Time to Repair the Everglades
The final straw in the divide between man’s needs and restoring nature’s balance came in 1981
when a 200-year event, a massive drought, took place followed by, two years later, by massive
flooding secondary to hurricanes. By this time, it was already apparent that everyone must
consider all the problems so that solutions can be initiated at the soonest feasible time. The
“Save Our Everglades” campaign was initiated by Governor Bob Graham in 1983 in an effort to
restore the Everglades particularly the Kissimmee River which was previously gutted by the
government water management controls. The program also aimed to reinstall the natural flow
of water into the Everglades National Park while also protecting the great number of
indigenous species that have been threatened to extinction. In 1986, a huge algae bloom was
observed in the waters of Lake Okeechobee, consuming a large portion of the lake’s surface,
and which led many to question the water quality of Okeechobee. The growth of algae signified
the substantial change in the amount of nutrients present in the water. This led to the
realization that legislation is needed to control for water quality. As such, in 1987, the Surface
Water Improvement Act of SWMM was enacted into law which required a mandatory reduction
in the levels of phosphorus in Lake Okeechobee by 40 percent to be achieved by 1992. Another
piece of legislation that aimed to support ongoing efforts to restore the Everglades is the
Everglades Forever Act which was enacted into law in 1994 under the term of then-Governor
Lawton Chiles.
Agriculture
The agricultural landscape of South Florida provided one of the major determinants for the
design and implementation of government water management controls on the watershed of
the Kissimmee-Okeechobee- Everglades area. It should be remembered that the area was
initially drained in 1905 in an effort to make it more suitable for growing crops for which the
region was heavily dependent on. However, it was under the C&SF Project that the agricultural
lands of the area was institutionalized under the Everglades Agricultural Area land-use scheme.
The EAA comprised the upper one-fourth of the original landscape of the Everglades wetlands
accounting for about 750,000 acres. According to Bottcher, the EAA accounted for more than
$1.2 billion worth of economic activity on an annual basis with around $500 million coming
from the sales of crops an dairies produced by South Florida. Unfortunately, these agricultural
and economic activities were the largest consumer of surface water supply provided by the
Kissimmee-Okeechobee- Everglades region. As such, the EAA is considered to be both important
for the region’s economy and highly detrimental to the area’s ecology.
It should be understood that the region’s sugar industry controls more than half of the
Everglades Agricultural Area with sugarcane covering around 440,000 acres of the land. While
the topography of the Everglades is not really ideal for growing and developing crops, the sugar
industry nevertheless survives thanks to support from the government. By limiting the
importation of sugar and sugarcane products from overseas, the national government
effectively limited the American consumption of sugar to those produced by the local industry.
Additionally, the national government provides heavily subsidized loans to sugarcane growers.
The Everglades may not be ideal for sugar but it sure is in terms of making profits. As such, the
sugar industry continues to grow and flourish.
Aside from the sugarcane industry, the region also thrives on vegetable produce as well as the
processing of dairy and dairy products. While dairy farms are not located within the EAA
although they are established just outside the northern shores of Lake Okeechobee, these
nevertheless have a significant effect on the area’s agriculture as well as the region’s economy.
Within the EAA, there are a lot of vegetable farmers and growers, too, covering around 60,000
acres of the land allotted to agriculture. These vegetable farms provide the region’s food supply
during the colder months. In fact, during certain months, the Everglades Agricultural Area is the
country’s major supplier of winter crops.
Effects of Previous Water Management Controls
The major problems and issues now seen in the Florida Everglades ecosystem including the
region’s overall water supply are the result of the faulty and disruptive history of water
management controls in the region. This included the network of canals, impoundments, and
levees that have, unfortunately, restructured the Glades completely. These problems are
inherently intertwined as one issue can create new and often unexpected consequences or
complications.
· Modification of water flow pattern
Experts have developed a computer model to simulate the flow of water in the Everglades
without the environmental controls. According to the model, the whole South Florida area
would be unfit for human habitation except for a narrow strip of land located on the eastern
coast. The computer model suggested that, without the environmental controls, this area of
Florida will be uninhabitable. As such, while the existing water management system needs to be
changed, it is not feasible to remove all of the environmental controls.
Nevertheless, change is necessary. In the past, the flow of water to the south was described as
continuous, smooth, and in a constant level. Unfortunately, with the controls in place, the flow
of water to the Florida Bay and the Everglades is now heavily regulated by scheduled releases
of water. The water release is triggered by water levels and not the demands of the ecosystem.
