Efforts to restore the Kissimmee River to its original flow were approved by Congress in 1992, and began with modification to the headwater lakes in 1997.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers had initially hoped to complete the project in 2015.
In 2006, the South Florida Water Management District had acquired enough land along the river and in the upper chain of lakes to complete restoration.
In all, 43 miles (69 km) of the Kissimmee River will be restored.

A 2009 report from the Corps of Engineers went into detail with the issues and plans for the Kissimmee River restoration.

Already, wildlife is returning to the restored sections of river.
When flooding began again, muck and smothering aquatic weeds were flushed out.
Sandbars reemerged.
Encroaching dry land trees began dying back.
Once-dormant plants began to reestablish themselves.
The species included pink-tipped smartweed, horsetail, sedges, rushes, arrowhead, duck potato and pickerel weed.
Flooding and continuous flow increased levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, creating near perfect conditions for aquatic invertebrates such as insects, mollusks, works, crayfish and freshwater shrimp.
This, in turn, boosted fish populations and it led to a rise in bird and alligator populations.
The entire food chain benefitted.
This is one reason that the Kissimmee River restoration is considered to be the largest true ecosystem restoration project in the world, attracting ecologists from other states and countries.
Efforts to restore the Kissimmee River to its original flow were approved by Congress in 1992, and began with modification to the headwater lakes in 1997. The United States Army Corps of Engineers had initially hoped to complete the project in 2015. In 2006, the South Florida Water Management District had acquired enough land along the river and in the upper chain of lakes to complete restoration. In all, 43 miles (69 km) of the Kissimmee River will be restored.
A 2009 report from the Corps of Engineers went into detail with the issues and plans for the Kissimmee River restoration.
Already, wildlife is returning to the restored sections of river. When flooding began again, muck and smothering aquatic weeds were flushed out. Sandbars reemerged. Encroaching dry land trees began dying back. Once-dormant plants began to reestablish themselves. The species included pink-tipped smartweed, horsetail, sedges, rushes, arrowhead, duck potato and pickerel weed. Flooding and continuous flow increased levels of dissolved oxygen in the water, creating near perfect conditions for aquatic invertebrates such as insects, mollusks, works, crayfish and freshwater shrimp. This, in turn, boosted fish populations and it led to a rise in bird and alligator populations. The entire food chain benefitted. This is one reason that the Kissimmee River restoration is considered to be the largest true ecosystem restoration project in the world, attracting ecologists from other states and countries.
Kissimmee River