Central & Southern Florida Project George Horne Deputy Executive Director Operations & Maintenance Resource Area

The Original Everglades Ecosystem “River of Grass” Water connected the system, from top to bottom 9 million acres of wetlands providing a variety of habitat Diverse mosaic of landscapes and seascapes

System Modifications

1848 “Swamp & Overflowed Lands” Act Congress conveyed swamp lands to the State of Florida with the condition they be drained Explorers, military officers & surveyors proposed drainage canals to drain regional wetlands systems in south and central Florida Proposals included canals draining Lake Okeechobee to the east and west coasts

Swamp lands “reclaimed” for agriculture Start of farming south of Lake Okeechobee

Areas Flooded in 1926 & 1928

Severe droughts in the mid-1930’s muck fires, salt water intrusion

1947 Hurricanes Two hurricanes 12 inches of rain fell in a 30 minute period In some areas, more than 100” of rainfall that year - Courtesy of the Sun Sentinel & Fort Lauderdale Historical Society

Even the best engineered projects can’t control Mother Nature Newly constructed After the flood of 1922

“Central and Southern Florida Project for Flood Control and Other Purposes” Authorized by Congress in 1948 * (* Everglades National Park established six months before) The Central & Southern Florida Project

Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District Flood Control District (F.C.D.) formed in 1949 as local sponsor for the federally authorized flood control project  Acquire necessary lands for the project  Operate system after construction

The “Project Purpose” Flood Control Water Supply  Agriculture  Urban  Everglades National Park  Saltwater Intrusion Navigation Protection and enhancements of the ecosystem

Major C&SF Project Components River Channelization Herbert Hoover Dike Water Conservation Areas Protective Levees  Everglades Agricultural Area  Lower East Coast Drainage Network  Salinity Structures

Water Resources Act of regional water management districts created Boundaries based on hydrologic boundaries member Governing Board appointed by the Governor Ad valorem taxing capability

Chapter 373, Florida Statutes “Tool Box” Operations Land Acquisition Land Management Public Use Research Ecosystem Restoration Construction Taxing Authority Planning Regulation S F W M D

South Florida Water Management District System Components Approximately: 2,000 miles of canals and levees 160 major water basins 500 major water control structures 60 pump stations

Water Management Challenges

Miami River and Miami Canal in 1912 Contemporary photo of the same area Miami International Airport

Kissimmee River Natural riverC-38 Canal MILES

Kissimmee River Restoration

Lake Okeechobee 730 square miles, with a contributing basin of over 5,000 sq. miles Poor water quality inflows (phosphorus) Serves multiple purposes...  Water Supply Storage  Flood Protection  Unique Ecosystem  Recreation

Lake Okeechobee Natural vs. Altered Conditions Littoral marsh reduced Discharge to the Everglades significantly reduced Discharge to coastal estuaries significantly increased Modified range of typical stages

Lake Okeechobee Design Discharge Capacities Inflows to the lake frequently exceed total outflow capacity Outflow capacity to the St. Lucie & Caloosahatchee far exceeds outflow capacity to the Water Conservation Areas

Low salinity Sedimentation Low light penetration Damaging freshwater discharges to the St. Lucie & Caloosahatchee Estuaries

Everglades Too much / too little water Degradation of water quality Significant loss of Everglades habitat

Everglades Forever Act Everglades Construction Project 6 Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) 44,000 acres of created wetland treatment marsh

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Restore, protect, and preserve the water resources of central and south Florida 60+ projects  Physical Facilities  Land Acquisition  Operations & Maintenance Storage is key

Water Supply for Everyone

C&SF Project Strengths & Weaknesses Provides significant benefits to developed areas  Flood control  Water supply Unintended ecological impacts associated with C&SF construction and operation

South Florida Water Resource Management Challenges Florida’s climate is one of “extremes” System stressed by population & land use Current C&SF System taxed to meet all the water resource objectives of the region BALANCE  Multiple water resource objectives  Objectives often conflict

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