Finkl said that natural rainfall patterns naturally dictated the flow of water in the region
providing for a pulsed and sporadic flow. The current system has been shown to dampen the
average yearly period of flooding known as the hydroperiod. Since the controls have been
implemented, the hydroperiod of the Everglades substantially decreased. In the past, the
Glades’ hydroperiod typically lasted between 7 and 10 months. Because of the shortened
hydroperiod, the region now experiences more frequent and significantly longer dry spells and
severe drought.
· Overdrainage
The quantity and quality of the region’s groundwater supply has been adversely affected by the
water management controls in the past. The agricultural area of the region was significantly
drained which essentially lowered the level of the area’s water table. As a result, the connecting
canals were forced to draw water from the basin of the Everglades National Park. Experts
estimate the drainage to be around 200,000 acre-feet annually. This led to the lowering of the
National Park’s water table. Cohn suggested that the sinking water table could be as low as 2 to
4 feet. This significantly threatened the overall availability of the region’s groundwater. This had
a significant impact on the supply of drinking water for the population of the region’s east
coast. Additionally, the lowering of the water table has increased the risk of saltwater
intrusion.
· Soil depletion
Before the water management controls were initiated in the early part of the 1900s, the soil
that covered the Everglades was primarily formed under wetland conditions. The soil contained
a lot of slowly decomposing organic material. The slow rate of decomposition is attributed to
the relatively low levels of oxygen because the area was submerged in water for almost the
whole year. The soil in the wetlands can thus, be said as containing high amounts of organic
matter. With the initiation of the water management controls, the organic material contained
in the soil led to the faster rate of its decomposition. This lowered the elevation of the surface
soil and led to significant soil depletion. Derr estimated that the rate of soil loss in the region
can be as high as an inch per year. This means that, since the drainage project was initiated in
the 1900s, the Everglades surface soil has been reduced by almost 6 feet because of oxidation
and erosion. If the condition remains unchanged, the Glades’ bedrock can be reached within a
quarter of a century.
· Reduction of water flow to the Florida Bay
Secondary to the disruption of patterns of water flow is the reduction in the amount of water
emptying into the Florida Bay. The water management controls required a much faster route to
help drain and control the flooding of the area. Instead of water flowing right to the southern
tip of the state, water was rerouted to either the east in the Atlantic or the west in the Gulf of
Mexico simply because these were a much quicker escape. The result is the reduction of flow to
the Florida Bay. The Bay compensates by increasing its intake of marine water which naturally
increased the level of salinity of the Bay. The change in salinity affected the fish and wildlife
which are native to the Bay. And because the Bay provided most of the livelihood of small
communities along its coast, the reduction in fish and wildlife also meant a reduction in their
economic activity.
· Overloading with nutrients
One of the most publicized effects of the water management effects is the nutrient overloading
that occurred in Lake Okeechobee as well as the wetlands downstream. The lake is the
catchment basin for the runoff that comes from agricultural and dairy farm areas up north.
These effluents are high in nitrogen and phosphorus which come from raw waste from the
dairy farms and fertilizers from the agricultural areas. As much as 1.5 tons of phosphorus is
drained into Lake Okeechobee every day. The increased mineralization of the lake’s bottom
accelerated the natural process of eutrophication. The agricultural runoff also seeped into the
water table underneath the Water Conservation Area. The concentrations of nitrogen and
phosphorus that leech into the WCA is estimated to be 10 to 20 times greater than normal.
These nutrients are integrated into natural water favoring the proliferation of species that are
dependent on high nutrient concentrations. The same effects can be seen in the Everglades
National Park as the WCA essentially supplies water inflow in the area.
· Disruption of the Everglades ecosystem
The abovementioned effects ultimately led to significant natural environment changes.
Deviations in the usual patterns of water flow led to the disruption or even destruction of
wildlife habitats. Plant species became more varied because of the introduction of high nutrient
concentrations. These plant species have overpowered the native species of the area creating a
disruption in the Glades’ ecosystem.
Issues in Water Management
The development of a comprehensive water management plan is largely dependent on how
well leaders can focus on the fundamental issues that are exposed by the abovementioned
effects. Finkl listed the issues as follows:
1. Creation of an al-inclusive water budget for the ENP, the municipal areas, the EAA, and
the rest of the region.
