About the Ecosystem

The South Florida ecosystem is a uniquely diverse system of subtropical wetlands, uplands, and coastal and marine areas. Encompassing more than 18,000 square miles, the ecosystem is dominated by the watersheds of the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades. The Everglades network of wetlands forms this ecosystem's most crucial component. Fed by Lake Okeechobee, the second largest natural lake entirely in the United States, the Everglades once acted as a natural filter oscillating with the seasons over millions of acres to support and provide habitat for diverse wildlife to feed, shelter, and breed their young. This vast, free-flowing river of grass extended from the Kissimmee chain of lakes to Florida Bay, sustaining large populations of wading and migratory birds, crocodiles, panthers, manatees, deer, and fish.

 

Ecosystem Problems

Inappropriate water management schemes, predominantly the Army Corps of Engineers' C&SF Project built to address flood protection and provide water for municipal and agricultural purposes, combined with increased water demands and excessive drainage of wetlands, have significantly contributed to the highly degraded state of the South Florida ecosystem. Today, Lake Okeechobee provides drinking water for over six-million people (three times more than the C&SF Project originally intended) and serves as a source of irrigation for a $1.5 billion-a-year agricultural industry. These use requirements have changed the natural variability of water flow, water timing, and water distribution, severely straining the ecosystem's ability to perform its intended function, particularly in the Everglades.

Major problems in the ecosystem include:

• 90-95 percent reduction in wading bird populations and continuing reductions in the number of birds initiating breeding in the ecosystem;
• 68 plant and animals species listed as threatened or endangered (more than any other state in the U.S);
• 1 million acres of land under health advisories for mercury contamination;
• Over 1.5 million acres infested with invasive species and exotic plants;
• Declining populations of commercially and recreationally important fish species in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries and Biscayne and Florida bays;
• Defoliation of seagrasses, fish kills, and deformed fish within the St. Lucie estuary;
• Repetitive water shortages and salt water intrusion;
• More than 50 percent reduction in the size of the Everglades compared to 100 years ago;
• 70 percent less water flow through the ecosystem;
• Over-efficient draining of water from land resulting in 1.7 billion gallons of water per day discharging into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico;
• Declining water quality through increased levels of polluted runoff, nutrients (e.g., phosphorus and nitrogen), and contaminants (e.g., metals and pesticides), and soil erosion and subsidence;
• Some untreated urban and agricultural stormwater is sent directly to natural areas and estuaries that are critical nurseries and homes to many fish and wildlife; and
• Not enough water is available for urban and agricultural users -- during the dry season, the current water regime is unable to provide sufficient freshwater supplies for the natural system, or for urban and agricultural consumers. Water shortages and water restrictions are now a regular occurrence in some parts of South Florida. Water conflicts may become more common and more severe unless changes to the water management system are made.
  
  

Ecosystem Users

Residents
The South Florida region has grown to sustain over 6 million people, encompassing seven of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. In the next 20-25 years, South Florida's population is expected to increase to 12 million people.

Industry
South Florida supports many industries, all with the potential to grow considerably over the next few decades. The enormous and booming tourism industry currently brings in $19 billion annually; estuaries generate annual revenue of $18 million by providing food and habitat to 70 percent of the commercially- and recreationally-harvested fish and shellfish in the region; and the area's recreational fishing industry imparts approximately $600 million to the region.

Agriculture
The region's productive agricultural industry generates more than $1.2 billion worth of economic activity annually, sustaining more than 40,000 jobs. Over 400,000 acres of the Everglades Agricultural Area is planted with sugar cane, 60,000 with sweet corn, and 30,000 with rice. The remainder is planted with sundry vegetables, including lettuces, radishes, and parsley.

Sugar Industry
The Florida sugar industry grows and processes more than half of all sugar grown in the United States, and more than a quarter of the sugar sold domestically. The land area within the Everglades Agricultural Area occupied by the sugar industry has nearly doubled in size since the 1970's, causing further demand for water and increasing polluted run-off. Environmentalists, scientists, and federal and state officials have cited the vast quantities of phosphorus produced by the industry's intensive farming practices as a primary cause of the Everglades' collapse. Environmentalists further assert that the federal government's sugar price-support program and subsidies from the state of Florida for irrigation and water management services have fueled the exponential growth of the sugarcane industry and led to degradation of the Everglades at a rate of three to five acres per day.

