C-51 Reservoir Construction

The C-51 Reservoir is a regional alternative water supply project for Southeast Florida designed to capture excess stormwater currently wasted to the tide and causing harm to the Lake Worth Lagoon. The stored water will then be used to replenish the surficial and Biscayne Aquifers throughout the region for public water supply purposes. Construction of Phase I is the result of regional collaboration beginning in 2006 between public water utilities located in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties; the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD); the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP); Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD); Palm Beach Aggregates (PBA); local governments; and other interested parties. 

The project site has unique geology for South Florida because it holds water independently of the surrounding water table, allowing for deep-water storage primarily below ground. Located in Western Palm Beach County, the C-51 Reservoir is at the intersection of primary drainage canals and water management infrastructure. It is immediately adjacent to the SFWMD L-8 Flow Equalization Basin (FEB), a critical component of restoration strategies aimed at meeting water quality targets for the Everglades ecosystem. The C-51 Reservoir will connect to the L-8 FEB and be operated by the SFWMD in a coordinated manner for the benefit of both the water supply and the environment.