2. Reduction of EEA inflows into WCAs and Lake Okeechobee.
3. Regulation of the region’s water flow schedules.
4. Impacts of previous water management controls in the region.
5. Storm water management as well as backpumping from cities and other urban areas.
6. Potential risk of water shortages as well as their impact on the various areas of the region.
7. Patterns of delivery as well as minimum deliveries to the EEA and the ENP.
8. Surface- and ground-water levels and the frequency of fire associated with it.
One potential water management scheme that takes into consideration some of the issues
raised is the limitation of backpumping. Normally, water from both residential and agricultural
areas flow into the WCAs and Lake Okeechobee through a canal system in flood protection
conditions. This normal process is called backpumping. When the nutrient overloading was
observed in the lake and downstream wetlands, an Interim Action Plan was devised to reverse
the process and dilute the water in the lake and the WCAs since, under normal conditions,
water will flow from these areas downstream. The Plan called for the limitation of backpumping
except when there is prolonged drought to supply the water needs of the area or when there is
extended rainfall to protect the area against flooding. The plan increased the demands on the
lake as the principal source of water for the downstream network.
The Drought Management Plan was created upon recognition of the importance of Lake
Okeechobee water levels on the whole system of water management in the area. The plan
represented what is believed to be the best allocation of limited water resources under
extremely long dry spells. Under the plan, backpumping is suspended if the water nutrient
levels reach their maximum which is 10 ppm. The best management procedure is also halted if
the levels of inorganic nitrogen and total phosphorus reach 3.5 ppm and 0.5 ppm, respectively,
but only in the presence of lake water levels between its minimum and maximum curves. The
plan effectively established a balance between the need for adequate water resources in a
drought and the need to maintain natural water nutrient levels.
Restoration Efforts
The Drought Management Plan is an example of how the complete integration of best
management procedures can help restore ecological balance in the Everglades with due regard
for human safety during extreme climate conditions. The buildup of the effects of previous
controls and a growing desire to address the problems that resulted from these effects led to
the creation and enactment of a piece of legislation under the term of Governor Chiles, the
Everglades Forever Act of 1994. The Act authorized the initiation of the Everglades Construction
Project that aimed to clean and restore the protected area of the Everglades. The ECP was
eventually broken down into 55 smaller sub-projects which were managed by the SFWMD and
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and duly assisted by the US Army Corps of
Engineers. Many of these sub-projects are small-scale. However, there are those that require
extensive research, intensive planning, and substantial budget before such sub-projects can be
fully implemented. The following are some of the sub-projects of the DMP.
· Everglades Nutrient Removal Project
This sub-project aimed to address the nutrient overloading in the waters of the Everglades.
Specifically, the project aimed to reduce the concentration of phosphorus by 75 percent from a
high 200 ppb to a low 50 ppb. To accomplish this, project managers aim to construct 43,000
acres of fully artificial wetlands to be locate east and south of the EAA. The artificial wetlands
will also serve as storm water treatment areas. Part of the project is the testing of a small STA
covering about 3,680 acres. Annually, 100,000 acre-feet of water is flowed into the test STA
where water rests for 150 to 20 days before rerouted to the Everglades. The first year of testing
resulted in an 83 percent reduction in phosphorus concentration present in the runoff.
Unfortunately, there have been concerns about the aging of the artificial wetlands as well as
the diminishing removal of phosphorus. More research is thus, recommended prior to the full
implementation of the project which is expected to cost about $700 million.
· Kissimmee River Restoration Project
One of the most severely damaged bodies of water in the Everglades region is the Kissimmee
River brought about by the early flood control projects of the Corps of Engineers’ C&SF Project.
Instead of the original 103-mile long river that gradually winded down to Lake Okeechobee, the
River is now a 58-mile straight canal. The changes led to the destruction of the wetlands that
surrounded it. The Kissimmee River Restoration Project calls for the Army Corps of Engineers to
recreate 52 miles of river that forms the central spine of the system as well as to restore as
much as 29,000 acres of Kissimmee wetlands. The project will require a budget of around $558
million.
· Water Preserve Areas Project
One of the most ambitious among the 55 subprojects is the creation and establishment of
Water Preserve Areas which is different from the already-existing Water Conservation Areas or
WCAs. The project calls for the construction of wetlands to the east of the Florida Everglades.
The WPAs will serve as a buffer zone between the ENP’s wetlands and the east coast’s
developed areas. The WPAs will also function as the source of water supply replenishment for
the Biscayne Aquifer. This will increase the volume of runoff reaching the Florida Bay in the
south which will, in turn, push back saltwater intrusion from the coastline. The WPAs are also
designed to provide a habitat for the displaced plants, animals, and other wildlife in the region
because of development. The Water Preserve Areas Project is still in its early proposal stages as
there are a few issues that have been fiercely debated. Nevertheless, should the project reach
the implementation stage, it will be a great reversal of the deteriorating condition of the
Everglades ecosystem.