 

 

Ecosystem Map

Map of the South Florida Everglades (source: South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force)

 

 

Ecosystem Alteration

Below is a timeline of major events and legislative actions that have contributed to the large-scale alteration of the South Florida Everglades:

Swamp and Overflowed Lands Act of 1850
Five years after granting Florida statehood, Congress enacted the Swamp and Overflowed Lands Act authorizing the vast bulk transfer of land to states expressly for the purpose of selling the land to generate revenue and promote development. The Act resulted in more than 20 million acres of land being granted to Florida.

Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund, state legislature, 1855
To assure proper application of funds arising from the sale of land granted by Congress under the Swamp and Overflowed Lands Act of 1850, the Florida legislature created the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund.

Hamilton Disston's construction projects, 1881 - 1894
After becoming fascinated with the possibility of reclaiming swamp land to facilitate agricultural and residential development, Philadelphia-native Hamilton Disston negotiated with Florida Governor Bloxham and the Internal Improvement Fund to drain all of the lands overflowed by Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River in exchange for one-half the reclaimed land. Disston further purchased four million acres of land from the Internal Improvement Fund in 1881 to not only bail the Fund out of debt, but also to become the largest single land owner in the United States at the time. By 1894, Disston's Land Company had conveyed nearly 1.2 million acres of land, resulting in the lowering of Lake Okeechobee by 4 ½ feet, the development of many major towns, and the dredging of a navigable waterway from Lake Okeechobee north to the Kissimmee River and west to the Gulf of Mexico.

Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act of 1899
The federal Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act of 1899 deemed the construction of bridges, causeways, dams, and dikes over or in navigable waters of the United States unlawful without prior approval from the Secretary of Transportation. The Act also gave the Army Corps of Engineers the authority to regulate the obstruction of navigable waterways. Following enactment, the Army Corps of Engineers began an evaluation of the Kissimmee River's course to the ocean, leading through Lake Okeechobee in South Florida.

Rivers and Harbors Act of 1902
Through the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1902 Congress heeded the Army Corps of Engineers' recommendations to improve navigation in the Kissimmee River, authorizing a federal navigation project to create and maintain a 109 mile channel -- three feet deep by 30 feet wide -- from the town of Kissimmee to Fort Basinger.

Broward elected Governor of Florida, 1904
On the promise to create an "Empire of the Everglades" by draining the area, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward was elected Governor of Florida.

Board of Drainage Commissioners, state legislature, 1905
The Board of Drainage Commissioners was created by Florida legislature to establish and maintain a system of canals, drains, levees, dikes, and reservoirs in order to drain and reclaim the swamp and overflowed lands of Florida and provide for irrigation of the reclaimed lands. The Board also was empowered with establishing drainage districts. This move marked the first regional authority created by the state of Florida to implement water policy and facilitate drainage of the Everglades.

Everglades Drainage District, state legislature, 1907
At the recommendation of the Board of Drainage Commissioners, the state legislature authorized a $250,000 tax-supported plan to create a 7,150 square mile Everglades Drainage District.

Rivers and Harbors Act of 1907
The federal Rivers and Harbors Act of 1907 authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to construct a six-foot channel from the Oklawaha River to Silver Springs.

Issuance of drainage bonds, state government, 1912
The unexpectedly high cost of drainage construction prompted the government of Florida to issue drainage bonds in order to fund further development and boost land confidence.

Drainage projects, 1913 - 1927
Six large drainage canals and numerous smaller canals totaling 440 miles, including 47 miles of levees and 16 locks and dams, were constructed between 1913 and 1927. At a cost of $18 million dollars, the resulting system of canals, levees, locks, and dams provided the foundation for draining the northern and eastern parts of the Everglades, allowing the area to be opened up for farming.

Napoleon B. Broward Drainage District, state legislature, 1917
The Napoleon B. Broward Drainage District was created by Florida's legislature to oversee drainage and reclamation of a half million acres in Broward County and northern Dade County.

Everglades Agricultural Area development, 1919
The Everglades Agricultural Area, a 16,000 acre area of land providing extraordinary crop yields to farmers, was developed by William Conners. By 1920, most of the land in the area was cultivated, with sugar cane, tomatoes, beans, peas, peppers, and potatoes the first crops to be grown commercially. Agriculture was, however, not a booming industry. Only two of the large canals provided satisfactory outlets from Lake Okeechobee, the others lacked the slope necessary to significantly reduce the water level in the lake. The canals also did not provide sufficient protection from overflow during unusual weather periods.

