After decades of work, Florida and federal agencies have completed the massive restoration of the Kissimmee River, undoing one of the state’s most damaging environmental mistakes: its mid-20th-century canal straightening project.

Crews reconnected 44 miles of winding river channel, re-flooded 40,000 acres of wetlands that now act as natural filters for pollution. Within just a few years, native fish, wading birds, and other wildlife have returned in striking numbers. Scientists say the revived wetlands are already helping to limit harmful algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee, though the problem isn’t gone.

A River Reclaimed
The Kissimmee once snaked for more than 100 miles between Orlando and Lake Okeechobee, absorbing floodwaters and cleansing runoff. But from the 1960s to the early 1970s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers carved it into a 56-mile canal, draining wetlands and sending polluted water downstream. The changes exacerbated algae blooms and contributed to ecological collapse.

Lawmakers reversed course in the late 1990s, launching a joint state-federal plan to restore the river’s natural flow. The final canal segments were completed in 2021, allowing water to flow back into historic channels. By 2025, researchers documented significant rebounds in vegetation, fish, and bird populations.

By the Numbers

• 44 miles of river channel restored
• 40,000 acres of wetlands revived
• 2–3 years for vegetation recovery after reflooding
• 8/10 restoration progress rating from Florida Atlantic University scientist Amber Moore

“There’s 40,000 acres of wetlands doing its part, like Mother Nature intended, to clean that water before it reaches Lake Okeechobee,” said Moore. “We can restore Mother Nature — and Mother Nature knows so much more than we do.”

The Kissimmee restoration demonstrates that large-scale ecological repair is not only possible but also practical, offering a blueprint for future wetland and river projects that could reduce nutrient pollution and enhance flood resilience across Florida. Agencies will continue to monitor algae, water quality, and wildlife to assess their long-term success.

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(Image credit: WTVT)

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