj.usace.army.mil/IGIT, and Corps experts will be hosting two webinars for interested stakeholders to review the detailed changes to the Interim Goals and Targets. Webinars will begin at 10 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. July 15, 2020. Join the webinar at:

Weblink: https://usace.webex.com/meet/betsy.a.evans

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