Okeechobee Flood Control District, state legislature, 1929
The Florida land boom collapsed in 1926, resulting in the incompletion of several drainage projects. Severe droughts, floods, and two deadly hurricanes (killing thousands of residents) in 1926 and 1928 forced state legislators to form the Okeechobee Flood Control District. Together with Army Corps of Engineers, the District was authorized to conduct flood control activities, and to issue bonds to generate funding for the completion of drainage projects.

Rivers and Harbors Act of 1930
The extensive damage produced by the two hurricanes, including the death of thousands of people, prompted the federal government to become substantially involved in Everglades flood control through the Army Corps of Engineers. After a personal inspection of the area by President Hoover, the Army Corps of Engineers drafted a new plan for flood control that provided for the construction of floodway channels, control gates, and major levees along Lake Okeechobee's shores. The River and Harbors Act of 1930 authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to undertake construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike system, consisting of a series of levees, gated culverts, and locks which encompass Lake Okeechobee.

Flood Control Act of 1936
The Flood Control Act of 1936 gave additional authority to the Army Corps of Engineers to improve, or participate in the improvement, of navigable waters or their tributaries for flood control purposes.

Unusual weather patterns, 1931-1945
Between 1931 and 1945, unusual weather patterns continued to play a role in Everglades' manipulation. Prolonged dry periods, including the worst drought in Florida's history, lowered groundwater levels in the Everglades and exacerbated the threat of salt intrusion into the municipal wells of Miami and other coastal cities. The declining water levels also resulted in the peaty, organic soils of the Everglades drying out and shrinking at an intense rate, and the loss of thousands of acres of land by fire. The events prompted the need for water conservation in the area.

Army Corps of Engineers - comprehensive plan, 1947
The weather again turned in 1947 drenching the South Florida area with 100 inches of rain. Three weeks later, two hurricanes and a tropical disturbance deposited more water, resulting in 90 percent of southeastern Florida being flooded, and damage estimates over $59 million. The devastating series of events prompted the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of life and damage to property by floods, and to conserve water for beneficial use during periods of droughts. Acting on the requests of many concerned local agencies, and under authority of various acts of Congress, and resolutions of appropriate congressional committees, the Army Corps of Engineers orchestrated numerous public hearings to evaluate local interest and devise a plan. Offering the best solution was a comprehensive plan for flood control and water conservation that satisfied the major needs expressed by the various agencies, was beneficial to the greatest number of residents and to the largest portion of the area, and was carried out by the federal government, in cooperation with local agencies. The Army Corps' comprehensive plan was submitted to higher authority in December, 1947. To address reoccurring problems in the area, the first phase of the plan, known as the C&SF Project, called for flood control; water level control; water conservation; prevention of salt water intrusion; and preservation of fish and wildlife. Projects were primarily centered on flood protection for the agricultural development south of Lake Okeechobee and for the highly developed urban area along the lower east coast of the state.

Flood Control Act of 1948
Congress approved the first phase of the C&SF Project as part of the Flood Control of Act of 1948.

Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, state legislature, 1949
The Governor of Florida approved the C&SF Project. The following year, the Florida legislature created the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, predecessor to the South Florida Water Management District, and authorized the agency to maintain structures created by the Army Corps of Engineers and to act as a single local agency with which the federal government can coordinate on local matters.

Flood Control Act of 1954, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1965 and 1970
The Flood Control Act of 1954 authorized the second phase of the C&SF Project comprising the remaining works of the original comprehensive plan. Further improvements to the project were authorized by the Flood Control Acts of 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1965. The Flood Control Act of 1968 expanded the project to provide for increased storage and conservation of water, improved water distribution, and increased delivery of water to the Everglades National Park. Recreation also was added as a project purpose. Once completed, the C&SF Project resulted in a primary flood control and water delivery system comprising over 1,000 miles of levees, 720 miles of canals, nearly 2000 water control structures, 18 major pump stations, a 100-mile dike, and three temporary water conservation areas.

Pumping of phosphorus-rich water into Everglades, 1979
The South Florida Water Management District temporarily stopped back-pumping phosphorus-rich water from the Everglades Agricultural Area into Lake Okeechobee. Instead, the District began pumping untreated farm runoff directly into the central Everglades. The decision resulted in the spread of phosphorus-loving cattails across the northern Everglades.

