FL H1211

Directs the South Florida Water Management District to declare state control over Lake Okeechobee water discharges and take a leadership role in rehabilitating the Herbert Hoover Dike, which is classified as extremely high risk by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Requires the district to request the Army Corps of Engineers revise its Dam Safety Modification Study and achieve substantial completion of dike rehabilitation by July 1, 2021, with a possible one-year extension.

Mandates water releases from Lake Okeechobee be executed only according to a district-approved schedule and sets a goal of adding 1.25 feet of water storage capacity to reduce damaging discharges into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers.

Directs the district to request joint development of a general reevaluation report for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan to optimize storage on A-1 and A-2 lands, with implementation subject to congressional authorization and all applicable state and federal procedures.

Appropriates $100 million in recurring annual funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund through fiscal year 2020-2021 to the South Florida Water Management District for dike rehabilitation work with the Army Corps of Engineers, and preserves state sovereign immunity for tort claims related to dike operation.