Skanska USA Civil completed this $25 million contract from the Army Corps of Engineers to construct part of the Ten-Mile Creek Water Preserve in St. Lucie County, Florida. This project is part of the Everglades Restoration Project, which covers 16 counties over an 18,000 square-mile area and seeks to restore, protect and preserve the water resources of central and southern Florida.

The objective of the Ten Mile Creek Project is to ease seasonal storm water flows from the Ten-Mile Creek Basin into the St Lucie River Estuary and Indian river Lagoon, the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. Wildlife in the entire lagoon is endangered from increased runoff from watershed enhancements. By capturing freshwater from Ten Mile Creek and storing it during the rainy season, the amount of freshwater and sediment entering waterways can be controlled. 

Construction consisted of a 6,000 acre-feet above ground reservoir, a pump station, gated-water control structure for moderating the release of water back into the creek, a gated gravity control structure for draining the facility for maintenance purposes and control structures between the deep water storage area and appurtenant structures. Additionally, an auxiliary pumping station, outlet culvert, an emergency overflow spillway and a 12-foot wide inspection road were constructed.

The project has an anticipated construction schedule of 24 months. In addition to the obvious environmental benefits of the project, St Lucie County will use part of the site as a nature preserve area (hiking, fishing, bird watching etc). The Everglades Restoration Project is one of the largest ecosystem restoration efforts worldwide and the plan includes more than 60 major components. This ambitious project will help save the unique and diverse environment that constitutes the ecosystems of this area.