 

 

History of Restoration Actions (1893-1991)

Below is a timeline of restoration-related events and activities prior to the establishment of a large-scale restoration program in the South Florida Everglades:

Act to protect manatees, state legislature, 1893
The Florida legislature enacted legislation to protect manatees and prohibit them from being killed. The legislation also created a fine of up to $500 or three months in prison for the capture or killing of the species.

Lacey Act of 1900
The federal Lacy Act of 1900 banned the interstate shipment of any wild animals or birds killed in violation of state laws. The law also gave the bird protection movement its first weapon against the plume and market hunters.

Creation of Florida Audubon Society, 1901
The Florida Audubon Society was founded to the rallying cry "Save the Wild Birds of Florida."

Bird Protection Act, state legislature, 1901
The Florida legislature passed a bird protection act prohibiting the killing, capture, or shooting of deer, crocodile, and wild birds.

Migratory Bird Law of 1913
Congress enacted the Migratory Bird Law of 1913 to protect all game birds not permanently within the borders of a state. The law also made illegal the importation of wild bird plumes into the United States.

Royal Palm State Park on Paradise Key, 1915
The Florida Federation of Women's Clubs purchased 960 acres of land to create the Royal Palm State Park on Paradise Key. An equal amount of acreage was privately donated. The state of Florida ceded an additional 2,080 acres to the Park in 1921.

Proposal to create an Everglades National Park, 1923
The new Director of the National Park Service, Stephen Mather, proposed that the Florida Everglades be considered for national park status. The idea was largely ignored.

Proposal to create a wildlife refuge and Reservation for the Seminole Indians, 1925
Minnie Moore Wilson submitted to numerous newspapers a proposal to create a wildlife refuge and reservation for the Seminoles in the Florida Everglades.

Botanist John K. Small releases "From Eden to Sahara: Florida's Tragedy", 1929
Botanist John K. Small published "From Eden to Sahara: Florida's Tragedy." The book chronicled the fast and furious destruction of the Everglades, giving weight to the fledging National Park movement.

Everglades National Park Committee visits the Everglades, 1930
The Everglades National Park Committee visited the South Florida area, writing in their report to the Interior Department that the Everglades met the standards for a national park. Members of the Senate Public Lands Committee also toured the Everglades.

Creation of Seminole Reservation, 1930
The first state Reservation, consisting of 99,200 acres of forbidding wilderness in the Ten Thousand Islands region of Florida, was established for the Seminole Indians.

Creation of Everglades National Park, 1934
Congress authorized the creation of the Everglades National Park with 2,164,480 acres to be acquired through public and private donations. To make the park a reality, the state of Florida was asked to acquire over 2 million acres through public and private donations. Several large landowners in the Everglades met and set a minimum price for their lands of $5.00 per acre.

Big Cypress Reservation, 1934
The state of Florida set aside 104,800 acres of swamp and marsh land in south Florida for the Seminole Indians. More than half of this land, however, was taken back by the government in 1951 for a drainage project.

State Board of Conservation, state legislature, 1945
The State Board of Conservation was created by Florida legislature. The Board was charged with protection of the state's marine, mineral and water resources.

Dedication of Everglades National Park, 1947
President Harry Truman dedicated 1.3 million acres for Everglades National Park. The Everglades was the first national park to be established because of its biologic wonders.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas releases "The Everglades; River of Grass", 1947
Marjory Stoneman Douglas published "The Everglades; River of Grass." The book brought about new concerns for the environment and heightened awareness of the need to conserve and protect the Everglades.

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service leases Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 1963
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service leased a water conservation area in the central Everglades from the state of Florida. The area was referred to as the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Endangered Species listing, 1967
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service placed the Florida panther, the snail kite, and the Cape Sable seaside sparrow on the federal endangered species list.

Movement to preserve Big Cypress swamp, 1968
A defeated proposal to create a jetport in the Big Cypress, just west of the Everglades National Park, galvanized the movement to preserve the unique Big Cypress swamp.

Designation of Biscayne as a national monument, 1968
Congress designated Biscayne as a national monument, citing its "rare combination of terrestrial, marine, and amphibious life in a tropical setting of great natural beauty."

National Environmental Protection Act of 1969
The National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 established the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, and also required the Army Corps of Engineers and the Central South Florida Flood Control District to consider damage to the environment when making management decisions.

