Water Conservation Area 2A

 wetland, nature preserve

Water Conservation Area 2 is located south of Lake Okeechobee, in southern Palm Beach and northern Broward Counties. WCA 2, the smallest of the three WCAs, is an extensive wetland dominated by sawgrass, covering 210 square miles. WCA 2 is totally enveloped by levees. In addition to pumped inflow it also has a natural inflow. Discharges into this area are made through the S-10 structures (E,D,C,&A) and the S-7 pump station.

The S-10E discharge structure has less capacity than the other S-10 structures but it does provide a way of directing water into the driest areas of WCA 2A. The major outflow structures from WCA 2A are S-11C, B, and A which direct water into WCA 3 and S-144, 145, and 146 which are used to provide water to WCA 3B. Structure S-38 provides discharge to the east from WCA 2 for water supply purposes during drought into coastal Broward County, and in some instances for regulatory purposes.

WCA 2A was originally designed to allow growth of emergent vegetation with ground elevations ranging from 12-11 feet mean sea level, north to south. After its completion in 1961 water elevation was set too high at 13-14.5 ft MSL and the vegetation began to convert to those found in deep water marshes and tree islands began to disappear. In 1974 and 1980 a series of drawdown canals were connected.