GEF

Unit 2  |  Water Science and the Water Cycle 56 WATER CONCEPTS: THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES Known as the “River of Grass,” the Florida Everglades is an extensive region of grasslands, wetlands, and forests stretching from Lake Okeechobee in Central Florida to Florida Bay in the south of the state. Beginning in the nineteenth century, large areas of the Everglades were drained to make way for agriculture and human settlement. Following catastrophic floods in the 1920s, engineers began to focus on flood control and cutting channels, called channelization , of the Everglades. This facilitated the development of sugarcane plantations and the growth of cities in South Florida. The extensive manipulation of water within the Everglades had profound impacts on ecosystems in the region. Interruption of seasonal flooding combined with periodic droughts dried out wetland soils, causing widespread fires. Invasive plants and animals became widespread, out-competing native species. Although the establishment of Everglades National Park in 1947 focused attention on the protection of natural resources and wildlife, agricultural and urban development continued to take their toll. Runoff containing high levels of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the disruption of natural water flow has caused extensive harm to the Everglades and surrounding communities. During the past 30 years, national and local governments, conservation organizations, and citizens groups have embarked upon an unprecedented ecological restoration project. This plan, estimated to cost $7.8 billion, is focusing on pollution reduction and the re-establishment of natural water flow in the Everglades. If successful, this highly ambitious project may represent a model for other damaged aquatic ecosystems around the world. Everglades restoration focuses on restor- ing water flow in areas like these sugar cane fields and farmlands south of Lake Okeechobee Florida.