EVERGLADES, Fla. (AP) — The Everglades in southern Florida were once about twice the size of New Jersey. There was an abundance of wildlife and water flowed freely from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay. But decades of engineering projects have divided and drained water, invasive species have transformed the land and agricultural pollution has impoverished water quality. Today, about half of the Everglades’ original size remains.
A massive state-federal project, passed by Congress with bipartisan support in 2000, aims to reverse the damage done to these wetlands. Its completion is expected to cost more than $23 billion and take 50 years.
Now that we’re over twenty years into it, there are some signs of progress. Wildlife is returning to some areas, regions dominated by the invasive melaleuca tree are down 75%, enthusiasm is high as major projects are finally getting underway, others are gaining momentum and funding is flowing. But as leaders and agencies rush to “get the water right,” there are concerns: The projects are billions of dollars over budget and questions remain about whether some will work.
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Record funding, unprecedented momentum and major projects in progress
Since 2019, the South Florida Water Management District has completed approximately 70 projects, broken ground or celebrated other milestones. This year, lawmakers set aside $1.275 billion, the largest annual amount allocated for the next 12 months of recovery efforts. The water district said they expect 12 to 15 years of this construction rate, as long as funding is available.
Considered by some to be the flagship project is the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project, which includes a reservoir that will store excess water from Lake Okeechobee and an adjacent constructed wetland that will clean it before discharge. But the reservoir is much smaller than originally planned, and some worry the project won’t be large or deep enough to significantly purify the water.
The Western Everglades Restoration Project had its groundbreaking in July after decades of advocacy by the Miccosukee Indian tribe in Florida. The goal of the project is to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water where the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes are located.
Some signs of progress
Since parts of the Tamiami Trail have risen, water flows have increased in the wetlands surrounding the highway, built in 1928 to connect Tampa and Miami. The road cut through the Everglades and acted as a dam, holding back water from the ecosystems that depended on it.
As parts of the Everglades are rehydrated and habitats reappear, so too are native species such as the wood stork. Wading bird colonies have returned to the Kissimmee River floodplain. In some areas, habitats in swamps or shallow lakes called sloughs are increasing. And the flamingos brought in by Hurricane Idalia have remained in the Everglades. Some scientists have said this is a sign that recovery efforts are working.
Persistent threats
Climate change, urban development and water quality are ongoing challenges to recovery efforts. Sea level rise and saltwater intrusion threaten biodiversity, drinking water supplies, habitats and more, and experts warn that rising temperatures will increase evaporation and reduce water runoff.
In a recent report to Congress, a committee of experts recognized the enormous challenge of integrating the impacts of climate change into recovery efforts. They recommended several actions, including developing a set of climate scenarios that are used consistently across all planning and implementation.
Water quality has improved, but phosphorus pollution remains a concern. Too much has harmed the wilderness’s delicate ecosystem, contributing to toxic algae blooms, oxygen depletion and excessive plant growth.
Then there are the people. Florida has experienced decades of rapid population growth, becoming the fastest growing state in the country in 2022. The pressure to develop is high.
“This is the largest, most complicated and most expensive ecosystem restoration project in the world,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. “It is very important that we get it right.”
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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for reporting on water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