Federal Public Law 91-282 of 1970
Although Public Law 91-282 authorized appropriations for the Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate canal construction, the legislation also ensured water requirements for the Everglades National Park by requiring not less than 315,000 acre-feet of water be delivered annually.

Governor's conference on Florida's water management issues, 1971
Growing concerns for preservation of the environment and a period of extreme drought heightened awareness of water supply and environmental problems in Florida, prompting a Governor's conference on Florida's water management issues. The conference concluded that water quality is deteriorating significantly and that water quantity was insufficient during the dry season. The conference also produced legislative action by way of the Florida Water Resources Act of 1972.

Environment Protection Act of 1971
Congress passed the Environmental Protection Act of 1971 allowing Florida citizens to sue the state when environmental laws are not enforced.

Florida Water Resources Act, state legislature, 1972
Florida legislature passed the Florida Water Resources Act, creating five water management districts with expanded responsibilities for regional water resource management and environmental protection. The Act also established fundamental water policy for Florida, attempting to meet human needs and sustain the natural systems.

Florida Land Conservation Act, state legislature, 1972
Florida's legislature approved the Florida Land Conservation Act authorizing the issuance of bonds to purchase environmentally endangered lands.

Creation of Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, 1972
The state of Florida acquired land to create Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, the largest, deepest stand in the Big Cypress Swamp, and to protect its unusual collection of rare plants and animals.

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
Congress enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 increasing conservation and protection efforts for Florida's manatees.

Endangered Species Act of 1973
Congress passed the Endangered Species Act of 1973, authorizing the conservation of ecosystems that host endangered or threatened species, as well as the conservation and protection of endangered or threatened species themselves.

Establishment of Big Cypress National Preserve, 1974
Congress established the Big Cypress National Preserve.

Endangered species listing, 1975
The endemic American crocodile, whose entire North American range was in and around Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay, was placed on the federal endangered species list. At the time, the population consisted of just 200 individuals, with only ten nesting females.

Kissimmee River Restoration Act, state legislature, 1976
Florida's legislature authorized the Kissimmee River Restoration Act, mandating the development of restoration measures in the Kissimmee River region.

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization listing, 1976
The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization recognized the Everglades National Park and the Dry Tortugas as part of its international network of biosphere reserves.

Constitutional amendment, 1976
Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment giving state districts the authority to levy property taxes.

South Florida Water Management District, state legislature, 1976
The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District was renamed the South Florida Water Management District, reflecting the changing scope of the district's responsibilities.

Kissimmee River Restoration Act of 1976
Congress passed the Kissimmee River Restoration Act of 1976, authorizing a series of state and federal initiatives to restore the integrity of the river and to retrieve some of the lost benefits that the original pre-channelized river provided.

Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, state legislature, 1978
The Florida legislature enacted the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, establishing speed limits in waterways frequented by manatees.

Everglades designation as a World Heritage Site, 1979
The United Nations designated the Everglades as a World Heritage Site.

Establishment of Biscayne Bay National Park, 1980
Congress authorized new acquisitions of keys and reefs in Biscayne Bay, changing the national monument's status to a national park.

Florida Resource Rivers Act, state legislature, 1981
Florida's legislature established the "Save Our Rivers" Program allowing water management districts to acquire environmentally sensitive land to manage, protect and conserve the state's water resources. The Florida Resource Rivers Act also created the Water Management Lands Trust Fund. Receiving revenue from the documentary stamp tax, the Department of Environmental Protection was charged with administration of the trust fund.

Save our Everglades Program, 1983
Florida Governor Graham launched the "Save Our Everglades" Program with an executive order calling for restoration of the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades. The Program was the first attempt to address problems over the entire Everglades ecosystem, not just parts of it. The state subsequently initiates the Kissimmee River Restoration Project.

Warren Henderson Act, state legislature, 1984
Florida's legislature passed the Warren Henderson Act of 1984, giving authority to the Department of Environmental Protection to protect wetlands and surface waters of the state for public interest.

Endangered species listing, 1984
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Services placed the wood stork on the federal endangered species list.

Everglades designation as a Wetland of International Importance, 1987
The Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty providing the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources, designated the Everglades as a Wetland of International Importance.

Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act, state legislature, 1987
The Florida legislature authorized the Surface Water Improvement and Management Act of 1987, creating the first cleanup plan for the Everglades. The act also required the five Florida water management districts to develop SWIM plans to clean up and preserve Florida's rivers, lakes, estuaries, and bays.

U.S Federal Attorney sues the state of Florida, 1988
U.S. Federal Attorney, Dexter Lehtinen, sued the state of Florida to compel it to halt the flow of phosphorus and other pollutants into the Everglades (U.S. v. South Florida Management District), sparking widespread national attention. The lawsuit quickly became lost in a tangle of countersuits, congressional hearings, state and local investigations, and scientific studies.

Everglades Nutrient Removal Project, 1988
The governor of Florida initiated a demonstration project for the re-routing and treatment of runoff from the Everglades Agricultural Area on 4000 acres of state owned land. The project involved construction of the first manmade wetland to remove phosphorus.

Judge rejects motion to dismiss, 1989
The South Florida Water Management District's motion to dismiss U.S Federal Attorney Dexter Lehtinen's lawsuit was rejected.

Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989
Congress authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to modify the C&SF Project to improve water deliveries to the Everglades National Park, and to the maximum extent practicable, take steps to restore the natural hydrological conditions of the park. The Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act also authorized the purchase of 107,000 acres of land to increase the flow of water into the eastern side of the park.

Compromise to litigation, 1990
Florida Governor Martinez announced a compromise to federal litigation over nutrient pollution in the Everglades.

Federal agencies file joint comments on Everglades SWIM plan, 1990
Federal agencies jointly filed comments on the Everglades SWIM plan.

Florida Preservation 2000 Act, state legislature, 1990
Passage of the Florida Preservation 2000 Act in state legislature established a coordinated land acquisition program to protect the integrity of ecological systems and to provide multiple benefits, including the preservation of fish and wildlife habitat, recreation spaces, and water recharge areas.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act established a 2,800 square-nautical-mile marine sanctuary and a water quality protection program for the Florida Keys.

Florida Governor ends state opposition to federal action, 1991
Florida Governor Chiles ended the state's opposition to federal action over nutrients in the Everglades and agreed to settle the lawsuit within six months. Governor Chiles next appeared in court "surrendering." The Judge orally approved settlement.

Everglades Protection Act, state legislature, 1991
Passage of the Everglades Protection Act in state legislature provided water management districts with clear tools for ecosystem restoration and facilitates cooperation among regional, state, and local agencies.

Sugar Cane League's plan to clean up phosphorus, 1991
The Sugar Cane League offered a plan to clean up phosphorus from the Everglades, and it filed a challenge to the area's SWIM plans

 

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) endeavors to restore, protect, and preserve the South Florida ecosystem. The overarching principles that guide the plan's development and implementation include:

• Meeting restoration, preservation, and protection requirements while providing for the region's other water-related needs;
• Incorporating best-available science and independent scientific review;
• Openly including and engaging stakeholders; Ensuring full partnership with federal, tribal, state and local agencies and taking their views into full consideration; and
• Creating a flexible plan that is based on adaptive assessment and recognizing that modifications will be made in the future based on new information.

1. There have been substantial and irreversible reductions in the spatial extent of the wetlands system (including an approximate 50 percent reduction in the Everglades) and in the total water storage, timing, and flow capacities of the systems, as well as well as permanent impacts from rising sea levels, establishment of exotic plants and animals, subsidence, and losses of organic soils.
2. There is a significant lack of pre-drainage quantitative, qualitative, and ecological data available to contrast and compare efforts.

The goals of CERP are to:

• Enhance ecologic values through improving the total spatial extent of natural areas; improving habitat and functional quality; and improving native plant and animal species abundance and diversity.
• Enhance economic values and social well being through increasing availability of fresh water (agricultural/municipal and industrial); reducing flood damage (agricultural/urban); providing recreational and navigation opportunities; and protecting cultural and archeological resources and values.