Political Complications of the Project
It is crucial that urban, ecological, and agricultural interests are considered into the
development of a sustainability program for the Everglades as well as its immediate environs.
The abovementioned restoration plans attempt to replenish the region’s physical
characteristics. Unfortunately, these plans are at the mercy of the political machinery. The
restoration project is never white and black or good and bad when it comes to politics.
Everything is anchored on who benefits what, who suffers what, and ultimately, who pays the
price in either scenario. Zubrow, Van Ness, Schumm, Panetski, and Finn all attempted to answer
some of the questions that have been conceived by the general public. In addition to
demographic and social trends as having some degree of correlation to the public opinion on
the restoration project, it was found out that economics and politics were the two most notable
influences.
· Economics
The Florida economy is dependent, to a large extent, on a robust agriculture. As such, when it
comes to the proposed Everglades restoration project, there is a very clear line between those
in favor of the project and those not in favor based on their agricultural backgrounds. Members
of the agricultural sector believe that the Everglades is beyond restoration and contend that
their farming practices provide the best use of the land. While there are plenty of arguments
against such lines of reasoning, the fact that Florida’s economy is dependent on agriculture is
something that politicians have to consider when deciding for or against the restoration
project.
· Politics
The influence of politics in the future of the restoration project lies in the differences in
perceptions in various levels of governance. Those directly affected by the project are those
who are very active in voicing their opinions while those that are located some distance away
feel no immediate need to address the problem. It is expected that Florida residents
themselves will see the problems that exist in Everglade’s current state and should thus, be
more active in the remediation of local effects. Regrettably, the opposite is true. Many Florida
residents look more at the restoration of the Everglades as a regional problem and hence,
should be addressed not by local government officials and the local people but rather some
higher levels of government. The researchers also found out that very few local politicians ever
consider the Everglades restoration project as part and parcel of their responsibility as locally
elected leaders. Fewer still seem to understand the ramifications of such an undertaking on
their contingency. The point of the matter is that, local communities and their political leaders
look up to regional governments to be responsible for the restoration of the Everglades.
Unfortunately, regional governments don’t see the problem as really important.
· Legislative Battles
There have been several legislative battles that raged for several years arising from the
economic and political influences on the restoration project. In 1988, the Florida Department of
Environmental Regulation was sued by the Federal government for allowing the high-level
contamination of the ENP as well as two other adjacent national refuges. For its part, the FDER
countersued the US Army Corps of Engineers citing it was the latter who caused the
contamination because of the initiation of the water management controls in the 1930s. The
state surrendered the legal battle in 1992 paving the way for the reduction of phosphorus
concentrations in the effluents of the agricultural industry to an intermediate level by 1997 and
to a terminal level by 2002. Sugar growers, particularly Big Sugar, challenged the settlement in
court primarily because they don’t want to pay for remediation. In 1993, the Babbitt Plan
provided the growers an additional 10 years to comply with the standards set. Additionally, the
agricultural sector will only pay a fraction of the remediation costs. To this very day, the
growers have only managed to pay $11 million towards the reduction of water pollution.
Conclusion
The restoration of the Everglades has seen remarkable progress and continues to do so despite
the complications brought about by political and economic influences. Some parts of the
project are already well underway while others are already in their final planning stages. It is
crucial to continue with the substantial steps already taken to make sure that the mistakes of
the past related to water management are not repeated and that the natural environment can
be recreated and restored to its former glory. It is important to understand that the process is
unusually slow especially with economic influences providing the opposition to almost every
stage and aspect of the South Florida Everglades Project.
One factor whose effects on the restoration process still need to be felt is the demand on the
Everglades watershed as a source of water for the eastern cost population. Florida is in the
middle of a population spurt with a majority of new entrants converging in the lower eastern
coast. This can put a strain on the Biscayne Aquifer, the region’s existing water supply. More
research is needed to study the effects of this population growth on the Everglades system and
to determine what actions can be taken to address potential water shortages or at least
prevent one.
Regardless of the population growth, the restoration of the Everglades is turning into an all-
important national undertaking with serious global implications. The project is a prime example
of ecosystem restoration, a trend that is likely to take the world by storm. And like looking at a
grain of sand, the whole world is watching anxiously for the final results.
