CBS4) MIAMI A multi-million dollar cleanup effort that had already dredged nearly half of the Miami River will be able to continue, thanks to a $20 million boost meant to put the project back on track.

Holding a check for $20.5 million, U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen promised the rest of the river will be cleaned up in the next few months, restoring the river's one time luster.

"People don't know history of this jewel," said Ros-Lehtinen. "It will be a park used by the community, a place for picnics it will be a river transformed for South Florida."

The river is surrounded by history. At its mouth is the Miami Circle, an ancient burial ground for the Tequesta Indians. Becky Matkov with the Dade Heritage Trust says the Indians called the river "Sweet Water."

"It certainly would no longer would be called sweet water," said Matkov. "It will clean up the bottom which is horribly polluted."

The dredging of the river was stopped when money ran out. However, when dredging starts up again over the remaining three miles of the river, it will be 15 feet deep. Right now it's only eleven feet deep, making it impossible for shippers to operate at low tide. The clean up will enable the Miami River to return to being a working river once again. You can add to that new restaurants and residential units being built along the banks.

Once the dredging is complete officials believe that the river will generate an additional $100 million in revenue over the next 20 years.

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