 

Key Players

Federal
U.S Army Corps of Engineers
U.S Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S Geological Survey
National Park Service
Bureau of Indian Affairs
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
National Ocean Service, NOAA
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA
Natural Resource Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Research Center, Department of Agriculture

Tribal
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
Seminole Tribe of Florida

State of Florida
South Florida Water Management District
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service
Department of Community Affairs
Department of Environmental Protection
Department of Transportation
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Local counties
Broward
Charlotte
Collier
Glades
Hendry
Highlands
Lee
Martin
Miami-Dade
Monroe
Okeechobee
Orange
Osceola
Palm Beach
Polk
St. Lucie

 

 

Funding

State funding 1983 - 2002

Department	1983-1993	1994-1995	1995-1996	1996-1997	1997-1998	1998-1999	1999-2000	2000-2001	2001-2002
Agriculture & Consumer Services	-	-	-	-	4,930	5,174	6,174	24,700	8,445
Community Affairs	-	-	-	-	35,240	37,129	27,248	31,830	9,800
Environmental Protection	-	-	-	-	62,530	68,500	154,648	225,042	163,035
Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission	-	-	-	-	9,470	9,470	9,800	17,586	20,092
Transportation	-	-	-	-	9,730	43,535	3,456	16,104	4,931
South Florida Water Management District	130,990	150,300	170,000	242,000	324,900	265,600	348,129	301,647	502,023
TOTAL	236,020	162,300	199,200	276,600	446,800	429,408	549,455	616,909	708,326

Federal funding 1993 - 2002

	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Dept. of Agriculture	4,714	4,933	4,992	5,481	5,560	6,799	9,133	10,604	9,490	10,143
- ARS	2,814	3,033	2,092	2,046	2,025	3,264	4,045	4,148	4,193	4,846
- NRCS	1,900	1,900	2,900	3,435	3,535	3,535	5,088	6,456	5,297	5,297
Army Corp of Engineers	21,453	37,976	30,620	34,048	38,642	60,332	47,749	116,277	120,419	138,872
NOAA	10,947	12,051	14,283	14,049	17,633	18,373	16,307	18,421	4,264	4,065
Dept. of Interior	38,400	33,237	54,244	40,878	57,724	148,363	144,333	144,521	50,194	80,680
- Bureau of Indian Affairs	-	400	399	399	399	399	397	397	396	396
- FWS	8,242	9,626	9,166	7,563	7,486	15,936	8,271	14,151	11,627	11,851
- NPS	28,158	21,211	37,725	22,262	41,238	123,427	127,063	120,613	29,645	59,743
- USGS	2,000	2,000	6,954	10,654	8,601	8,601	8,602	8,560	8,553	8,690
SFER Task Force	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1,316	1,325
EPA	4,769	5,803	7,166	7,645	8,131	8,684	6,165	4,696	4,582	4,169
TOTAL	80,283	94,000	111,305	102,101	127,690	242,551	223,687	294,519	192,846	241,808

 

Achieving Progress

The ultimate success of CERP will be a reflection of its implementation over more than 30 years. Successful implementation will require a well-coordinated strategy that recognizes, first and foremost, that ecosystem restoration is the overarching objective. CERP will begin to reverse, in a relatively short time, the pattern of ecological degradation that has been occurring in the natural system for many decades.

Implementation also will be guided by a set of principles:

• Utilization of interdisciplinary and interagency teams
• Incorporation of outreach and public involvement
• Maintenance of regional system focus
• Integration with ongoing and future projects
• Integrated contingency planning
• Consideration of water quality needs
• Plan evaluation through adaptive assessment
• Addressing of uncertainties
• Assurances to water users
• Development and refinement of models and tools

Provisions for operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation are key components of CERP. CERP provides annual operation and maintenance cost estimates for the entire duration of the restoration effort.

Adaptive assessment is a process for evaluating how well the phases of CERP achieve their expected objectives. These evaluations form the foundation by which future phases of the plan can be refined. An extensive Adaptive Assessment Program forms an integral component of CERP and includes system-wide comprehensive and integrated monitoring. The outcome of which will ultimately be utilized to support CERP's goals and objectives.

The Adaptive Assessment Program includes continued system-wide evaluation and analysis, among other planning activities. The monitoring program has a dual focus on the biological and hydrological restoration objectives in the urban and rural regions and includes hydrologic monitoring, water quality monitoring, and physical process monitoring.

Schematic flow chart of the adaptive assessment process and how it is anticipated to function. Courtesy of CERP

 

Links

Official website of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
www.evergladesplan.org

South Florida Ecosystem Task Force
http://www.sfrestore.org/

South Florida Water Management District
http://www.sfwmd.gov/

Everglades Digital Library
http://www.gatewaycoalition.org/ever_infor/library/index.html

 

 

Ecosystem Restoration home

This Project is supported with funds from the National Sea Grant College Program